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You’ve probably had this moment: you’re deep into a match, perfectly lined up for the headshot, when suddenly your character rubber-bands across the map and you’re ready to push your mouse through your monitor. We tend to blame “the internet” when these things happen. Here’s the reality: sometimes the real culprit isn’t your plan, it’s your in-home setup. With internet providers starting to offer nbn’s accelerated speeds, delivering up to five times faster wholesale download speeds on eligible HFC and FTTP plans, now’s the perfect time to ask a simple question: is your Wi-Fi holding you back? Here are five signs it might be time to optimise your setup and save your gear from lag-induced rage. Your Wi-Fi Router Lives in Witness Protection Why are you so ashamed of your router? If your Wi-Fi router is shoved in a cupboard, hidden behind the TV, or gathering dust under your desk, you’re sabotaging your own connection. Wi-Fi works best with a clear line of sight, and every obstacle between your device and the router is another wall your signal has to punch through. The fix is simple: Wi-Fi routers belong out in the open in an uncluttered area, ideally in a central spot where the signal can spread evenly. Elevating it onto a shelf or table at waist height makes a noticeable difference, while tucking it near interference-heavy electronics like microwaves, cordless phones, or even a giant fish tank is a recipe for signal chaos. That Wi-Fi Router Is Older Than Your Steam Account Routers aren’t immortal. If yours has been around longer than, say, you’ve been waiting for Half-Life 3, it may not be keeping up with your current internet demands. A good rule of thumb: if it’s more than five years old, you may want to consider whether it’s still suitable for your needs. Older routers typically don’t support newer Wi-Fi standards, which can handle higher speeds. They might suffer under the pressure of multiple devices, deliver slower speeds and offer patchy coverage. Modern Wi-Fi routers offer the latest Wi-Fi standards and are better suited to supporting more demanding internet use across dozens of devices. Pair that with the accelerated speeds nbn made available on its FTTP and HFC networks in September 2025, and a very old router - is like plugging a 4K-capable console into a CRT TV. It still works, but you might not be getting the full experience. Your Dead Zones Are Actually Black Holes We all have that one room where Wi-Fi mysteriously disappears. Maybe it’s the back bedroom where your streams constantly buffer, or the upstairs study where your games love to disconnect mid-match. These dead zones aren’t just annoying, they’re proof that your coverage isn’t cutting it. Larger or multi-storey homes, or homes built with thick brick, concrete and even certain types of glass, make it harder for a single Wi-Fi router to cover every corner. If you’re constantly moving around to find “the good room” to play in, that’s a sign your setup might need some help. That’s where mesh Wi-Fi systems come in. By creating multiple access points around your house, mesh setups help eliminate weak spots and give you stable speeds everywhere. Every Device in the House Is Competing for Bandwidth You’re gaming online while someone else is streaming 4K Netflix, another person is on a work video call, and your console is quietly downloading a 50GB update in the background. Sound familiar? That can be a classic case of too many devices competing for the same slice of bandwidth. Older Wi-Fi routers in particular may struggle with this kind of load, which is why your ping spikes the second someone hits “play” on a movie. Upgrading to a modern router designed for multiple connections and making sure it’s placed correctly gives every device a fair chance. You’ve Never Actually Checked Your Setup Look, honestly most of us don’t think about our Wi-Fi router until something goes pear-shaped. We upgrade our consoles, swap out our GPUs and chase higher frame rates, but rarely ask if our Wi-Fi setup is keeping pace. If you’ve never stopped to check where your Wi-Fi router is, how old it is, or whether your home needs a mesh system, you might already be limiting what your connection can do. In other words, don’t wait until the next time you’re rage-quitting over lag. A few quick checks now can save you endless frustration later. Do you struggle to maintain a stable connection when playing online games? Here are some simple ways you can improve your Wi-Fi today. Time to Level Up nbn’s accelerated speeds upgrade isn’t just a technical milestone for eligible premises, it’s an opportunity for gamers to finally leave lag and sluggish downloads behind. However, the upgrade doesn’t solve problems caused by poor placement, ageing hardware, or patchy coverage inside your home. By recognising the signs – a hidden Wi-Fi router, an outdated router model, weak spots or dead zones around the house, overloaded connections, or a setup you’ve never even thought about – you can take simple steps to optimise your Wi-Fi and unlock the performance you’ve been missing. No gamer should lose a round to their own internet connection. When was the last time you looked into the speeds you could be getting? Check your address to see what’s available to you.
