Millions at risk: 1 in 3 users are still stuck on Wi-Fi routers using almost 20-year-old tech — here's why it matters

A person plugging an Ethernet cable into a router.

• Old routers quietly cripple expensive broadband plans inside crowded modern households daily
• Millions still depend on wireless technology standardized before modern streaming exploded globally
• New smartphones lose critical performance advantages when paired with outdated home routers

Global internet connectivity relies heavily on internal wireless infrastructure, but a large portion of global traffic remains bound to severely outdated hardware, new research has claimed.