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CNET
24-05-2025
- CNET
You Can Boost Your Internet Speed on the Cheap: My Tested Tips for Faster Broadband at Home
In the last decade, I've lived in a handful of places across Los Angeles, each with its unique internet access issues. Wrestling with varying speeds and service reliability opened my eyes to mastering ways to improve my connectivity, no matter my ZIP code. Tharon Green/CNET I've lived in everything from a Faraday cage concrete building in downtown LA to a Santa Monica beachside apartment with an exclusive agreement tied to a sluggish internet provider. I'm fortunate -- or at least I feel that way -- at my current home in Hollywood. There are no impenetrable building materials, and I can choose my internet service provider. And it's pretty decent; I don't have many complaints. Unfortunately, most of my LA friends and family suffer from bad internet, which is crazy because you'd think a metropolis like LA would have easily accessible, high-quality internet citywide, not just in some neighborhoods. And I can only imagine what smaller communities across the US deal with regarding ISPs. Revive Slow Gigabit Speeds Without Panicking Revive Slow Gigabit Speeds Without Panicking Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:45 Loaded : 78.99% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:45 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Revive Slow Gigabit Speeds Without Panicking Through all my moves, I've built up a toolkit of free ways to maximize my internet connection, no matter how poky it is. Though you can throw money at the problem -- such as adding a Wi-Fi extender -- most of these methods don't require you to spend money, which is always a good place to start. Here are my internet speed-improving tips you can use before you move, right after you move or where you live right now -- and you can do it for free or for very little money. Locating local internet providers Read more: Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet: What I Learned by Testing Internet Connections at Home There's a lot you can do before you move to improve your chances of getting a great internet better internet service before you move If you're moving into a new place, first, congratulations. Second, sorry. Moving is a pain in the butt, even if you plan well (ask me about my major move in 2023). You can start packing your boxes weeks in advance, create a checklist for changing your address and hire movers -- and there will still be things that don't turn out as planned. An often overlooked part of moving is considering internet service providers, especially when you're evaluating places. Unlike square footage, the number of bathrooms or local schools, many of us don't give much thought to ISPs until we've actually signed the lease/mortgage and moved. 1. Ask questions first When looking at a new place, do your internet homework and talk to the realtor or landlord. Better yet, ask your potential neighbors about internet options in the neighborhood and whether they're affordable, fast and reliable. Check to see if they have workarounds or strategies they use to improve their internet. 2. Utilize online tools You can also check out any location with your state's broadband map website, if it has one, to see all of your internet options. In California, we have the California Interactive Broadband Map. Once you enter an address, you can filter to show just fixed broadband, as well as mobile options, for ISPs. Some sites include advertised upload and download speeds, but beware that maps may not be up-to-date. Despite not showing reviews for ISPs in the area, sites like this do provide a decent picture of what you'll be able to choose from. This image shows that this particular Santa Monica location has only two fixed broadband options, but it also has many mobile alternatives. Nelson Aguilar/CNET If you want more of our guidance, CNET has a comprehensive catalog of all the best internet service providers across the country. Each story is sorted by state, city or town, providing informative reviews and comparisons to help you find the best ISP in your area. Check out: My Week With AT&T Internet Air: How Did It Fare? 3. Dig into the details of your home's building materials Another thing to do before you move is to check the building materials of your prospective home. Routers transmit over-the-air radio waves to connect your various devices to your home's internet network. But the materials in your home can disrupt these signals (much like I discovered in my previous concrete-and-brick loft apartment). Wi-Fi signals have an especially difficult time penetrating materials like metal, concrete and brick, meaning that even if your internet connection is fast and reliable, your physical home can disrupt your signal and limit your connectivity in your home. Common building materials like plywood, drywall and glass don't affect your Wi-Fi signal as much as those denser materials. Get better internet service right after you move You finally moved into your new home, and now it's time to choose an ISP. If you don't know your area's options, use websites like ours or the FCC National Broadband Map to see which ISPs are available. You can also type your new address into AT&T's, Spectrum's or Xfinity's websites to see similar information. 