Slow PS5 Downloads? Test the Network Before Buying New Gear

A slow PlayStation 5 download does not automatically mean the console needs a new router or a faster internet plan. The bottleneck could be the Wi-Fi link in one room, another device consuming bandwidth, a temporary PlayStation Network problem, or the connection supplied by the internet provider.

BGR’s latest PS5 guide recommends Ethernet, a stronger Wi-Fi connection, router placement and restarts. Those are sensible starting points, but changing several things at once hides the answer. A short sequence of controlled tests can identify where the speed disappears before money is spent.

Start with one download and two measurements

On the PS5, open Settings > Network > Connection Status > Test Internet Connection. Record the reported download speed. Then run a speed test on a phone or laptop near the console, using the same Wi-Fi network and frequency band if possible.

The two results are not expected to match perfectly. Different hardware, servers and test methods affect the numbers. A large, repeatable gap is still useful evidence. If a nearby laptop is fast while the PS5 is consistently slow, investigate the console’s local connection. If both are slow, the router, household traffic or internet service is the more likely constraint.

Also check Sony’s PlayStation status page. An account, store or network-service problem cannot be repaired by replacing equipment at home. Test at two different times if the slowdown appears mostly in the evening; congestion can be temporary.

Use Ethernet as a diagnosis, even if it is not permanent

Sony’s official setup instructions support a wired LAN connection, and its troubleshooting pages repeatedly recommend one when possible. Temporarily connect the PS5 directly to the router, rerun the console’s connection test and compare a similar download.

A major improvement points toward Wi-Fi rather than the internet plan or the PS5’s storage. That result narrows the next decision: improve placement, reduce interference, add a better access point or keep the wired link. If Ethernet remains slow, buying a more powerful wireless router is unlikely to solve the underlying problem.

When Wi-Fi is necessary, move the console or router closer for a test and remove obvious obstacles between them. Restart the modem or router only after recording a baseline. Sony advises turning the equipment off, waiting at least five minutes and starting it again. Then repeat the same test instead of judging the change by a single progress bar.

5 GHz can be faster, but distance still wins

PS5 hardware supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi. The 5 GHz band often provides more capacity and faces less interference, but its range through walls is generally shorter. A console near the router may benefit; one at the far end of a house may get a steadier link on 2.4 GHz.

This is why “switch to 5 GHz” is not a universal fix. Compare the bands from the console’s actual location. Owners of a CFI-7000-series PS5 can also use Multi-Link Operation with a compatible access point, according to Sony, but that option does not apply to every PS5 model or router.

Pause 4K streaming, cloud backups and large downloads on other devices during the comparison. The goal is not to ban those activities forever. It is to find out whether household traffic is consuming the available connection. If the PS5 becomes fast only when the house is quiet, a router with effective traffic management may help more than a higher advertised Wi-Fi speed.

Translate speed into a realistic wait

Internet plans are sold in megabits per second, while games are listed in gigabytes. In perfect conditions, a 100GB transfer at 50 Mbps needs about 4 hours 27 minutes. At 100 Mbps it needs roughly 2 hours 13 minutes; at 500 Mbps, about 27 minutes. Protocol overhead, server limits and changing Wi-Fi conditions make real downloads slower.

That math provides a useful ceiling. If a 100GB game takes around two and a half hours on a stable 100 Mbps connection, the result may be ordinary rather than broken. If it predicts 100 Mbps but repeatedly behaves like 10 Mbps, there is a bottleneck worth isolating.

Move updates out of the time you want to play

Even a healthy connection cannot make a huge release instant. Sony lets the PS5 download game, app and system updates while in Rest Mode. Under Settings > System > Power Saving > Features Available in Rest Mode, turn on Stay Connected to the Internet. For game updates, open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Automatic Updates and enable Auto-Download or Auto-Install in Rest Mode.

There is a tradeoff: keeping network features active uses more power than the PS5’s lowest-consumption rest state. Auto-Install can also close a suspended game, so Auto-Download alone is safer when preserving the current session matters.

The buying decision comes last. Upgrade the internet plan only when wired tests consistently reach the current plan’s limit and the expected download time is still unacceptable. Replace or extend the router when Ethernet performs well but Wi-Fi does not. If both wired and wireless results fall far below the paid service across multiple devices and times, contact the provider with those measurements. Four clean tests are more persuasive—and cheaper—than guessing.