Home > How to Boost WiFi on PS4

Introduction

Playing online games on your PS4 can be a lot of fun, provided that your internet connection is not acting up. If you are in the middle of a heated Fortnite fight and your screen suddenly freezes for half a second and you die, it can get very frustrating. “How to boost my WiFi signal on my PS4?”, you might ask. Luckily, there are many methods.

While you can always buy a new router and have a better internet connection, it is not always practical or convenient to do so. Moreover, you may not even have to buy anything to improve your PS4 WiFi connection. So, how to boost your WiFi on PS4? Here are some free and not-so-free methods of boosting your WiFi signal on PS4.

Method 1 – Use an Alternate DNS Server

This is one of the easiest ways to improve your network connection for free. You can either change the DNS server directly in your router’s settings (recommended) or only do it for your PS4. You can find ways on how to change your router’s DNS server using your phone or laptop pretty much everywhere.

A DNS server is essentially like a phonebook. They match IP addresses and domain names, so they can be pretty important when it comes to your network speed. You can use whichever DNS you want, but the most popular and fastest ones are CloudFlare’s DNS and Google’s DNS. Here is how to boost WiFi on PS4 using an alternate DNS server:

1. Turn on your PS4
2. Go to Settings
3. Go to Network Settings
4. Click on WiFi (Or LAN, if you use a wired connection)
5. Select Custom
6. Connect to your WiFi
7. Select automatic and then go to the DNS screen
8. Choose manual DNS. If you want to use CloudFlare’s DNS, type in 1.1.1.1 as primary DNS and 1.0.0.1 as secondary DNS. For Google’s DNS, use 8.8.8.8 as primary and 8.8.4.4 as secondary DNS

That’s all you have to do. You only have to do this once when connecting to your WiFi and you’re all set. If you are having any problems with your connection after changing your DNS server, you can always turn automatic back on. This will depend on your ISP and specific router, but most people won’t have any problems whatsoever.

“But how to boost WiFi on PS4 some other way?”, you may ask. Keep on reading to find out!

Method 2 – Port Forwarding

Here’s another very effective and free method. Your PS4 uses specific ports when playing online games to send and receive data. If you dedicate a port only for gaming, you will have a much better connection and experience less lag. 

To do this, you will need to use your computer or phone to change router settings. While you’re at it, you might as well change the DNS server in the router settings. Here is a step-by-step on how to boost WiFi on PS4 using port forwarding for games:

1. Write down your PS4 IP address. You can find it in Settings – Network – View Connection Status. It probably goes something like 192.168.1.x or 192.168.0.x. Also, write down your default gateway
2. Open a web browser on your computer or phone and write the default gateway IP in the address bar. It’s usually 192.168.1.1 or similar
3. Find the Port Forwarding tab in the router settings. It’s probably under “Apps ; Gaming”
4. Under device IP, type in your PS4 IP address
5. Now comes the tricky part. You have to add a start and end port for all the online games that you play. You can check different websites to find the exact numbers that you need

Just like with your DNS server, you only have to set up port forwarding once, but you have to do it for all online games. “How to boost my WiFi speed on PS4 some other way, though?”, you once again ask. Here is a surefire way to boost your WiFi speed and signal.

Method 3 – Use a WiFi Extender, Booster, or Repeater

Wifi Boosters, extenders, and repeaters are somewhat similar. All three take your existing WiFi signal and increase the range using some method. So, how to boost WiFi on PS4 using one of those devices?

It’s actually very simple! You just have to plug in a device like RangeXTD wifi booster somewhere between your existing router and PS4. Repeaters usually create a new network, so you will have to connect to it. Wifi boosters or repeaters just take your existing signal and amplify it so that you get better speed, strength, and latency.

Method 4 – Reposition Your Router or PS4

This is a very obvious method. Nonetheless, it is one of the best ways to improve your WiFi connection by a significant margin. You simply have to put your router somewhere near your PS4. Additionally, try to remove any obstacles between the two devices to get the best possible connection. If moving the devices closer is not an option, you can always buy an extender or booster.

Method 5 – Use 5 GHz WiFi

So, how to boost WiFi on PS4 in just a few easy steps? Easy, you just switch from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz on your PS4. 5 GHz WiFi is much faster but remember that it also has a shorter wavelength. In other words, the range is severely shorter, especially if there are objects between the router and the PS4.

So, here is how to boost WiFi on PS4 by connecting it to a 5 GHz band on your router:

1. Turn on your PS4
2. Go to Settings – Network – Setup Internet Connection – Use Wi-Fi – Easy
3. Press Options and go to Wi-Fi Frequency Bands
4. Select 5 GHz and confirm

Conclusion

Boosting your WiFi signal on your PS4 is not difficult. To achieve the best results possible, you can combine all methods. You don’t even have to spend any money and you will still move from an unplayable online experience to a completely acceptable connection and latency.

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