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How to Prepare Your Ho-hum Internet

Proficient tips to banish slow internet speeds

Jan 23, 2022 Share
FAQ, Internet Speed Guides

You can generally fix a boring internet connexion if the issue is on your cease. A simple restart of your modem and your router (or all-in-one wireless gateway) can sometimes speed upward your connection. Just your ho-hum speeds may as well be the consequence of problems on your provider'southward end—problems you simply tin can't fix.

Generally, your modem or router (or both) will create a speed bottleneck if not working properly—the same goes with wireless gateways. If your equipment is as well one-time, it may not support important internet protocols. Equipment damage, such every bit bad ports or components, can also cause slowdowns.

There are a few ways to make sure each pace of your network is performing at optimal speed. We'll help you place and fix your network's weakest link starting with the basics—we'll get more in-depth as we go deeper into our guide.

Want faster cyberspace speeds straight from the source? Enter your zip code below to run across if a faster plan is bachelor in your surface area.

Why is your net so wearisome?

There are many reasons why your cyberspace is dull. Perhaps your internet provider is having issues, your home network needs a reboot, or you're only as well far away from the router—the possibilities can be a chip overwhelming. We'll listing the most common problems and how y'all can ready them to get more speed.

Your internet plan is too slow
You need better network management
Your provider's network is congested
You exceeded your data cap
You lot have weak Wi-Fi signals
Yous take high latency
You accept slow or outdated devices
Your provider is throttling your connection

Problem: Your internet plan is besides slow

If your cyberspace slows downward merely when besides many other people are online simultaneously, you're probably using more data than your plan allows. Use our net speed test to run across if you lot're getting the speed advertised by your ISP. If your results are close to your plan speed, consider upgrading.

Your net bundle gives you a specific amount of bandwidth, and if there's more information trying to movement around than there is bandwidth, you lot encounter a traffic jam.

Think of your net connection like a road directly to your house. One car's worth of people (or net data) can attain your house at a time. If at that place are iii cars trying to get in that location, they accept to line up to go to your house. And if more than cars arrive as the others are waiting to reach your business firm, the line and the delays go longer.

The easiest style to become more bandwidth is by upgrading to a faster internet plan that can proceed upward with your household. We're online at present more than ever, and the net plan you signed upwardly for a few years ago might not exist sufficient today if your connection slows down every time multiple people use the cyberspace.

We recommend checking out one of the fastest internet providers in the United states.

Problem: You need meliorate network direction

If upgrading isn't an option, you demand to either deal with the slow speeds or manage your household'southward internet utilise. Thankfully, there are severa l easy ways of doing the latter that doesn't include yelling at anybody to get off the internet so you lot can attend a Zoom meeting.

Hither are a few tips on how to manage your home network traffic:

Use QoS settings

Many routers have a quality of service (or QoS) component that allows you to control how your network prioritizes certain types of data. That mode, you can make sure your streaming information always gets first admission to available bandwidth for smoothen playback.

Not all routers take adaptable QoS, just if your router does, you'll notice the controls in your router's spider web interface.

Pro tip: How to log in to a router

Many of our tips and troubleshooting guides tell you to log in to your router'southward web interface . Information technology's really easy if you lot don't know how—but follow our instructions.

Prune your internet connections

There may be some devices connected to your network that you rarely use—if at all. For example: yous bought a new laptop, but the erstwhile one still idles and connects to the network. Even though information technology'south not in use, it still uses bandwidth for updates and other background services. Your router may even have a limited number of devices it can connect to simultaneously, and if y'all have too many connected devices the router may start kicking some of them off the network.

One simple way to take stock of all the devices using your network is to load your router'due south web interface and view the network map. Yous will run into all connected devices, whether they're agile or not, and then y'all tin block the ones you never use.

Another method is to change the Wi-Fi countersign, but that only applies to wireless devices . One time you do , you lot must manually reconnect every device that accesses your wireless network .

Some routers or wireless gateways also have a handy companion app that lets you see everything on your network without loading a browser . That manner y'all can place and remove devices that no longer need admission to your network .

