Short answer: Upload speed is usually slow because the plan was built that way: many cable and 5G home internet plans send far less than they receive, while fiber plans such as AT&T Fiber are symmetrical. Check your plan's upload figure first, then run a wired speed test with any VPN off. If a wired test matches the plan but Wi-Fi doesn't, the problem is in your home; if both fall well short, contact your provider.

Upload speed is usually slow because your internet plan was built that way. Many cable and 5G home internet plans send data far more slowly than they receive it; fiber plans are more often symmetrical, with equal upload and download speeds. So the first step is to find your plan’s upload figure. If a wired speed test matches it, your connection is working as sold, and the fix is a different plan or less competition for the upload you have. If a wired test falls well short, the problem is your equipment or your provider.

Upload is the data you send: your camera on a video call, photos backing up to the cloud, a live stream, footage from security cameras. Download is the data you receive. This guide covers how to tell which kind of “slow upload” you have and what to do about each. It draws on provider, FCC and manufacturer documentation.

Step 1: Check what upload speed your plan includes

Internet ads lead with download speed, so many people never see their upload figure. Look for it on your provider’s website, your bill or the broadband label for your plan. FCC rules require providers to show labels that include typical download and upload speeds and latency.

What you’ll typically find depends on the technology:

The CableLabs figures are network capacity in the specifications, shared across many homes, not the speed of any plan; CableLabs says deployed performance varies. By those figures, DOCSIS 4.0 has three to six times the upstream capacity of DOCSIS 3.1. Our DOCSIS 3.0 vs. 3.1 vs. 4.0 guide covers what each modem generation supports.

For context, the FCC’s benchmark for fixed home broadband is 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. It adopted that figure on March 14, 2024, and its 2026 broadband report, released August 14, 2026, kept it while dropping the FCC’s longer-term goal of 1 Gbps down and 500 Mbps up.

T-Mobile’s ranges also show how wide “typical” can be: for its main plans and latest gateway, it says 25% of customers see speeds below the range and 25% see speeds above it.

Step 2: Test your upload properly

A single phone test over Wi-Fi tells you little. To find where the bottleneck is:

1. Stop other uploads. Pause cloud photo and file backups and, if you can, anything else sending data, such as cameras or a game console uploading clips.
2. Turn off any VPN. Ring’s own speed-test instructions start with this step. A VPN sends your traffic through another server, so you’d be testing that route instead of your connection.
3. Test wired. Plug a computer into the router with an Ethernet cable and run a speed test.
4. Test over Wi-Fi in two places. Once near the router, then where you usually work or where the device that uploads sits. Ring suggests testing next to the router and again where its device is installed.
5. Compare with your plan. Ring tells customers to contact their provider if the test next to the router shows less than 60% of the speed they pay for.

Then read the results:

Step 3: Fix what you found

If your plan’s upload is simply too low

Add up what your household sends at the same time. Ring’s guidance gives a sense of scale for cameras: about 1 Mbps of upload for a 720p device, 2 Mbps for 1080p, 2.5 Mbps for 1536p, 10 Mbps for 2K and 15 Mbps for 4K. Three 1080p cameras uploading at once would use about 6 Mbps by that measure, which is a large share of a plan with 10 Mbps of upload. Our guide to how much internet speed you need has figures for video calls and other uses.

If the total is close to your plan’s upload, the options are a higher tier, a different technology if one is available at your address (AT&T, for example, says its fiber has equal upload and download speeds), or scheduling large uploads such as backups for overnight.

If uploads make everything else lag

When an upload fills your connection, video calls and games can stutter even though downloads look fine. That’s often bufferbloat: data queues up in the router or modem and delays everything behind it. Our bufferbloat guide explains how to test for it and which router settings, such as smart queue management, help.

If only Wi-Fi uploads are slow

The problem is between your device and the router, not your internet connection. Try the same fixes as for slow Wi-Fi in general: move closer or move the router to a central spot, use the 5 GHz or 6 GHz band near the router, and update the device’s Wi-Fi drivers. Our guide to why Wi-Fi is slow when the internet is fast walks through it. For a device that uploads constantly, such as a desktop PC used for streaming, a wired connection removes Wi-Fi from the equation.

