Recommended Free Tools
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Older or slower Wi-Fi clients can use more shared radio airtime to transfer the same data, but that does not mean a legacy device is the cause of every slow Wi-Fi connection. If your router supports it, Airtime Fairness may help faster clients by changing how radio time is allocated. It is a model-specific setting—not a universal 10-second fix—and it is different from disabling older Wi-Fi rates, which can stop some devices from connecting.
Why slower clients can use more airtime
Wi-Fi devices share radio time. A client transmitting at a lower rate can take longer to send or receive data than a faster client, leaving less airtime available for other transfers. TP-Link describes this trade-off in its Archer A10 V1 guide, and OpenWrt warns that legacy 802.11b rates can reduce airtime efficiency in its wireless configuration documentation.
That explains one possible source of inefficiency, not a diagnosis of your network. Interference, coverage, congestion, the router itself, or an individual device can also affect performance. The documentation cited here does not establish a typical speed gain from changing these settings.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Choose the right setting: airtime allocation or legacy-rate support
| Setting | What it changes | Compatibility consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Airtime Fairness | Changes how an access point allocates radio time among clients. Its behavior depends on the product. | It is not the same as removing older Wi-Fi rates. Check the guide for your router or access point. |
| Legacy 802.11b rates | Determines whether the network permits older, lower-rate modes. | Some older or unusually behaving devices may need those rates to connect. Disabling them can prevent those devices from interoperating, as OpenWrt cautions in its wireless configuration documentation. |
Try an available Airtime Fairness control first if your goal is to adjust airtime allocation without deliberately removing legacy-rate support. Consider changing legacy rates only if you know your devices can operate without them and your equipment exposes that control.
#1 Best Overall
- DUAL-BAND WIFI 6 ROUTER: Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax) technology achieves faster speeds, greater capacity and reduced network congestion compared to the previous gen. All WiFi routers require a separate modem. Dual-Band WiFi routers do not support the 6 GHz band.
- AX1800: Enjoy smoother and more stable streaming, gaming, downloading with 1.8 Gbps total bandwidth (up to 1200 Mbps on 5 GHz and up to 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz). Performance varies by conditions, distance to devices, and obstacles such as walls.
- CONNECT MORE DEVICES: Wi-Fi 6 technology communicates more data to more devices simultaneously using revolutionary OFDMA technology
- EXTENSIVE COVERAGE: Achieve the strong, reliable WiFi coverage with Archer AX1800 as it focuses signal strength to your devices far away using Beamforming technology, 4 high-gain antennas and an advanced front-end module (FEM) chipset
- OUR CYBERSECURITY COMMITMENT: TP-Link is a signatory of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Secure-by-Design pledge. This device is designed, built, and maintained, with advanced security as a core requirement.
Turn on Airtime Fairness on supported equipment
There is no single menu path that applies to all routers. These are documented examples for specific equipment; use the manual for your exact model and firmware.
TP-Link Archer A10 V1
- Open System Tools > System Parameters > Wireless Advanced.
- Select Enable Airtime Fairness.
- Click Save.
TP-Link says this setting can improve overall performance by giving up some network time on slow devices so faster devices can achieve better quality of service. That is the manufacturer’s description of the Archer A10 V1 feature, not a promised or independently measured gain for every network. See the TP-Link Archer A10 V1 guide.
Rank #2
- OneMesh Compatible Router - Form a seamless WiFi when work with TP-Link OneMesh WiFi Extenders
- Next-Gen Wi-Fi 6 Technology – The Archer AX10 leverages advanced Wi-Fi 6 features like OFDMA and 1024-QAM to deliver improved efficiency across your entire network. Perfect for high-bandwidth activities like streaming, gaming, and smart home connectivity.
- Next-gen Dual Band router - 300 Mbps on 2. 4 GHz (802. 11n) plus 1201 Mbps on 5 GHz (802. 11ax)
- Connect more devices than ever before - Wi-Fi 6 technology simultaneously communicates more data to more devices using OFDMA and MU-MIMO while reducing lag dramatically
- Powerful Dual-Core 900MHz Processor – Handles multiple data streams simultaneously for reliable performance across your devices. Ensures smooth streaming, online gaming, and video conferencing without buffering or lag.
NETGEAR access points covered by its support article
- Open Management > Wireless > Advanced > Air Time Fairness.