Stagger bandwidth-hogging activities

If your connection can't handle everyone online at in one case, stagger your cyberspace activities so everyone gets a run a risk at an uninterrupted connection.

Besides, brand certain to schedule large downloads (like computer and game updates) during times when other people won't exist online.

Put visitors on a invitee network

There'due south nada wrong with sharing your internet with guests when they come to visit , but yous don't want them to secretly download illegal content while they lounge on your couch . That's where your router'southward invitee network feature comes into play .

You tin can create a second guest network using your router'southward web interface or mobile app. A guest network allows you to limit how much bandwidth guests can use, and what services and websites they can access . It also prevents guest devices from mingling with your devices, so in that location's no worry about guests spreading malware to everything you utilize.

Trouble: Your provider'south network is congested

Cable net subscribers may suffer slowdowns during elevation times when they and anybody else in the neighborhood are active online at the same time. Information technology's a similar state of affairs to traffic on your home network but on a larger calibration. In this instance, you and all your neighbors compete for the same bandwidth.

If the congestion gets particularly bad, your net provider may throttle internet speeds in your surface area to reduce traffic for the network.

Unfortunately, you tin can't control when or how often people in the aforementioned area use the internet —we certainly don't suggest asking your neighbors to log off so you can Zoom in peace. But at that place are a few tricks to circumventing the effect.

Try to schedule game and media downloads during off-acme hours, similar in the middle of the night. You lot could also switch to another provider that doesn't have every bit many subscribers around you, though that could be difficult to determine .

The only type of net that isn't much affected by an expanse'due south network congestion is fiber internet . Fiber infrastructure is capable of carrying much more information than other net types, so having a ton of traffic at the same time doesn't irksome down private customers.

Trouble: Yous exceeded your data cap

Many net providers accept data caps, and some tedious your speeds to a clamber after you hit that cap. You can usually check to see how much data y'all've used on your online account or through your ISP'south app. Providers like Xfinity requite customers very high data caps—1.two TB for this example—and shouldn't cause too many issues for most households. Merely satellite internet providers including and are less generous with their information allowances.

Satellite net providers accuse for cyberspace use by data rather than by cyberspace speed. Information technology'due south like to how cell phone plans unremarkably work: once you use up your data allowance for the month , your internet connectedness can slow to a clamber.

HughesNet customers tin can run into speeds drop to 1–3 Mbps. Viasat customers can wait all their internet traffic to be deprioritized, meaning that their information gets pushed to the back of the line of all Viasat customers' data.

Many DSL, cable, and fiber cyberspace companies are discontinuing data limits , but in that location are many others that continue to go along them in place . Await to run across if your internet service has a data cap in our guide to ISP data caps .

Problem: You have weak Wi-Fi signals

Walls, distance, and even microwaves can interfere with your Wi-Fi signal. Weaker Wi-Fi signals mean slower speeds and frequent disconnects .

You can tell if point interference and weak Wi-Fi signals are your issues if your connexion works well near your router but is extremely slow in the adjacent room .

To fix weak Wi-Fi, first, check your router's placement. Y ou want to make sure your router is in a cardinal and elevated location and away from things that tin can affect your Wi-Fi signals (like walls, Bluetooth speakers, etc.).

If that doesn't work, yous might need to replace your router with one designed for longer ranges or improve coverage—or you lot can add together an extender to your network to stretch Wi-Fi signals into a previously unreachable area .

Check out our guide to long-range routers if y'all demand better Wi-Fi coverage. It goes over both mesh Wi-Fi systems and standalone routers to aid you figure out how best to access the internet in every inch of your home.

Problem: You lot have high latency

Latency is the time information takes to make a circular trip from your device to the destination and back. A loftier latency creates noticeable lag: an extended duration between your concrete deportment and the results displayed on your screen. This tin be especially frustrating with online gaming or video calls.

High latency is difficult to work around. It depends partially on your physical distance from cyberspace servers, network congestion betwixt y'all and the servers , and your cyberspace provider'south infrastructure. Cyberspace type can also play into latency likewise.

For example, satellite internet has high latency considering all your data must travel to infinite and back, both coming and going to your device. Newer types of internet, including fiber and 5G mmWave , have lower latency because they tin can handle faster signals.

