I have a 1 Gbps fiber connection using my ISP's Wi-Fi 6 router with 5 GHz enabled. My Windows 11 PC gets about 82 MB/s on Steam, and my iPhone reaches roughly 100–112 MB/s over Wi-Fi. However, the PS5 only downloads at around 15–20 MB/s, or approximately 120–160 Mbps. Ethernet isn't practical because of the console's location. What could be limiting the PS5, and are there any router or console settings I should try?
3 Answers
The PS5’s Wi-Fi hardware and antennas may simply perform worse than the newer Wi-Fi hardware in your phone and PC. Check the PS5 connection settings to make sure it is using 5 GHz rather than 2.4 GHz, and if your router combines both bands under one name, temporarily give them separate names so you can select 5 GHz manually. You can also try a less crowded 5 GHz channel in the router settings.
Wi-Fi speed depends heavily on the console’s exact location, not just the internet plan. Walls, furniture, cabinets, metal, glass, distance, and nearby networks can all hurt the PS5’s connection. Try testing with your phone placed directly beside the PS5, using the same 5 GHz network. If the phone is also slow there, the issue is probably signal or interference rather than the console itself.
Download figures on the PS5 can vary because the console may be installing, unpacking, or throttling downloads while games and apps are running. Pause other downloads, close suspended games, restart the console, and compare the result using the console’s network test and an actual game download. If it consistently stays around 120–160 Mbps while other devices remain fast, it is likely a PS5 Wi-Fi limitation or interference issue rather than a problem with your fiber service.
I tested the phone right beside the PS5 and it still reached close to its normal speed, so the location doesn’t seem to explain the whole difference.