4. Get to know what speed you actually need When deciding on an ISP, start with your estimated requirements. That'll give you a quick rundown as to what fast internet is, how much internet you use, upload versus download speeds, data caps and more. Don't miss: My T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Experience: What Works and What I Wish Was Better Unfortunately, after installation and once you start using the new service, you might still encounter issues with connection strength and speed. 5. Try it out before you fully commit Most ISPs offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, including Spectrum, Verizon, Cox and others. This usually means that you can cancel your internet service within 30 days and get a full refund without paying an early termination fee (minus any possible installation or restocking fees). Other ISPs, like AT&T (2 weeks), have different refund guarantee policies or none at all (Frontier). Before choosing an internet service provider, read the 30-day money-back guarantee closely to see if you apply. Nelson Aguilar/CNET I took advantage of this to try out three ISP services in my new home. After the service was hooked up, the promised speeds differed among the three. 6. Don't rent a router from your provider Another way to get faster internet speeds is to avoid using your ISP's equipment -- only use the modem they provide. Renting a router from your ISP is convenient, but it can end up being more expensive over a longer period of time, and the router options are limited and may not be the best option for your home. It can be frustrating to realize that you've been paying for higher speeds that your ISP-provided router can't even deliver. Also, make sure you're using the right cables to connect your modem to your router and router to your devices, as Cat5 and older cables may not carry your faster speeds. (Cat6e and newer generally support consumer internet speeds.) Read more: Should You Buy or Rent Your Router? The Wrong Decision Cost Me Nearly $1K Get better internet service at your current home Maybe you're not moving, and you've been dealing with bad internet service for a while now at your current home. No matter how long you've been living there, you can still improve your internet speed. I want to stick to the theme of not spending money to get faster internet speeds, but you might have to consider paying more if you have slow internet at your long-term residence. 7. Shop around The one relatively cheap thing you can do is look into your internet service contract and see if you can cancel early without any early termination fees. Then, you can shop around and try different ISPs that might work better. 8. Upgrade your equipment However, if you're stuck in a contract or want to make your existing ISP work, one of the easiest ways to improve your speeds is to upgrade your router. Yes, that costs money, but it can be the answer to your internet woes -- and unlike spending more for your monthly plan, is a one-time purchase. For a long time, I had Netgear's Nighthawk R66700 router, which is considered a generally good brand. However, despite a high-speed plan, I wasn't getting great speeds at my home. After consulting with a few CNET colleagues, I decided to upgrade my home setup to a mesh router system (more specifically, the Eero 6 Plus). This system provides more reliable Wi-Fi coverage in bigger homes or homes with dead zones (which is a problem in my current apartment) compared to your typical single-unit routers. The Eero 6 Plus mesh router has been a godsend for my 1800 sq. ft. apartment. Ry Crist/CNET Depending on the mesh router system, several routers are placed around your home, and they all work as a single unit, keeping you connected no matter what room you're in. A mesh network is an investment, but there are affordable options out there, like Google's Nest WiFi or Netgear's Orbi AC1200. Don't miss: I've Used 5G Home Internet for Years and I've Found It's Closing the Gap With Cable I know that Wi-Fi extenders might seem like the answer for getting better speeds in your home, especially because they're pretty inexpensive, but extenders don't perform as well as mesh networks, and they don't typically work as a cohesive unit across your home. Unfortunately, a mesh network won't be the miracle fix for everyone because, as I mentioned before, each home has its own unique problems. The fix could end up being a faulty Ethernet cable or updating your modem's firmware. It could even be as simple as restarting your router. We all know that works every once in a while. The best thing you can do, without spending money, is perform a few diagnostic tests to pinpoint your setup's weak point, like running a speed test, connecting to different devices, using Wi-Fi close to your router and rebooting your various internet devices. Of course, it's possible that you run through all these suggestions and find that none will fix your particular situation. Though unfortunate, there's always the last resort: bumping up your service tier and paying more to get faster internet. Which is, for better or worse, a modern necessity. Read more: Two Technicians Share the 5 Worst Places to Put Your Router
CNET
16-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
Mortgage Rate Predictions for May 2025: Buyers Face an Uncertain Housing Market
