How to Maximize Your AT&T Fiber Internet Speed

You signed up for AT&T Fiber and you're excited to experience blazing-fast internet. But what happens when your speed test shows numbers far below what you're paying for? Before you call support, let's walk through the most common culprits and how to fix them.

Test the Right Way

First, make sure you're testing correctly. Connect a computer directly to your AT&T gateway using an Ethernet cable, then run a speed test. Wi-Fi speeds will always be lower than wired speeds due to signal loss, interference, and distance from the router. If your wired speed matches your plan, your fiber connection is working perfectly.

Upgrade Your Equipment

If your wired speed is still low, the issue might be your equipment. Older Ethernet cables (Cat5) max out at 100 Mbps. Make sure you're using Cat5e or Cat6 cables for gigabit speeds. Similarly, an old router or a computer with a 10/100 network card will bottleneck your connection no matter how fast your fiber line is.

Optimize Your Wi-Fi

For wireless devices, placement is everything. Keep your AT&T gateway in a central, elevated location away from thick walls and metal objects. If you have a large home, consider adding a mesh Wi-Fi system to eliminate dead zones. Also, connect bandwidth-heavy devices like smart TVs and gaming consoles via Ethernet whenever possible.

Check for Background Hogs

Cloud backups, automatic updates, and streaming security cameras can quietly eat up bandwidth. Check your AT&T Smart Home Manager app to see which devices are consuming the most data and schedule large downloads for off-peak hours.

Still not getting the speeds you expect? Stop by TechPoint LLC in Casper and we'll help you diagnose the issue or explore upgrading to a faster AT&T Fiber plan!