We have all been there, staring at our phones while a video buffers, a WhatsApp message takes an eternity to get delivered or a simple page takes forever to load. While it’s easy to blame the network or assume nothing can fix it. I used to think the same until I realised that the problem is not the network provider but rather the settings I had on my device. Out of frustration I deep dived into the Settings app and made a few changes with a hope that my internet speed would improve, and after I tweaked a few settings the difference was clear, almost immediate. In this article I’ve listed all the network settings I tweaked so that you don’t have to deal with slow mobile internet anymore.
An Access Point Name (APN) is a bridge between your device and the network provider and allows you to connect to the mobile internet. A correct APN setting allows your phone to download apps and browse the internet smoothly.
1. Tap on the Settings app and go to Mobile network.
2. Choose between SIM 1 or SIM 2 if you have a dual SIM device.
3. Press Access point names.
4. Now, you can reset to the default APNs or add a new APN for your device.
Network Mode allows your phone to determine what type of mobile network to use, whether it be 4G or 5G. This setting will help your phone in figuring out the best way to connect to your mobile service provider.
In case you select the right choice, your device will be able to utilise the most reliable and high-speed network in your locality. However, if you select the wrong choice, then it may happen that your phone will not be able to detect the high-speed network.
1. Open the Settings app and navigate to Mobile network.
2. Select the SIM card whose network settings you wish to change, then tap on Preferred network type.
3. You may now choose which band you will use to access the network.
It would be best to stick with Auto mode so that the device will automatically switch bands based on your location.
Also read: Got an NDMA emergency alert on your phone? Here is what it means
Data Saver is an option that manages the amount of internet usage by the applications when they are not in use. Data Saver decreases the usage of the background internet so that your device does not utilise too much mobile internet unnecessarily.
Even though this solution enables you to save data on your mobile phone, particularly when there’s a restriction on how much internet you’re allowed to use, it might affect the speed at which some applications run since they’ll take longer to refresh, update, and talk to each other.
1. First open the Settings app and select the Mobile network option.
2. Select Data usage then tap on Data saving.
3. Finally, turn off the toggle switch next to Data saving.
A private DNS server is a feature in a phone that helps it access websites. It speeds up this process and provides an additional layer of security.
In case of a fast DNS server, the website will load faster because the phone will be able to retrieve the IP address from the server faster. This can even provide protection to the user’s information. However, if the DNS server does not function correctly, it may lead to complications with accessing websites.
Steps that you have to follow:
1. Open the Settings app and go to the Mobile network tab.
2. Scroll further to More Settings.
3. Tap on the Private DNS option and add the specified DNS.
4. Any one of the following DNS can be added:
Also read: Meta acquires robotics AI startup to boost its humanoid tech vision
The Reset Network Settings command will help you solve network-related problems quickly on your phone. All the network settings are reset to default values, and no data is deleted from the device. But the problem lies in the fact that all your stored Wi-Fi, mobile data, APN, and Bluetooth configurations will be removed.
1. Launch the settings app and move to the System & update section.
2. Choose Back up & reset usage and tap on Reset phone.
3. Lastly, press Reset network and Bluetooth settings and follow on-screen commands.