Mortgage rates can change daily and even hourly. Tharon Green/CNET Mortgage rates are being influenced by headlines about ongoing trade negotiations, the path of inflation and shifting expectations for the timing of interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve. Between Monday and Friday, the average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage jumped from 6.85% to 6.89%, according to Bankrate data. The April Consumer Price Index report shows price growth at 2.3%, the slowest annual pace in years, and down slightly from the previous month. Though the report was mild, economists don't expect price growth to continue in this direction. Forecasts show prices will soon accelerate once we see an impact in import taxes. This comes after the White House announced its 90-day 'reset' on steep tariffs with China on Monday, which sparked a surge in stocks and bonds. Mortgage rates, which are pegged to the bond market, specifically the 10-year Treasury yield, saw upward pressure as a result. The temporary reprieve from the steepest levies on China is welcome news for investors, assuaging market fears of deep supply shocks and reducing the recession risk. But economists note that a tariff-induced uptick in prices could still hamper the Fed's projected pace of interest rate cuts. Mortgage rates, which are highly sensitive to fiscal policy and economic growth, could increase if inflation stays elevated. "As the inflation picture becomes clearer later in the year, I think there's a chance for [rates] to cautiously move lower," said Keith Gumbinger, vice president at But absent a recession, which is still a possibility, Gumbinger notes that 30-year fixed mortgage rates aren't likely to drop below 6.5% in the near term. How are Trump's tariffs affecting mortgage rates? Mortgage rates have faced a bumpy ride this spring due to the Trump administration's inconsistent trade policies. After Trump announced massive tariffs on April 2, markets slumped and mortgage rates fell before jumping back up one week later following a 90-day pause on some measures. The recent back and forth in rates mirrors the uncertain impacts of aggressive tariffs on the economy. On one side, tariffs act like a supply shock that makes prices go up, leading to more inflation, said Brett Ryan, senior economist at Deutsche Bank. On the other side, tariffs can slow down the economy and threaten jobs, Ryan said. Recession expectations often bring rates down. The current trade truce also makes it less likely that the Fed will make any interest rate cuts until late summer at the earliest. Though Tuesday's inflation reading was better than expected, price growth is still above the Fed's annual target goal of 2%. What is the Fed's next move on interest rate cuts? Trump's aggressive tariff agenda has created a dilemma for the Fed. "Coming into the year, the Fed was prepared to cut rates if the labor market began to weaken, since it seemed like inflation risk had mostly eased," said Alex Thomas, senior research analyst at John Burns Research and Consulting. "Now, given the potential inflationary impact of wide-reaching tariffs, the Fed will be more hesitant to cut until the labor market weakens significantly.' The central bank is tasked with maintaining maximum employment and containing inflation via adjustments to its benchmark interest rate. Usually, when prices go up too fast (inflation), the Fed raises interest rates to slow price growth and reduce spending by making borrowing more expensive. Then, when the economy shows signs of weakness and unemployment rises, the Fed tends to lower rates to boost demand and stimulate growth. Since the Fed can't address both sides of its dual mandate at once, it will now have to choose between keeping inflation in check and avoiding a severe recession. After inflation showed ongoing signs of slowing in late 2024, the Fed lowered rates three times but has kept them on pause so far this year, most recently during its May 7 meeting. Experts say it's increasingly likely that borrowing rates will stay high throughout the first half of 2025. Should you wait for rates to fall before buying a home? In today's housing market, prospective buyers have multiple reasons to postpone plans of homeownership. Elevated mortgage rates, steep home prices and limited inventory have created a cost-prohibitive barrier and kept overall housing activity low. Still, homeownership offers the promise of long-term financial stability and generational wealth-building through equity. If you're waiting for mortgage rates to come down before buying, keep in mind that the large-scale economic issues affecting the housing market are beyond your control. "Trying to time everything perfectly is a losing proposition. Rates could go up or they could go down," said Gregory Heym, chief economist at Brown Harris Stevens. "The question is: Do you want a home?" When weighing the pros and cons of homeownership, experts recommend focusing on two key fundamentals: Make a homebuying budget and stick to it: Creating a realistic homebuying budget can help you decide if you can handle the costs of homeownership, and provide you with some figures for how large your mortgage should be. Shop around for mortgage rates: Each home loan lender offers different mortgage rates and terms. Comparing offers from multiple lenders can help you negotiate a better rate. If you can't snag a low rate but are ready to buy, you can always refinance down the road. Watch this: 6 Ways to Reduce Your Mortgage Interest Rate by 1% or More 02:31 More on today's housing market
CNET
12-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
Mortgage Rate Predictions for Week of May 12-18, 2025
