Some Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra users have experienced Wi-Fi connectivity issues, particularly slower speeds compared to previous Galaxy phones. Samsung has acknowledged this as a known issue and confirmed a fix is coming.
The Problem
Samsung identified the issue as a "handshake optimization" problem with the new Wi-Fi 7 standard. During connection establishment, the S26 Ultra and certain Wi-Fi 7 routers may not properly negotiate optimal connection parameters.
Symptoms
- Slower than expected Wi-Fi speeds
- Inconsistent connection performance
- Speeds significantly below previous Galaxy phones
- Issues primarily with Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) networks
Samsung's Response
Samsung has confirmed:
- The issue is documented and acknowledged
- A permanent firmware patch is in development
- The problem relates to Wi-Fi 7 handshake protocols
Immediate Solutions
While waiting for the official fix:
1. Force Wi-Fi 6 connection Access your router's admin settings and temporarily disable Wi-Fi 7, forcing 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) mode.
2. Network restart Power cycle your router, restart your phone, and reconnect.
3. Forget and reconnect Settings > Wi-Fi > [Network name] > Forget, then reconnect manually.
4. Try different bands Connect to 5GHz instead of 6GHz if your router allows band-specific connections.
5. Check for updates regularly Settings > Software update—install any available patches promptly.
Who's Affected?
Not all users experience this issue:
- Problems appear router-model specific
- Wi-Fi 6 and older routers typically work fine
- Some Wi-Fi 7 routers have no issues
- Router firmware versions may play a role
Unaffected Features
Other wireless functions work normally: 5G cellular, Bluetooth, NFC, and GPS.
If you're considering purchase and rely heavily on Wi-Fi 7 routers, monitor Samsung's software update releases for confirmation of the fix.
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How we researched this
Where this comes from: this answer draws on the product's published specifications and the reviews ShopSavvy collected for it, alongside prices from ShopSavvy's price data.
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