How I use Samsung's secret Wi-Fi menu to seriously improve my connectivity

You’ll need to access your Intelligent Wi-Fi settings by opening your Settings app, tapping the Connections tab, then Wi-Fi, then the three dots (for expanded settings) in the top-right corner, and Intelligent Wi-Fi.

Also: My proven 4-step method for fixing slow Android phones – and it works every time

To activate Connectivity labs, scroll to the bottom of the Intelligent Wi-Fi page and tap the software version seven times. On my S25 Plus, it’s labeled “Intelligent Wi-Fi 8.0.0.” As you repeatedly tap, a pop-up message should appear, giving you a countdown for how many more taps are left to activate Connectivity labs.

Once that’s done, you’ll find the secret menu at the bottom of the page. Click it, and you’re in business.

Also: I changed 7 settings on my Samsung phone for significantly improved battery life

The top of the display shows valuable information about your Wi-Fi network. This starts with how long your latest connection has been active, what access point you’re currently using, and how long you’ve been connected in the last week. That’s followed by a display of what Wi-Fi bands and standards you’ve been using and for how long.

In my case, since I use a high-end Orbi 970 network powered by Wi-Fi 7, most of my connection is over Wi-Fi 7 using multiple bands. In practice, according to Ookla Speedtest, my 1Gbps AT&T fiber connection delivers just over a gigabit, with a tested speed of 1034Mbps. Now that’s fast.

Moving on, you’ll find more useful features.

The Home Wi-Fi inspection option runs a Wi-Fi signal test.

Once you’ve told it your Wi-Fi access point names, you can walk around your home or office, and it will show you drop-offs and spikes in connection strength. Armed with this information, you’ll be able to figure out where the best spots are for your devices and other access points.

Also: How to clear your Android phone cache (and put a stop to slow performance)

In Wan’s case, he used it to determine the best location for installing new video security cameras. I used it to determine where to place an Orbi Satellite to achieve the best mesh Wi-Fi coverage in front of my house.

Sure, there are third-party apps that can do that for you, but since Samsung has it built in, why bother?

When you turn on the Auto reconnect to carrier Wi-Fi option, it makes your Samsung phone automatically join your mobile carrier’s public Wi-Fi hotspots whenever they’re available, instead of staying on cellular data.

This feature is primarily useful if your carrier operates an extensive hotspot network and you want to offload traffic to those Wi-Fi access points for better speeds or to save mobile data.

Also: I changed 12 settings on my Android phone to significantly extend its battery life

Since I use Verizon and Google Fi, that doesn’t do me much good. However, if you’re an Xfinity Comcast, Spectrum/Charter, Cox, or another mobile network customer that supports an extensive Wi-Fi hotspot network, this could both speed up your connections when you’re away from home and potentially save you money.

L4S (Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable Throughput) is a little-known protocol that is good for keeping latency extremely low and stable, even when a link is fully loaded.

That makes it great when you need to stay interactive in real-time applications such as gaming, video conferencing, and augmented reality, rather than bogging down under network congestion. It’s also effective for speeding up network connections.

How much will it reduce latency? According to Nokia, it can reduce your latency tenfold.

Also: Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold phone is unlike anything I’ve ever seen – that’s a good thing

Like any network technology, L4S only works when it’s supported by both your device and the router you’re using. Today, not many routers and switches support it. If you have a Data Over Cable Service Interface (DOCSIS) 3.1 or 4.0 cable gateway for your internet connection, you may have L4S.

For your specific model, check your ISP’s documentation or release notes for terms such as “Low Latency DOCSIS,” “L4S,” or “low-latency gaming.” Even if your device is listed and you still don’t see a speed boost — trust me, you’ll notice if it’s on — check with your ISP to see whether it has been activated.

If you’re like me and you’re someplace — in my case, it’s usually a hotel or convention center — your phone keeps jumping back and forth between the local Wi-Fi and your mobile data connection.

The result? A much slower connection, as your phone badly juggles the connections.

Also: 5 Samsung bloatware apps you should delete ASAP (and likely won’t miss)

By enabling this setting, your phone will quickly switch to mobile data when it detects that your Wi-Fi signal is weakening. Sure, you’ll use a bit more mobile data, but for me, it’s well worth it to avoid those slowdowns and the dreaded “full bars, but nothing connects” situations.

The Intelligent Wi-Fi Handover feature works hand in glove with mobile data switching to improve your connectivity. It works by monitoring your Wi-Fi connection to reduce freezes and lag when Wi-Fi is technically “connected” but performing poorly by handing traffic over to cellular.

Also: I ran a battery test with the best Samsung, Google, and OnePlus phones – the winner surprised me

The similar “Switching to mobile data with AI” option is intended to do the same thing, but with AI making the call. In my testing, however, I didn’t see any improvement with it, so I’m not recommending it.

The Show network quality info option does exactly what it says it does. It looks at all the local access points and tells you, with a label such as “Best,” “Good,” “Bad,” or “Worst,” what level of service you can expect.

When you use this with Nearby Wi-Fi information, which you’ll find under Wi-Fi Developer Options, you’ll see a diagram showing you the signal strength of your local access points. This can be useful when you have multiple Wi-Fi networks at your beck and call and want to know which one will deliver the best browsing speeds.

Also: 6 hidden Android features that are seriously useful (and how they made my life easier)

Under the Channel utilization selection on that same panel, if you’re at home, you’ll also see a display of which Wi-Fi channels are in use. That’s useful, but what’s really handy is a best channel recommendation list. That makes setting up your access point to get the best possible performance a cinch.