Mortgage rates can change daily and even hourly. Tharon Green/CNET This week, mortgage rates are mainly driven by headlines about ongoing trade negotiations and the bond market's reaction to tomorrow's inflation data. On Monday, the White House announced a 90-day 'reset' on steep tariffs with China, assuaging market fears of immediate supply shocks and reducing the recession risk forecast. Stocks and bonds surged in the aftermath. Mortgage rates, which are pegged to the bond market, specifically the 10-year Treasury yield, could see some upward pressure as a result. Over the past few weeks, Trump's erratic tariff agenda has whipsawed through markets, causing financial panic among US households. Economists have also warned of increasing risks of inflation combined with an economic downturn, commonly referred to as stagflation. A reprieve from the steepest levies on China is welcome news for investors, but it's ultimately just a temporary reduction in duties to prevent a breakdown in the global economy. This week, we'll also get our first real look at how prices changed in April with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report on Tuesday. Even though it's too soon to see the full impact of the tariffs on inflation, we might see some early signs. Economists note that a tariff-induced uptick in prices could hamper the Federal Reserve's projected pace of interest rate cuts. Mortgage rates, which are highly sensitive to fiscal policy and economic growth, could increase if inflation stays elevated. "As the inflation picture becomes clearer later in the year, I think there's a chance for [rates] to cautiously move lower," said Keith Gumbinger, vice president at But absent a recession, which is still a possibility, Gumbinger notes, 30-year fixed mortgage rates aren't likely to drop below 6.5% in the near term. How are Trump's tariffs affecting mortgage rates? Mortgage rates have faced a bumpy ride this spring due to the Trump administration's inconsistent trade policies. After Trump announced massive tariffs on April 2, markets slumped and mortgage rates fell before jumping back up one week later following a 90-day pause on some measures. The recent back and forth in rates mirrors the uncertain impacts of aggressive tariffs on the economy. On one side, tariffs act like a supply shock that makes prices go up, leading to more inflation, said Brett Ryan, senior economist at Deutsche Bank. On the other side, tariffs can slow down the economy and threaten jobs, Ryan said. Recession expectations often bring rates down. The current trade truce also makes it less likely that the Fed will make any interest rate cuts until late summer. What is the Fed's next move on interest rate cuts? Trump's aggressive tariff agenda has created a dilemma for the Fed. "Coming into the year, the Fed was prepared to cut rates if the labor market began to weaken, since it seemed like inflation risk had mostly eased," said Alex Thomas, senior research analyst at John Burns Research and Consulting. "Now, given the potential inflationary impact of wide-reaching tariffs, the Fed will be more hesitant to cut until the labor market weakens significantly.' The central bank is tasked with maintaining maximum employment and containing inflation via adjustments to its benchmark interest rate. Usually, when prices go up too fast (inflation), the Fed raises interest rates to slow price growth and reduce spending by making borrowing more expensive. Then, when the economy shows signs of weakness and unemployment rises, the Fed tends to lower rates to boost demand and stimulate growth. Since the Fed can't address both sides of its dual mandate at once, it will now have to choose between keeping inflation in check and avoiding a severe recession. After inflation showed ongoing signs of slowing in late 2024, the Fed lowered rates three times but has kept them on pause so far this year, most recently during its May 7 meeting. Experts say it's increasingly likely that borrowing rates will stay high throughout the first half of 2025. Buy now? Or wait? In today's housing market, prospective buyers have multiple reasons to postpone plans of homeownership. Elevated mortgage rates, steep home prices and limited inventory have created a cost-prohibitive barrier and kept overall housing activity low. Still, homeownership offers the promise of long-term financial stability and generational wealth-building through equity. If you're waiting for mortgage rates to come down before buying, keep in mind that the large-scale economic issues affecting the housing market are beyond your control. "Trying to time everything perfectly is a losing proposition. Rates could go up or they could go down," said Gregory Heym, chief economist at Brown Harris Stevens. "The question is: Do you want a home?" When weighing the pros and cons of homeownership, experts recommend focusing on two key fundamentals: Make a homebuying budget and stick to it: Creating a realistic homebuying budget can help you decide if you can handle the costs of homeownership, and provide you with some figures for how large your mortgage should be. Shop around for mortgage rates: Each home loan lender offers different mortgage rates and terms. Comparing offers from multiple lenders can help you negotiate a better rate. If you can't snag a low rate but are ready to buy, you can always refinance down the road. Watch this: 6 Ways to Reduce Your Mortgage Interest Rate by 1% or More 02:31 More on today's housing market
CNET
07-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
Mortgage Rate Forecast for May: Can Rates Fall Without Fed Cuts?
