This $4 router reboot timer is the cheap internet fix I didn't know I needed - and it works reliably

Consumer-grade routers can be a bit of a letdown. While shelling out for high-end gear and a speedy internet connection can solve many issues, most people don't have the budget or inclination to do so. They just want their social media reels to load faster.

One guaranteed way to speed up an internet connection is to reboot a router. But who has the time to flip a switch nowadays? That's where the Router Rebooter comes in - a simple inline dongle that cuts the power to your router for five seconds every 24 hours.

The Router Rebooter uses 5.5mm x 2.1mm DC jacks and can handle voltages from 5V to 15V, making it compatible with most consumer electronics. It's a small cable that sits inline with the router's DC power cable, requiring no buttons, dials, knobs, or an app to control it. You plug the power cable's DC jack into one end of the Router Rebooter, plug the other end into the router, and it starts counting down.

I've installed the Rebooter in a few local businesses that suffer from low-quality Wi-Fi infrastructure, yet rely on this connection for card payments and other operations. One such business uses a cheap provider-supplied router, and rebooting the device meant climbing behind a counter and freeing the router from a tangle of wires. Since installing the Router Rebooter, frustration levels at the business have eased dramatically.

So, why does rebooting a router speed up the internet connection? Like any computer, a router has limited memory and processing power. Over time, the device can become bogged down and glitchy.

Rebooting clears its memory, ends all tasks, reloads its operating system, and forces the router to make a new connection with the internet service provider. For $4, the Router Rebooter is a no-brainer. For $8, you get two Router Rebooter dongles, a black one and a white one, which is a good deal because this approach gives you a spare device to tinker with.

While there are more complicated options available, the Router Rebooter offers absolute simplicity with maximum function.