If even wired uploads fall short

Restart the modem and router, then test again. Check that your modem supports your plan; on cable, the DOCSIS guide linked above lists the upload limits Netgear gives for each modem generation, and your provider’s list of approved modems shows what it supports. If a wired test with nothing else running still falls well short of your plan, contact your provider with your test results, including the time and whether the test was wired.

Bottom line

Start with your plan’s upload number, not your router settings. Many plans, especially on cable and 5G home internet, are built with slow upload, and no setting changes that. If your wired results match your plan, the fix is a different plan or less competition for upload; if Wi-Fi alone is slow, fix your home network; if wired results fall short too, take it to your provider.

Sources and verification

Short answer: Wi-Fi that keeps dropping has three possible sources: one device, your router, or your internet connection. If only one device drops, check its power-saving, driver and network settings. If every device drops, look at the router: signal, band steering, DFS channels, firmware and heat. If the router stays up but the internet goes down, check for a provider outage.

When Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting, the cause is almost always in one of three places: a single device, your router, or your internet connection. The quickest way to narrow it down is to check whether one device drops or all of them do, then whether a computer plugged into the router with Ethernet drops too. This guide walks through that check, then the fixes Apple, Microsoft, Google and router makers recommend for each case.

It’s built from manufacturer and FCC documentation. Menu names vary by device and software version, so use these as a guide to what to look for.

First: is it one device, all devices, or the internet?

Microsoft, Google and Apple all suggest trying another device on the same network. If the other device stays connected, the problem is probably the first one. Apple adds that if you can’t get online using your other devices, “there might be a service outage,” and you should contact your provider.

A simple way to sort it out:

On Windows, you can also ping the router. Microsoft suggests running ipconfig to find the “Default gateway” address and then pinging it. Microsoft says replies mean there might be a problem with your modem or provider. If there are no replies, it suggests plugging the PC straight into the modem with Ethernet: if that works, the router is likely the problem.

If only one device keeps dropping

Windows laptops and PCs

Microsoft’s Windows 10 and 11 guide lists these fixes:

• Stop Windows switching off the adapter. In Device Manager, open Network adapters, open your Wi-Fi adapter’s Properties, and on the Power Management tab clear Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. In the advanced power plan settings, set Wireless Adapter Settings > Power Saving Mode to Maximum Performance.
• Reinstall the driver. In Device Manager, right-click the adapter, choose Uninstall device, tick Attempt to remove the driver for this device, then restart. Windows reinstalls it. Intel, which makes many laptop Wi-Fi adapters, says “you can remedy many problems by updating drivers and software.”
• Forget the network and rejoin. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks and choose Forget.
• Network reset, as a last step. In Windows 11: Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset. Microsoft says this removes and reinstalls your network adapters and returns their settings to defaults, so you may need to rejoin Wi-Fi and reinstall VPN software afterward.

iPhone and iPad

Apple’s current troubleshooting page suggests making sure Airplane Mode is off, removing VPN or security apps to test, restarting the router and modem, and trying the 5 GHz band if your router has one. Reset Network Settings (Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings) is the last resort; Apple says to use it “only if other solutions fail.”

Check Connectivity Assist too. Apple says it “uses cellular data to improve your connection when Wi-Fi is slow or unusable.” If your phone seems to leave Wi-Fi on its own, this may be why. Turn it off in Settings > Wi-Fi to test.

Android phones

Pixel phones have Auto-switch to mobile network under Settings > Network & internet > Adaptive connectivity. Google’s help page suggests turning it on; switching it off briefly is our suggestion for testing. Samsung Galaxy phones have Switch to mobile data under Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi > More options > Intelligent Wi-Fi; Samsung says that with it on, “your device will switch to mobile data whenever the Wi-Fi connection is unstable.” Turn the setting off temporarily to see whether Wi-Fi is really dropping.

Google also suggests booting a Pixel into safe mode. If Wi-Fi works in safe mode, a downloaded app is likely the cause.

