How to Boost PS4 Internet Speed: 13 Best Methods That Actually Work

The internet is a necessity in our lives now. From streaming movies to doing research, it’s hard to imagine what we’d do without it. But your internet speed can make all the difference. With this in mind, we explored the different ways to boost PS4 internet speed and came up with the checklist below.

Internet providers often offer slower speeds with higher prices for us to choose from, but not all of us need those speeds. Some of the most popular ways to increase your PS4 internet speed are as follows:

1. Switching from cable to fiber or better ISP
2. Use Wired (Ethernet) connections instead of Wi-Fi
3. Using a faster router
4. Moving the PS4 closer to your Wi-Fi router
5. Pause and Resume Your PS4 Download
6. Put the PS4 Into Rest Mode
7. Only download one game at a time on your PS4
8. Changing input on your TV
9. Installing a booster or powerline adpaters
10. Upgrading your modem
11. Turning off or disabling apps that use up bandwidth
12. Upgrading your computer
13. Closing any background programs you have going on in the meantime.

These are just a few ideas, but they can help you figure out what works

What is a PS4?

A PS4 is the abbreviation for PlayStation 4, a gaming console from Sony Computer Entertainment. It is a home video game console that replaced Playstation 3. The console was launched on 15th November 2013 but was announced in February 2013.

The PS4 is one of the most popular gaming consoles. It’s a way for people to get access to games that are more expensive than they’d usually be.

This means that gamers can play these games without having to spend an arm and a leg on them. The original PS4 has a weight of 2.8 kg (6.2 lbs) and has a DualShock 4 controller input.

What are PS4 Internet Speed requirements?

The Play Station 4 requires an internet speed of at least 5Mbps for online gameplay. This means that any potential solution to increase your internet speed should be able to meet these requirements.

However, for the best gaming experience on PS4, we advise a speed of at least 20Mbps for excellent gaming on one machine or at least 100Mbps for multiple consoles or if your household is using many other devices.

The speed and reliability of the internet connection are important while you are gaming. This is because, without a reliable connection, you will not get the best performance.

What Affects Internet Speed?

Many things can affect your internet speed, but we’ll start with the device you’re using. Your internet speeds may be affected by the following:

• How close your device is to your router if you are using WiFi. However, PS4 mostly is connected via an Ethernet connection.
• The strength of your Wi-Fi signal: You should aim for good strength from the antennas. However, on Ethernet connection, the main issue is not the strength but the type of Ethernet cable used.
• How many other devices are connected to the internet in your home: The number of devices in your home share the same internet connection. Thus, an increase in devices means you can get lags, especially devices that use lots of internet.
• How many people are online in your home at once

Some of these factors might not need any adjusting and still offer good speeds. But if you want to increase your speed and you think one or more of these factors might be affecting it, try changing them for a bit and see how it goes.

How to Boost PS4 Internet Speed

Although we’ve become more reliant on the internet, we’ve also seen our internet speeds decrease. The major reason for this is because of how we use it and what we use it on.

When you go to check email or watch a movie online, your data will be used up more quickly than if you were just checking email alone. Similar to this, playing video games online can also drain your internet speed.

Unfortunately, playing video games is more of a problem than people realize. Studies show that gaming accounts for around 40 percent of all internet usage.

The PS4 is an even bigger culprit for eating up bandwidth due to its constant downloading and updates. But with these 12 tips, you can make sure your PS4 internet speed stays high and doesn’t affect the rest of your household:

1. Switch from cable to fiber or better ISP

If you’re looking for a fast and affordable way to improve your internet connection all you need is a provider with fiber. Fiber providers offer top speeds and can be more affordable than cable.

If you’ve been paying for the same tier of speed but want to upgrade, this is a great solution. You can also find better deals on plans with higher speeds.

You may also want to check if the ISP in your area is good for gaming. For example, you can check is Xfinity Good for Gaming if it is the most dominant ISP in your area.

2. Use Wired (Ethernet) connections instead of Wi-Fi

One of the best ways you can increase your internet speed is by switching from Wi-Fi to a wired connection. Wired connections are more reliable and offer a faster connection than Wi-Fi.

This will help you avoid interference and spotty connections. And if you want to make sure your PS4 is always connected, use an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi.

3. Using a faster router

One of the easiest and most affordable ways to increase your PS4 internet speed is by upgrading your router.

When you upgrade your router, it will likely be faster than the one you’re currently using because it has more features and a better connection. The increased bandwidth will allow for faster speeds all around.

A faster router for PS4 such as Netgear Nighthawk pro-gaming XR500 Wi-Fi router or ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC5300 Router will increase your gaming speed markedly since you can change the router settings to suit gaming.

4. Moving the PS4 closer to your Wi-Fi router

One way to boost your PS4 internet speed is to move the console closer to the Wi-Fi router. Some people have a hard time reaching far distances with their Wi-Fi signal, so they might not be able to play games with a stable connection.

This might be something you want to think about if your internet is on the slower side and struggling with connections if your PS4 isn’t in an ideal location.

5. Pause and Resume Your PS4 Download

One of the best ways to boost PS4 internet speed is by pausing and resuming your download. Take for example downloading a game with your PS4.

