If you've got the streamer in a cabinet, that's not helping either. If the router has antennas, positioning them correctly can also help (one vertical and one horizontal). Wi-Fi can go through walls, but being high up and with fewer walls between the router and streamer will make a difference. If it's on or near the ground, in a closet or at the far end of your house, you could be limiting the signal and speed without even realizing it. I don't mean your TV, but moving your Wi-Fi router could help a lot. Most smart TVs and game consoles have Ethernet, too.
Other options include the Roku Ultra LT, the standard Apple TV and the Nvidia Shield TV.
Unfortunately Roku doesn't sell an adapter itself, but some Roku Ultra models have ports. Most streamers lack the Ethernet port required for a wired connection, but cheap $15 USB adapters are available for the Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. If you want to use a wire, check your device.
The Roku Ultra is one of our favorite streamers with Ethernet built in. If you're still stuck at home it makes a good weekend project. Though running wires can be annoying, it provides the most reliable connection. Wired internet, aka Ethernet, is a lot faster and doesn't have issues with walls, interference or distance (well, not in a house, anyway). Though convenient, Wi-Fi can be quite slow on some networks, especially if multiple people are streaming at once. It's currently out of stock, but we have other suggestions in our roundup of the best mesh routers for 2022. CNET's favorite mesh system is TP-Link Deco W7200 ($229). These use multiple devices spread around your home instead of one single device. If your house is particularly large, or the walls seem to be lined with lead, it's worth considering a mesh Wi-Fi system. Our favorite all-around budget option is the TP-Link Archer AX21 ($90). Here are CNET's picks for the best Wi-Fi routers. However, it doesn't go through walls as well. 5GHz is generally faster and has less chance of interference from other devices. So if you've always had a bad connection in the back of the house, say, a better router might help with that.Ī new or different router might also give you the option to connect via the 5GHz range ("normal" Wi-Fi is 2.4GHz). You'll also likely get better range and better signal throughout your home with an upgraded router. TP-Link Deco W7200 is our favorite mesh router system. Many providers even charge for their basic routers, so if your provider allows it, you could save some money long-term by buying a good one outright and reducing your bill a bit each month. I upgraded my router the day before my new internet service was installed and I got a 20% boost in speed just from that.
The Wi-Fi router that you get for free from your internet provider is likely terrible.
Read more: Stuck at home watching TV? Here are the best streaming devices to help Upgrade your router or hub
If you switch providers, from cable to fiber, for example, the new provider will probably have to send someone to your house to install it. If you stay with the same provider, usually it'll be able to flip the proverbial switch without sending a tech to visit your home. This is definitely the first place to start. I was able to save money and increase my internet speed quite dramatically. Now, said cable company has six times the speed at 60% of the price. When I moved into my house, the phone company had the best option: a pretty fast DSL that was way better than the local cable provider.
It's also possible there are new providers or services from other companies in your area. You need at least 15Mbps download speeds for 4K streaming, but really, you want a lot more than that. This is certainly the most obvious, but when was the last time you asked your provider how fast its offerings are now? If it's been a few years, it likely has new services (maybe even fiber) that could greatly increase your download speeds.