Private Wi-Fi addresses

Many phones use a private, randomized Wi-Fi address instead of their hardware address; Apple devices use a different one on each network. eero says some devices’ randomized addresses “can change over time,” which can make a device appear offline, and suggests turning off Private Wi-Fi Address on iPhone or choosing Use device MAC on Android if a device keeps going offline. Apple doesn’t describe private addresses as a cause of drops, so treat this as a test, not a fix to leave in place.

If every Wi-Fi device keeps dropping

Weak signal

eero says plainly that “a weak signal can cause your device to drop offline or fail to connect.” Netgear lists weak signal first among its causes of disconnects. If drops happen mainly in far rooms, move the router to a central, open spot, or add a mesh point.

ASUS also suggests keeping the router away from microwave ovens, refrigerators, cordless phones and power boxes. Apple lists microwave ovens, cordless phones, power cables and fluorescent lights as common sources of interference, and notes that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi share the 2.4 GHz band.

Band steering and network names

Many routers now put 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz under one network name and steer devices between them. ASUS says a phone’s own band-preference settings can make its Smart Connect feature ineffective “or lead to frequent disconnections.” TP-Link lists Smart Connect “compatibility problems with certain client devices” as a cause of instability.

If one device keeps dropping or bouncing between bands, try turning band steering off so each band has its own name. Netgear’s disconnect guide takes the opposite view, listing separate band names as a possible cause, so treat this as a test and switch back if it doesn’t help. Our band steering guide shows where the setting is on major brands.

Netgear also lists using a “common or default WiFi network name” as a cause, and eero says conflicts can occur when your network shares a name with another nearby network. Give your network a unique name.

DFS channels on 5 GHz

Some 5 GHz channels are shared with radar, and routers using them must follow the FCC’s Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) rules. Under 47 CFR 15.407, a router must listen for radar for 60 seconds before using one of these channels. If it detects radar, it must stop transmitting on that channel within 10 seconds, and the channel is then off-limits for at least 30 minutes.

In practice, TP-Link says connected devices “will encounter disconnection” when the router moves to another channel, though the connection can be restored after a while. ASUS says radar detection “will cause connected WiFi clients to be disconnected from the network for a period of time,” and that 2.4 GHz keeps working meanwhile.

If your 5 GHz devices all drop at once for a short time, now and then, check whether your router is on a DFS channel. On ASUS routers, ASUS says to untick Auto select channel including DFS channels under Wireless > General, along with the 160 MHz option. Other brands use different menus. Our guide to changing your Wi-Fi channel covers the trade-offs. ASUS’s steps also turn off 160 MHz channels, so avoiding DFS can mean giving up the widest channel option.

Firmware, heat and scheduled reboots

• Firmware. TP-Link says “outdated firmware can cause wireless instability,” and ASUS asks users to make sure firmware is up to date. Apple recommends turning on automatic firmware updates.
• Heat. TP-Link says “overheating is a common trigger for automatic reboots.” Xfinity advises keeping its gateways off carpet and out of enclosed cabinets where the vents are blocked.
• Schedules. TP-Link says to check whether an Auto Reboot schedule is turned on. Many Netgear Nighthawk routers have a wireless schedule that can turn Wi-Fi off at set times, and eero can pause devices or limit new devices that haven’t been assigned to a profile. If drops happen at the same time each day, check for these.

Security mode mismatches

Apple recommends WPA3 Personal, or WPA2/WPA3 Transitional “for compatibility with older devices.” Google takes a more cautious line for its Nest Wifi routers: “Some legacy WPA2 devices may be incompatible with WPA3 and experience connection issues when WPA3 transition mode is on.” ASUS also says some older devices can’t use WPA3.

So if an older device keeps dropping after you turned on WPA3 or mixed mode, switching that network to WPA2 is a reasonable test. Our WPA2 vs. WPA3 guide explains the security trade-off.

If the internet itself keeps dropping

If a computer wired to the router loses internet at the same time as everything else, the problem is upstream. Check your provider first. Xfinity, for example, shows outages in its app, on its outage map, and by text if you send “OUT” to 266278.

