Started happening about a month ago and it's really frustrating. My internet connection is fine everywhere else in the house, but whenever I play multiplayer games on my PS5 it drops connection randomly. I've tried moving the console closer to the router and restarting it, but nothing seems to help. Could this be a hardware issue or is there some setting I'm missing?
Your PS5 might be dropping to 2.4GHz WiFi during load spikes - try logging into your router settings and disabling the 2.4GHz band entirely so it's forced to stay on 5GHz, which handles the bandwidth better during intense multiplayer sessions. A lot of people miss this because they assume their router just auto-picks the best band, but some models default to switching bands under network stress. If that doesn't work, check whether your console's WiFi adapter needs a full factory reset (not just a restart) - hold the power button for 10 seconds until it fully powers down, unplug it for 30 seconds, then power back on and reconnect to your network from scratch.
Moving it closer probably isn't your main issue here - PS5 WiFi problems during gameplay usually aren't about distance. The disconnect pattern you're describing (fine elsewhere, drops during multiplayer) points to either interference or your console getting overwhelmed on the 2.4GHz band. Try switching to 5GHz if you haven't already, or check if your router's WiFi channel is crowded. Other devices streaming video nearby can cause this mess.
Before assuming hardware failure, try these: forget the network on your PS5 and reconnect fresh, update the console's system software if there's a pending update, and check if your router firmware needs updating too. Also worth testing - connect via ethernet cable temporarily to see if the drops stop. That'll tell you if it's a WiFi module problem or just network config.
If ethernet works fine and WiFi still drops during games even after all that, you've got a hardware issue with the WiFi card. But most folks find it's interference or settings. One more thing - some routers have QoS settings that throttle gaming traffic; make sure your PS5 isn't being limited there.
The DNS settings on your PS5 could be the culprit here, and it's something most people overlook. Go into Settings > Network > Set Up Internet Connection, choose your WiFi, then select "Advanced" and manually set your DNS to something like 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) instead of using the automatic option your router provides. Lots of folks find that their ISP's default DNS servers get bogged down during heavy gaming traffic, which causes those random drops even when the connection itself is stable.
if that doesn't nail it, check whether your PS5 is sitting near other wireless devices - microwaves, cordless phones, baby monitors all jam up the 2.4GHz band something fierce. Moving the console away from those (not just the router, but from interference sources) can help. You might also want to dive into your PS5's network settings and clear the saved WiFi password, then reconnect fresh. Sometimes the PS5 holds onto a corrupted connection profile and just needs a clean slate.
One more thing worth trying: restart your router itself, not just the PS5. Unplug it for a full 30 seconds, plug it back in, and let it fully boot before you play again. Routers can get into weird states after a month of constant use, and a proper power cycle often clears up intermittent disconnects that nothing else fixes.
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