When you are downloading that game, you are using up bandwidth that could be used for other things. Perhaps you want to watch Netflix at the same time, but the movie is buffering because there’s not enough bandwidth being used.

While it might seem simple, pausing and resuming your PS4 download can help you save time and resources on your internet connection.

All you have to do is log into the PSN store on your console, find the game or app that you want to download, then hit pause. When you are ready to continue downloading, just unpause it! This is a simple method that can make an enormous difference in how quickly you get content onto your console.

6. Put the PS4 Into Rest Mode

One of the most useful ways to increase internet speed is to put your PS4 in rest mode. When your PS4 goes into rest mode, it stops using any data or connecting with the internet.

This could be a valuable way for you to boost your internet speed if you’re not streaming and only downloading.

After downloading and installing a game on your PS4, you can turn it off when you’re finished. You could also just put it in rest mode when you’re not using it.

Putting the console in rest mode when possible, will free up bandwidth and speed up your download time, which is valuable when trying to download large files like games and movies.

7. Only download one game at a time on your PS4

Only download one game at a time on your PS4. It may not seem like a big deal if you have a large hard drive, but the file size is important when it comes to internet speed.

If the PS4 downloads multiple games at once, it can eat up your bandwidth and slow your internet speed.

For example, if you’ve downloaded two games with 100 MB each, the PS4 has used 200 MB of your bandwidth. You will notice that download speeds drop dramatically when this happens. It could even cause your other devices to load more slowly.

So how can you fix this? Try pausing and resuming downloads for the game you’re not playing to free up some space on your hard drive while still downloading another game in the background.

If you want to download more than one game at once, try upgrading to a larger hard drive or using an external hard drive for storage. These are just two ideas that might help solve the problem!

8. Upgrading your computer

Upgrading your computer is a great way to increase your internet speed, but there are a few things you should know before going ahead with the upgrade.

For one thing, upgrading a computer may do more harm than good if there are any compatibility problems. If you have a Windows 7 computer and want to upgrade the RAM to 16 GB from 8 GB, for example, the software might not be compatible.

This means that your old hardware will need an update or it won’t work properly. In order to make sure everything goes as planned, it’s important to do research before making any decision.

You should also keep in mind what type of hardware you currently have before upgrading because it’s best to use the same type of parts if possible. You can explore the best budget gaming PC for your home if you are on a budget.

Related: PS5 vs Gaming PC: Which Is Better?

9. Closing any background programs you have going on in the meantime.

This is an easy fix for boosting your PS4 internet speed. When you have a lot of programs running in the background, it slows down your internet.

It’s not uncommon for people to have 20-30 tabs open on their browser, or to have multiple programs running at once. If you want to boost your PS4 internet speed and get rid of any lag, close out any other programs and tabs that may be running in the background.

This includes anything from Facebook to playing music while trying to watch a video on YouTube.

Turning off or disabling apps that use up bandwidth

One way to improve the internet speed on your PS4 is by turning off or disabling apps that use more bandwidth.

Some of these apps might be Netflix, HBO Now, Hulu, Spotify, and YouTube.

These apps will use up a lot of bandwidth when they’re being used in the background. If you have a lot of these going on at once, then you might want to disable them so that you can get a better internet connection for your PS4.

10. Changing input on your TV

The input you use on your TV can actually have a big impact on your internet speed. For example, if you’re using HDMI cables, the more of those cables you have going to the same input on the TV, the worse your internet speed will be.

The more things connected to that input, the worse it will be as well. So, if you’re browsing the internet and watching TV at the same time, that could be slowing down your PS4’s download speeds.

11. Installing a booster or powerline adapter

Installing a booster or powerline adapter can be a great way to increase your PS4 internet speed. If you have a Wi-Fi connection, then this will be a good way to boost the signal.

What a booster does is take the signal from one location and amplify it, which in turn increases its strength and range.

They’re fairly simple to install, as well as to use. All you need is an extension cord and an outlet near where you’ll be placing your device. This should work especially well if there’s a wall or other obstructions nearby that are affecting your signal.

12. Upgrading your modem

One of the most popular and easiest hacks to boost your PS4’s internet bandwidth is upgrading your modem. Your modem is like a translator between the internet and your home.

It connects to your phone line and then converts the signals into something that can be read by your devices.

If you’re using a really old modem, it could be slowing down your speed significantly. Most new modems come with a variety of features like wireless connectivity, parental controls, or higher download speeds. But if you’re not sure which one to buy, take a look at our buyer’s guide to pick out the best modem for you!

Conclusion

The PS4 is a gaming console made by Sony as a rival to the Xbox One. Although the PS4 is a powerful gaming system, some people may experience lag and connection issues when playing online. This article discusses 8 methods to improve your PS4 internet speed and help you avoid lag and connection issues.

The first and most important thing to do is check with your internet provider and make sure that they can provide your PS4 with enough bandwidth to run properly.

If you have a high-speed connection, there is a good chance that the issue is on your end and not with your internet provider. These 12 methods will help you boost PS4 internet speed so that you can enjoy faster gaming sessions.

FAQs on how to boost PS4 internet speed