🛠️ Tips & Tools for Better Internet Speed

Why Results Don't Match Your Plan Speed

If your speed test shows a lower number than your subscribed plan, this is normal and expected. Your plan speed (e.g., 100 Mbps) is the maximum speed from Triangle's network to your home. What you measure on your device depends on several additional factors between the ONT and your screen.

Gateway Speed vs. Device Speed

Your plan speed is measured at the ONT (Optical Network Terminal) — the fiber box Triangle installs. From there, your router, cables, and device hardware each introduce their own limits.

• Plan speed = maximum speed at the ONT (fiber entry point to your home)
• Wi-Fi speed = usually 60–85% of plan speed due to signal loss through walls and interference
• Wired Ethernet speed = closest to plan speed — most accurate measurement method
• Device speed = limited by your device's network card (old laptops may cap at 100 Mbps regardless of plan)

Common Reasons for Lower Speed Readings

• Testing over Wi-Fi instead of Ethernet
• Too far from the router — signal weakens beyond 10–15 meters
• Walls, floors, and metal objects blocking the Wi-Fi signal
• Old router that cannot handle modern speeds (Wi-Fi 4 / 802.11n caps at ~70 Mbps in practice)
• Multiple devices actively using bandwidth during the test
• Background apps consuming bandwidth: Windows Update, cloud sync, streaming
• Router overheating — always keep it in an open, ventilated spot
• Peak-hour congestion (most noticeable on shared broadband, not fiber plans)

Tips to Improve Your Wi-Fi Speed

1. Optimise Router Placement

• Place centrally — Wi-Fi radiates in all directions; central placement gives the best coverage
• Elevate the router — on a shelf or table, never on the floor
• Keep it in the open — not inside cabinets, drawers, or enclosed shelves
• Away from microwaves, cordless phones, and baby monitors (all compete for 2.4 GHz spectrum)
• Away from fish tanks and large metal objects — water and metal absorb signals
• Multi-story homes: place at ceiling height of the lower floor for coverage both up and down

2. Move Closer to Your Router

Wi-Fi signal drops sharply with distance. For critical tasks — video calls, large downloads — move closer.

3. Restart Your Router Monthly

1. 1Unplug the router power cable.
2. 2Wait 30 seconds.
3. 3Plug back in and wait 60 seconds for full reboot.
4. 4Run the speed test again to confirm improvement.

4. Use Ethernet for Critical Devices

Wired Ethernet is faster, lower latency, and completely stable. Use it for gaming consoles, smart TVs, desktop PCs, or work laptops.

5. Update Router Firmware

1. 1Log in to your router admin panel at 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.254, 192.168.0.254, or 192.168.88.1.
2. 2Go to Administration or System → Firmware Update.
3. 3Download and install any available updates.
4. 4Reboot the router after updating.

6. Upgrade Your Router

• Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) — ~50–70 Mbps practical max — upgrade if your plan is 75 Mbps+
• Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) — handles plans up to 500 Mbps — recommended for most Triangle fiber plans
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) — best for 1 Gbps plans, large households, many simultaneous devices
• Mesh Wi-Fi system — eliminates dead zones in large or multi-story homes

Device-Specific Speed Limitations

Every device has a maximum speed set by its hardware. Even on a 150 Mbps plan, an old device with a 100 Mbps Ethernet port or outdated Wi-Fi chipset cannot exceed that hardware limit — regardless of your plan.

Multiple Devices & Shared Bandwidth

Your internet plan speed is shared across all devices simultaneously. When many devices are actively streaming, downloading, or gaming, each gets a fraction of the total.

• 100 Mbps plan, 1 active device → ~100 Mbps available
• 100 Mbps plan, 5 streaming devices → ~20 Mbps per device
• 100 Mbps plan, 10 mixed devices → ~10 Mbps each (still fine for HD per device)
• 4K streaming needs ~25 Mbps per screen — 100 Mbps supports up to 4 simultaneous 4K streams

Managing Many Devices

1. 1Enable QoS (Quality of Service) in your router settings to prioritize devices or traffic types.
2. 2Schedule large downloads (Windows Updates, game patches) during off-peak hours (1–6 AM).
3. 3Use 5 GHz band for high-demand devices, 2.4 GHz for smart home low-priority devices.
4. 4If you have 10+ regularly active devices, consider upgrading to our DURONTO 150 Mbps plan.

Non-Speed Problems

Sometimes slow-feeling internet is not about speed at all. If your speed test shows normal results but browsing still feels sluggish, the issue may be elsewhere.

Speed Test OK but Browser Is Slow

1. 1Clear browser cache: Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data.
2. 2Try a different browser to rule out browser-specific issues.
3. 3Disable browser extensions — some cause severe slowdowns.
4. 4Check if the specific website is down (try downdetector.com).
5. 5Restart the browser completely — not just the tab.

Streaming Buffers Despite Fast Speed

• The streaming server (Netflix, YouTube) may be temporarily overloaded — try again in 10 minutes
• Smart TV app cache may be full — clear it in TV Settings → Apps → [App name] → Clear Cache
• Set quality manually to 1080p instead of Auto — Auto sometimes selects poorly
• Connect the TV via Ethernet for rock-solid streaming quality

Video Calls Are Choppy

• Video calls are sensitive to latency and jitter, not just speed
• Check ping and jitter on the Triangle Speed Test — ping under 30ms and jitter under 10ms is ideal
• Move closer to the router or switch to Ethernet
• Close all other internet-using apps during the call
• On a shared broadband plan? Upgrade to fiber for dedicated low-latency bandwidth

Troubleshooting Tools