If you're looking to lower your latency for a better connexion, check out our written report on the fastest ISPs . It dives into which internet services take the best tested speeds and lowest average latency.

Problem: Yous have slow or outdated devices

The problem might non be with your internet connection—it might exist with the device you use . Your computer, tablet, phone, or gaming console could be outdated and not capable of processing today'south Wi-Fi speeds.

For example, the erstwhile (but much loved) PlayStation Vita handheld console supports upwardly to 150 Mbps per second considering information technology uses a Wi-Fi 4 radio. That speed can decrease based on the router information technology connects to and the security protocol it uses. The Vita will never see speeds beyond that 150 Mbps limit.

If you have speed problems on a desktop or laptop, endeavour power cycling the device. This clears the memory of any junk, refreshes your connection, and cleans out unnecessary processes and temporary files. Speed problems tend to happen due to an overworked processor, and a quick power cycle—shutting information technology downward completely for xxx seconds—will "clear its head."

Other things that can slow down your devices include the following:

Too many open applications
Too many open browser tabs
Outdated software
Outdated drivers
The operating system needs to reboot to install updates
Patch downloads
App downloads
Malware

Avoid overwhelming your figurer's CPU by closing unused applications and browser windows. Go along your device's operating arrangement up to appointment by allowing auto-updates, and keep your antivirus definitions current.

Problem: Your provider is throttling your connectedness

Internet providers can throttle your speeds, causing a irksome connexion . We'll go over throttling briefly here, just you tin can get a more in-depth look at the subject area in our guide to network throttling .

We've already discussed a few circumstances where a provider might throttle your speeds—like if you become over your data cap or if at that place's too much congestion in the network. But your provider might likewise boring you down if it flags your internet activeness as potentially illegal or if information technology generally doesn't want yous to do a specific blazon of activity (like torrenting).

To see if your provider is throttling your internet, run a speed exam normally and then run it again using a VPN. If your speeds better with the VPN, congratulations! You lot're throttled.

Other factors that affect your speed

Your internet program's maximum speed

Internet speeds are measured in megabits per second (Mbps) . This refers to your connectedness's full bandwidth, not the bodily time data uses to make a round trip to a website and dorsum—that's called latency.

Providers usually advertise their net speeds as "upward to" a certain number of megabits per second, and there's usually some fine impress that says those speeds are not guaranteed. Net providers are mostly in the articulate legally if your cyberspace doesn't actually perform up to the highest advertised bandwidth.

Realistically, y'all may pay for 400 Mbps per calendar month, but you likely won't see that maximum due to hardware issues betwixt your internet provider's operator—a device that communicates with multiple modems—and your physical cyberspace connection. Utility pole connections, your cached cable, and so on all play a major factor in how your connection performs. At that place's nothing yous can exercise to get the maximum bandwidth y'all pay for each month other than hope for the highest speeds possible.

If y'all need a refresher on internet speeds and what they mean, check out our guide to internet speeds .

Your upload and download speeds

You upload and download data every 24-hour interval, whether you're on a smartphone or a laptop. For instance, when you access a website, you lot upload a asking to that website and then download temporary files from the site to view information technology in your browser.

If you don't take issues with streaming on Netflix or downloading files merely are nonetheless experiencing some symptoms of slow internet speeds, your event might actually be with your upload speed.

Cablevision, DSL, and satellite providers give customers way less upload bandwidth than download bandwidth because most people request much more information from the net than they ship. Upload speed is typically an event for heavy uploaders—like Twitch streamers , people who work with video or audio , or those who often have to share big files.

The best mode to improve upload speeds is to switch to a cobweb program. Fiber-optic net connections frequently give customers upload speeds equal to their download speeds. If y'all don't know what kind of speeds you actually need , check out our recommendations for upload and download speeds .

Your internet connectedness blazon

In that location are a few unlike technologies internet providers employ to deliver your connection, like cable, fiber, satellite, or DSL. Your internet connection type p lays a huge cistron in your overall speeds.

Satellite internet transfers internet signals from a base station to a satellite to a receiver at your home. Because all your information must travel such a long distance both means, satellite cyberspace can take very loftier latency compared to other types of internet, which slows things downward.

