Wifi performance testing of home broadband routers

As home broadband connection speeds increase, the wireless link between the router and devices used around the home can become a performance bottleneck and have a detrimental impact on the user experience. Broadband providers recognise this and have started using Wi-Fi performance as a selling feature in marketing campaigns.

Currently, there is little independent information available regarding the performance of Wi-Fi and associated customer premises equipment (CPE) router hardware to help people make an informed decision when choosing a broadband service provider or router.

As part of Ofcom’s 2020 Home Broadband Performance Report, which covers measurements taken in November 2019, we carried out a programme of Wi-Fi performance measurements on CPE routers available from the leading broadband providers, as well as two third-party devices. The technical report contains the results of our testing and is being published alongside the 2020 Home Broadband Performance Report. This will not only enhance the information available to consumers but also provide an incentive for providers to continue to invest in better routers and in-home Wi-Fi performance.

Report

Wi-Fi performance testing of home broadband routers: technical report (PDF, 2.4 MB)

Data

Wi-Fi performance testing of home broadband routers: interactive report