Then restart in order. Netgear’s steps: power off the modem and router, remove any backup battery, wait two minutes, turn the modem on and give it about five minutes to connect, then turn the router on. Microsoft gives a shorter wait of at least 30 seconds. If the modem’s lights still look wrong after a restart, contact your provider.

If drops keep coming back, see our guide to fixing slow Wi-Fi for testing your connection.

Sources and verification

Bottom line

Find out what’s dropping before changing settings. One device points to that device’s power and Wi-Fi settings. Every Wi-Fi device points to the router: signal, band steering, DFS channels, firmware and heat. Everything including wired points to your provider. Fix one thing at a time so you know which change worked.

Short answer: Your router keeps a list of every device on your network. Open it in the router's app or admin page, match each entry to a device you own, and block anything you can't identify. Unfamiliar entries are often your own phones and laptops using private Wi-Fi addresses, so check those first. If a stranger really is on your network, block them and change your Wi-Fi password.

Your router keeps a list of every device on your network. Open it in the router’s app or admin page, match each entry to something you own, and block anything you can’t identify. If a stranger really is connected, block them and change your Wi-Fi password.

This guide is based on eero, Google, Netgear, ASUS and Apple support documentation. It is not a hands-on test.

Step 1: Open your router’s device list

Google’s list includes devices that “used the network within the last 30 days, including ones not currently connected,” so an entry there doesn’t mean the device is online now. Netgear notes a device’s IP address can change when it rejoins, while its MAC address “does not change.” Eero says devices that haven’t connected in seven days drop off its list automatically.

Step 2: Identify unfamiliar devices

Most unknown entries turn out to be your own devices. Work through them:

• Smart home gear. Plugs, bulbs, TVs, speakers and printers often show a manufacturer name or a string of letters and numbers. ASUS’s client details include the manufacturer, which helps.
• Phones and laptops with private addresses. Apple says its devices identify themselves “to each network using a different Wi-Fi address” and may rotate it. On networks secured with WPA2 or stronger, Apple devices use a fixed private address by default; on weak or open networks, it rotates every two weeks. So the MAC address in your router’s list may not match the one printed on the device. On an iPhone, open Settings, Wi-Fi, then tap the More Info button next to your network to see the address it uses.
• Turn things off one at a time. If you still can’t place an entry, switch off or disconnect devices one by one and watch which entry goes offline.
• Rename what you’ve identified in the router’s app, so the next check is quicker.

Step 3: Block what you don’t recognize

• eero: find the device under Devices, open it, tap the more options icon in the top-right corner, then tap Block device. Eero says blocking “disconnects the device and prevents it from rejoining your network, even if the correct password is entered.” Blocking isn’t available when eero is in bridge mode.
• ASUS: in the web interface, click the device under Network Map, Clients, turn on Block Internet Access and click Apply. In the app, open the device and tap Block. ASUS says a blocked device “cannot connect to the Internet.”
• Netgear: the Attached Devices list shows whether each device is Allowed or Blocked. Look for access control settings on your model to block a device.
• Google Nest Wifi and Google Wifi: Google’s device-list help page doesn’t cover blocking. If you can’t block an unknown device, change your Wi-Fi password instead.

Step 4: Change your Wi-Fi password if someone got in

Blocking stops one device. If someone outside your household had the password, they can connect again from another device, so change it. Every device in your home will need the new password afterward.

While you’re in the settings:

• Use WPA3, or WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode, if your router offers it. See WPA2 vs. WPA3.
• Turn off WPS, which lets devices join without the password. See should you turn off WPS and UPnP.
• Give visitors a guest network instead of your main password. See guest networks for smart home devices.
• Change the router’s admin password too, and work through our router hardening checklist.

If your router no longer gets security updates, see is my router still getting security updates.

Fact-check notes

Bottom line

Check your router’s device list every so often and name what you recognize. Most unknown entries are your own gear, especially Apple devices using private addresses. If something truly isn’t yours, block it and change your Wi-Fi password.