Mortgage rates can change daily and even hourly. Tharon Green/CNET The Federal Reserve may be stand its ground on interest rates, but the outlook for mortgage rates is still on shaky footing. Since early spring, average 30-year fixed rates have been moving between 6.5% and 7%, with no clear direction forward. Despite concerns over a potential recession and pressure from the White House to reduce interest rates, the central bank voted to leave its benchmark federal funds rate unchanged on May 7 to better evaluate the impact of the administration's trade and austerity measures. Though the Fed's policy changes have a ripple effect on all short-term lending rates, the central bank doesn't directly set the rates on home loans. Mortgage rates are primarily driven by movement in the bond market, specifically on the 10-year Treasury yield. Bond yields and mortgage interest rates rise and fall depending on how new economic data and policy changes shift market speculation and risk assessment, said Odeta Kushi, deputy chief economist at First American Financial Corporation. Given contentious debates over tariffs and President Trump's political posturing against Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, investors are still divided over the central bank's projected path of rate cuts in 2025. Right now, markets are anticipating anywhere between two and four rate cuts this year, with the first coming this July. Early in the year, many economists optimistically predicted that mortgage rates would gradually decline, potentially reaching 6% by the end of 2025. But economic uncertainty — sparked by Trump's aggressive tariff regime and fears of higher inflation and a potential recession — have thrown a wrench in those forecasts. With so many unknowns in today's economy, experts say there are plausible scenarios for both upward and downward movement in rates by the end of the year Why is the Fed holding off on interest rate cuts? The central bank is responsible for maintaining maximum employment and containing inflation via adjustments to its benchmark interest rate. Usually, when prices go up too fast (inflation), the Fed raises interest rates to slow price growth and reduce spending by making borrowing more expensive. Then, when the economy shows signs of weakness and unemployment rises, the Fed tends to lower rates to boost demand and stimulate growth. "Coming into the year, the Fed was prepared to cut rates if the labor market began to weaken, since it seemed like inflation risk had mostly eased," said Alex Thomas, senior research analyst at John Burns Research and Consulting. "Now, given the potential inflationary impact of wide-reaching tariffs, the Fed will be more hesitant to cut until the labor market weakens significantly.' Trump's aggressive tariff agenda has created a dilemma for the Fed. On one side, tariffs act like a supply shock that makes prices go up, leading to more inflation, said Brett Ryan, senior economist at Deutsche Bank. On the other side, tariffs can slow down the economy and threaten jobs, Ryan said. Since the Fed can't address both sides of its dual mandate at once, it will have to choose between keeping inflation in check and avoiding a severe recession. Can mortgage rates still fall in 2025? The big question hanging over the housing market is whether rates will rise due to tariff-induced inflation or fall due to a recession. 'The rapidly evolving tariff policy landscape has already prompted the Federal Reserve to recalibrate its outlook, revising up its forecasts for inflation and revising down its outlook for growth and employment this year,' said Kushi. Typically, bad economic news tends to bring good news for mortgage rates. With a recession in 2025 looking more likely, rates could drop. The worry of a downturn can push mortgage rates down as investors often flock to safer investments like US Treasury bonds, which lowers long-term yields. However, given declining confidence in the US economy, that might not happen this time. The most recent economic reports don't yet reflect a surge in unemployment, but layoffs and cutbacks can take time to appear in the data. The figures economists and the Fed rely on tell us what happened in the past, whereas investors act on what they anticipate for the future, said Logan Mohtashami, lead analyst at HousingWire. Even if a recession brings down mortgage rates, the relief might be short-lived or irrelevant for households facing job losses and financial hardship. Buy now? Or wait? Today's rates may seem high compared to the 2% rates of the pandemic era. But experts say getting below 3% on a mortgage is unlikely without a severe economic downturn. If you're waiting for mortgage rates to come down before buying, keep in mind that the large-scale economic issues affecting the housing market are beyond your control. "Trying to time everything perfectly is a losing proposition. Rates could go up or they could go down," said Gregory Heym, chief economist at Brown Harris Stevens. "The question is: Do you want a home?" If the answer is yes, experts recommend focusing on two key fundamentals: Make a homebuying budget and stick to it: Creating a realistic homebuying budget can help you decide if you can handle the costs of homeownership, and provide you with some figures for how large your mortgage should be. Shop around for mortgage rates: Each home loan lender offers different mortgage rates and terms. Comparing offers from multiple lenders can help you negotiate a better rate. If you can't snag a low rate but are ready to buy, you can always refinance down the road. Watch this: 6 Ways to Reduce Your Mortgage Interest Rate by 1% or More 02:31 More on today's housing market
