Compare wireless broadband deals

Wireless broadband has now become the norm for every location with a broadband connection, be it at home, a workplace or a public space. With a wireless router sending Wi-Fi signals to every room, you can use the internet from wherever you are in the property.

Almost every broadband deal on offer in the UK today provides wireless broadband. Which makes sense — when was the last time you used a wired connection and actually plugged a cable into your device to access the internet? The days of dial-up are long gone and wireless broadband deals have long been the new standard for getting access to the internet at home and at work.

As such, having wireless broadband is useful for everybody, allowing multiple people to connect to a single broadband connection quickly and easily. Families use it to ensure everyone can get online at the same time via their smartphones, laptops and tablets. Gamers will find it essential for connecting their consoles to the internet without having to physically plug them into a router, and if you want to browse social media while in bed, Wi-Fi obviously is a must-have.

To set up a Wi-Fi connection in your home or workspace you'll need a wireless router. The best Wi-Fi deals will almost always include a wireless router when you sign up with a provider. They’re usually free of charge and are very simple to set up, with no technical skills required.

Best wireless broadband deals on Uswitch.com January 2021

Where are the best Wi-Fi deals available in the UK?

Great Wi-Fi deals are available from every major broadband provider, and there are several types of wireless broadband connection to choose from. The type of connection you have will impact the speed and strength of your wireless internet and the availability of each type varies across the UK.

Superfast fibre broadband is more widely available than most realise, so it’s always worth checking to see if there are better Wi-Fi deals available where you live.

When comparing Wi-Fi deals, here are the key options that you should be aware of:

• Standard broadband — Also known as ADSL, this is the most basic and widespread broadband type and is available almost everywhere, since it operates through copper telephone lines. It offers average speeds of around 10Mbps.
• Fibre broadband — Available to more than 95% of UK homes, ‘fibre-to-the-cabinet’ (FTTC) broadband offers a significant speed boost compared to standard broadband, with average speeds between 36Mbps and 67Mbps, depending on the package.
• Cable broadband — Available from Virgin Media, this uses a different technology to deliver service to your home. It can offer speeds of up to 600Mbps and is available to around 50% of homes.
• Full fibre broadband — While most fibre packages still use copper cables to connect your home to the nearest street cabinet, full fibre (or ‘fibre-to-the-premises’) sends fibre cabling directly to your home. It's the least-widely available service — only about 18% of homes currently have access — but it can deliver lightning-fast speeds of up to 1,000Mbps (1Gbps).

Can I get wireless fibre broadband?

You can get wireless broadband wherever fibre broadband is available, and the vast majority of homes in the UK can access fibre broadband, but there are still a few places that miss out.

Hard-to-reach rural parts of the UK might not have access to fibre broadband yet; and some urban areas are still not connected, often due to complexities in laying the necessary fibre cabling (especially in purpose-built flats). However, this applies to less than 5% of UK properties, and if you are affected, there may be more suitable options available such as mobile broadband.

What's the wireless broadband speed in my area?

To find out what speeds are available in your area and if you can access fibre, just put your address into our Postcode Checker and we'll show you what speeds you can expect and what wireless broadband deals are available where you are.

If you'd like an even more accurate look into the speeds you can get at your actual address, then compare with our Broadband Network Checker — this'll help you avoid searching your address on each providers' own websites.

How does a router work?

A wireless router works by sending signals throughout your home in the form of Wi-Fi. Almost all computers and laptops will have an inbuilt receiver that can pick up these signals to connect to the internet without wires — though if you have an older machine, you can still connect wirelessly through an external network adapter.

While there is a lot of jargon related to Wi-Fi, there are a few key numbers you need to look out for — 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac (also called Wi-Fi 5) and most recently 802.11ax (or Wi-Fi 6). These refer to international standards for Wi-Fi that indicate how fast your wireless network will be and how many devices it could handle at any one time.

Older and cheaper routers will only use the 802.11g standard, which transmits in the 2.4GHz bandwidth — a signal that has a good reach but is slower than some more modern connections. Newer models may be listed as 802.11n, which still uses this bandwidth, but comes with better technology for faster speeds.

However, for the highest performance, you should look for routers that are 802.11ac certified. This means they can also transmit on the 5GHz frequency, which translates to much faster performance for users.

The next generation of Wi-Fi routers is 802.11ax, or Wi-Fi 6. It's expected to make Wi-Fi much easier to use in busy areas like stadiums and airports, and eventually our homes too, given its larger capacity for bandwidth and more devices.

While some providers offer this equipment in their more advanced routers, many cheaper options that are included for free with cheap broadband packages won't have this capability, so you may have to buy your own to take advantage of this technology.

How to set up a router

Most routers provided with broadband packages will already be set up to provide you with a home Wi-Fi network, so you'll have to do very little to get them up and running.

In the majority of cases, if you're choosing a standard or fibre broadband package, all you'll have to do is plug your new router into your home's master phone socket, connect it to a power socket and you’re good to go.

Some types of broadband, such as Virgin Media's cable services and full fibre-to-the-premises packages, may require an engineer to visit your home to install the necessary hardware. If this is the case, this will be arranged when you sign up to a service.

Note: COVID-19 restrictions might affect engineer visits while cases remain high — providers will contact you if this is the case and guide you as far as they can remotely, with in-home visits reserved for those who cannot install their router without an engineer present.

Which broadband provider has the best Wi-Fi router?

You may not choose your broadband provider based on who has the best wireless router, but it doesn’t hurt to consider it. All the major providers have invested in their products in order to ensure they have the best Wi-Fi router available for new customers.

• Sky Hub and Sky Q Hub
• BT Home Hubs and Smart Hub
• Virgin Media Hub 3.0
• TalkTalk Wi-Fi Hub and Super Router
• EE Smart Hub and Bright Boxes

There are some slight differences between each provider’s Wi-Fi hub, but perhaps the biggest difference is between old routers and new ones. If you’re on an old contract with your provider, upgrading to a new router (or getting one for free when you switch to a new provider) could improve your Wi-Fi strength and the broadband speeds in your home.

Here are a few things that your new router should be capable of:

• All new wireless routers offer some type of auto channel switching, allowing your home hub to switch to less-congested Wi-Fi channels in order to keep your broadband running fast.
• Most new wireless routers should also offer Gigabit Ethernet connections on a least one port, giving you more options for when using a hard-wired connection.
• All the latest wireless routers are easily set up. In most cases, it will simply be a matter of plugging the router into the main internet socket and a power outlet.
• All the wireless routers supplied by the main broadband providers are well designed and compact, so you can position them in your home without embarrassment.

What if my Wi-Fi isn't working?

In most cases, once your Wi-Fi router is set up, you should immediately be able to connect to your home broadband. But if your wireless internet isn't working or is slower than expected, there are a few simple things you can try to fix this.

• Check your device — It may be the case you haven't turned on Wi-Fi access on your computer or smartphone, or haven't connected to the right network, so check that everything is working on your device first.
• Reboot your router — If the issue isn't with your device, start by rebooting the network. Switch it off and unplug it and wait for a couple of minutes before turning it on again.
• Move your router — If your Wi-Fi signal is poor or patchy, try moving your router. Make sure it's in an open spot near the centre of your home with no obstructions or other electrical items nearby that could interfere with the signal.

If these tips don't work, check out our guide to internet connectivity problems for more information.

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