- Select Enable.
- Click Apply.
This path is for the models covered by NETGEAR’s support article; it is not a generic NETGEAR-router path. The article, last updated in 2020, says the feature distributes 80% of network bandwidth equally across up to 50 wireless devices, while any remaining connected clients share the remaining 20%. That is NETGEAR’s product-specific explanation, not a general Wi-Fi standard or independent performance finding.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
What to check before changing legacy rates
Do not assume that a device is using 802.11b simply because it is old, or disable older rates without considering what depends on them. OpenWrt notes that some legacy or poorly behaving devices may require those rates to interoperate. If your router offers a setting to disable them or require a higher Wi-Fi mode, devices that depend on legacy support may lose connectivity.
Rank #3
- NIGHTHAWK WIFI 6 ROUTER FOR YOUR WHOLE HOME: Delivers fast, reliable WiFi across every room of your apartment or small home for streaming, gaming, video calls, and smart home devices, all running at the same time without slowing each other down.
- WORKS WITH YOUR EXISTING INTERNET SERVICE: Pairs with your existing modem or gateway via ethernet. Compatible with most cable, fiber, DSL, and satellite providers. Some gateways and modem router combos may require bridge mode. No coax needed.
- SET UP AND MANAGE YOUR NETWORK WITH THE NIGHTHAWK APP: Download the free Nighthawk app on iOS or Android for guided setup. Manage WiFi, run speed tests, pause devices, and set up guest networks from anywhere. Active internet required.
- READY FOR THE DEVICES YOU ALREADY OWN: Your phones, laptops, and TVs work right out of the box. WiFi 6 delivers speeds up to 1.8 Gbps across 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Backward compatible with WiFi 5 and earlier.
- COVERAGE IN EVERY ROOM: Covers up to 1,500 sq. ft. for up to 20 connected devices. Walls, floors, and interference can reduce range. Larger or multi-story homes may benefit from a NETGEAR Orbi mesh WiFi system.
Linux’s iw documentation includes legacy bitrate commands, but whether a setting is honored depends on driver and firmware cooperation. It is a technical tool reference, not a recipe for changing settings in a consumer router’s web interface: Linux wireless documentation for iw.
What to expect after saving
The available controls and their effects vary by router or access point. The cited documentation does not verify a universal ten-second completion time, a typical improvement percentage, or a guaranteed speed increase. If you change a setting, check whether the devices you rely on still connect and whether the problem you were trying to address changes; avoid changing multiple wireless controls at once if you need to identify which change mattered.
Rank #4
- Next-Gen Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Speeds: 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz bands ensure smoother streaming and faster downloads; support VPN server and VPN client¹
- A More Responsive Experience: Enjoy smooth gaming, video streaming, and live feeds simultaneously. OFDMA makes your Wi-Fi stronger by allowing multiple clients to share one band at the same time, cutting latency and jitter.²
- Expanded Wi-Fi Coverage: 4 high-gain external antennas and Beamforming technology combine to extend strong, reliable, Wi-Fi throughout your home.
- Improved Battery Life: Target Wake Time helps your devices to communicate efficiently while consuming less power.
- Improved Cooling Design: No heat ups, no throttles. A larger heat sink and redefined case design cools the WiFi 6 system and enables your network to stay at top speeds in more versatile environments.
No new hardware is required for the documented configuration changes. Consider replacement equipment only if your current device lacks a control you need or you have established a separate coverage or capacity limitation.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 𝐆𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐅𝐢 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟖𝐊 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 – Up to 5400 Mbps WiFi for faster browsing, streaming, gaming and downloading, all at the same time. Performance varies by conditions, distance to devices, & obstacles such as walls.
- 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐅𝐢 𝟔 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 – Equipped with 4T4R and HE160 technologies on the 5 GHz band to enable max 4.8 Gbps ultra-fast connections.Power:12 V 2.5 A
- 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 – Supports MU-MIMO and OFDMA to reduce congestion and 4X the average throughput
- 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 - Covers up to 2,000 sq. ft. High-Power FEM, 6× Antennas, Beamforming, and 4T4R structures combine to adapt WiFi coverage to perfectly fit your home and concentrate signal strength towards your devices.
- 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭 – Improved vented areas help unleash the full power of the router
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
