How to fix your slow internet

In an age where our daily lives rely on a strong internet connection to work, learn and socialize, having a slow connection can be frustrating. Luckily, there are some common reasons as to why your internet could be slowing down, and there are even some quick fixes you can try that may solve the problem.

Why is my internet so slow?

Various factors could affect the quality of your internet connection, but we’ll list some of the most common ones below.

• Network congestion
• Your equipment
• Your internet plan is too slow
• Your connection type
• Your internet activities
• ISP throttling
• Latency
• Your devices
• Malware or viruses

Network congestion

Network congestion can occur when there is too much data traffic passing through a network at one time. Think of your home network as a highway and all of the data requests as cars. When there is too much at one time, a traffic jam occurs. If that highway is especially narrow, i.e., a lower-bandwidth internet plan, network congestion is more likely to occur if you have multiple users doing more than your network can handle at once.

Equipment

Your equipment could be the cause of your slowed internet speeds if it’s outdated or doesn’t have the capacity to handle your internet speed and your online activities.

If you own your equipment instead of renting from your internet service provider (ISP), then making sure it’s up to date is important to ensure an optimal internet connection. An outdated router with an old Wi-Fi standard may not be able to handle the speeds your ISP offers. If this is the case, you will only get the maximum speed your router can handle, not the speed of your plan. This not only results in you paying more for speeds you’re not getting, but negatively impacts your everyday internet activities.

When shopping for a router, always make sure it can handle your internet plan’s speed. Router brands will disclose the router’s bandwidth capabilities and Wi-Fi standard so you can compare that with your desired internet speed.

Your internet plan

Like a router that can’t handle your internet speed plan, an internet plan that is too slow for your internet activities can result in a slowed internet connection. Activities like gaming, for example, require more bandwidth than browsing online. When you factor in the number of internet users and devices you have in your household, having the right speed is essential.

The speed you need entirely depends on the number of devices you have connected to your network at once and the types of internet activities you participate in every day. A household of two will need far less speed than a household of six with heavy internet users. If you are experiencing slow internet speeds, consider these factors and decide if you need to upgrade your plan to a higher speed.

Your connection type 

There are different types of internet technology available, and some offer faster speeds than others. Fiber internet is the fastest and most reliable type of internet, mainly because it offers symmetrical upload and download speeds. Cable internet is a close second to fiber when it comes to performance and is more widely available, but it provides slower upload speeds.

Satellite internet is available across the country, but it has notoriously slow speeds. DSL is the same, and many internet providers have phased it out of their service because it’s an older connection type. 5G internet is a newer tech type, but it won’t give you fiber speeds.

In some areas, people only have access to certain technology, such as satellite or DSL, which is a main factor driving the digital divide. So, while it may not be feasible to upgrade your connection type, understanding your internet technology can offer insight into your speeds.

Your internet activities

As we mentioned above, your internet activities play a large role in the speed you need. If you are experiencing slowed speeds while participating in bandwidth-heavy activities like gaming and streaming on multiple devices or video chatting and uploading/downloading large amounts of data, you need more bandwidth to support those activities.

ISP throttling

ISP throttling is when your provider slows your internet speeds. It can occur for several different reasons, like network prioritization or exceeding your data limit.

During periods of network congestion, your provider may throttle your speeds in order to manage network traffic. You shouldn’t even notice if this happens, but sometimes it could be the cause of noticeably slower speeds.

If your provider implements data limits, it can also throttle your speeds if you exceed that limit until you pay an overage fee or until your cycle renews.

Latency

High latency could be the cause of your slow internet speeds. Latency is the time it takes for data to travel from one point to another. The lower the latency, the better. High latency can result in noticeable delays in your requests.

Sometimes, having high latency is not something you can fix yourself. It could be because of your connection type, infrastructure, distances, etc. Satellite internet, for example, has a higher latency than other tech types because of the distance from the satellite in space to your device. 

Your devices

If your devices are outdated, it could potentially result in slow internet speeds. Similar to how an older router can only support a certain amount of internet speed, older devices with speed limitations will only be able to deliver up to their maximum capacity. If you’re noticing that certain devices are slower than others, check their speed capacity to find out if this is the problem instead of your internet connection.

Malware or viruses

Malware and viruses can also hurt your internet connection by infecting your devices and leeching your internet bandwidth. This could cause issues like a sluggish internet connection, so always make sure to install antivirus software on your device and update it regularly to protect against malicious software.

How to increase your internet speed

Before you jump into trying to speed up your connection, you first need to know what internet speed you’re getting. Take a speed test to find out what upload and download speeds you’re getting and compare that to your internet plan’s maximum speeds.

If your results are on par with your plan, then you may just need to upgrade if you want more speed. If you’re getting drastically lower speeds than what you are paying for, there are a few things you can try to improve your connection.

Quick ways you can fix your slow internet 

• Restart your equipment – Restarting your equipment should be the first thing you try whenever you experience internet connection issues. It seems simple, but it works more often than not. Just unplug your modem, router or gateway, wait for about 30 seconds to one minute, and then plug it back in.
• Upgrade your internet plan – Sometimes you just might need more speed than you’re currently getting. Upgrading your plan to the next speed tier could be the solution to your slow internet problems.
• Move your equipment to a new location – If your equipment lives in an obstructed area of your home, like in the basement or in a closet, you could be experiencing a weak signal. Try moving your equipment to a central area where there are limited obstructions to improve your connection. 
• Upgrade your equipment and devices – Upgrading your internet equipment (if you own your equipment) can ensure you’re getting the most out of your internet plan’s speed.
• Reduce the amount of devices connected to your network – The more devices you have connected to your network at a time, the more bandwidth you will use. Try reducing the number of devices simultaneously using your connection to free up some of that bandwidth.
• Use a Wi-Fi extender or mesh network – Adding a Wi-Fi extender to your home network can extend your Wi-Fi coverage to areas that experience a weaker connection. A mesh system can also increase coverage beyond your general stand-alone router or gateway device.
• Clear your cache – If you have never cleared your cache or it’s been a while, it could be slowing down your web browser. Try clearing it to improve your speeds.

When to contact your internet service provider

If none of the quick fixes we’ve mentioned are working and your slow speeds continue, it may be time to contact your internet provider. Call your provider’s customer support line to discuss the issues you’re experiencing. Explore top providers’ customer service information below.

• Xfinity customer service
• AT&T customer service
• Verizon customer service
• Spectrum customer service

If you are hesitant to upgrade your plan, it could be wise to explore other options available at your home. Check your address to find internet providers near you.

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