DSL internet uses telephone lines to carry information. Because the infrastructure is usually a little older, it can't handle the same corporeality of bandwidth as a newer connection similar cobweb. DSL cyberspace tops out at merely over 100 Mbps, and its electrical signals tend to degrade in quality over long distances.

Cablevision cyberspace can be faster than DSL because it uses the same coaxial cables that deport cable Television receiver. Speeds can reach up to 1,000 Mbps, simply cable is susceptible to network congestion during high-traffic times due to the infrastructure's overall "shared" design.

Fiber-optic cyberspace is one of the newest types of internet, and it's the all-time wired connection you can go. Cobweb uses LED or light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation pulses to send your internet data, so it has lower latency than other internet types equally a whole. It can besides bear much more bandwidth than cable or DSL, offering speeds up to 2,000 Mbps. It'southward less prone to network congestion and tin offering equally loftier download and upload speeds.

Overall, DSL and cable are the most common cyberspace types while fiber is newer merely scarce. Satellite is best for rural areas where the other three types tin't accomplish.

How to troubleshoot a irksome connection

First, know your program speed

You need to know how much speed y'all pay for each calendar month and compare that number against the speed you're actually getting at present . Wait on your paper pecker or log in to your online business relationship to encounter your plan's advertised maximum speed.

Next, run a speed exam and compare

Running a series of speed tests while continued to different points in your network can assistance you figure out where your speeds are slowing down. Nosotros'll break the testing procedure down into 2 sections.

Part i: Test the modem

Your first speed test is to see if you're getting the correct speeds to your home compared with what yous're supposed to get from your net provider . To become the virtually accurate results for your initial speed exam, unplug your router from the modem and connect a computer to the same port on the modem using an Ethernet cable. If you have a wireless gateway, just plug it into ane of the Ethernet ports.

Warning: We don't recommend browsing the internet for extended periods of time without using a router. Your router has some first-class built-in security features that protect your network from viruses and malware.

This beginning test should give you results that are shut to the speeds promoted with your plan. If not, try to rail this issue over multiple days and times of day to institute a pattern. Contact your internet provider to talk about why you're not getting the correct speeds if yous go along to run across lower than expected results .

Run the Speed Test

Function two: Test the router

If your modem isn't the upshot, the next step is to test the router. Plug the router back into the modem and run multiple speed tests using your wireless devices, and wired devices plugged into the router'due south Ethernet ports.

If you lot run into a vast difference between the modem and router tests, then your router is causing your connection slowdowns—or the Ethernet cable tethering your router to the modem.

Continue in mind that not all wireless devices experience identical speeds. Their connections depend on the hardware within no matter what router you use, so a budget Samsung phone will have slower Wi-Fi speeds than an expensive wireless card plugged into your desktop.

To troubleshoot router problems, follow these steps:

Step 1: Unplug the router's power, wait xxx seconds, and then plug it dorsum in.

Footstep 2: Make certain all cables are connected deeply and that all ports piece of work.

Step 3: Update your router'southward firmware. You lot can practice this by logging in to your router'southward web interface or mobile app . (Your Internet service provider likely does this automatically, simply it's worth checking.)

Step iv: Reposition your router .

Step 5: Motion wireless connections to the best Wi-Fi band .

Step 6: Change Wi-Fi channels in your router'southward interface to find ane that's less crowded.

Pace 7: Try a factory reset past pressing the reset button located on the dorsum of your router.

If none of these steps piece of work, you may need to upgrade to a newer or more powerful router. Internet tech advances rather quickly, and if your router is more than a few years old, it might exist time to get yourself something more modern . If you're looking for router-buying guidance, we have recommendations for the best long-range routers , the best modem and router combos , and the best routers for Xfinity .

Check for Wi-Fi dead zones

Wi-Fi problems can stem from multiple factors . It could exist your router'south range, a crowded frequency channel or band, or signal interference caused past physical obstructions and other electronics.

Yous already know that you lot should place your router at a key and elevated location for the best coverage, so we'll assume that y'all've already done that and pointed your antennas in the right direction.

Get to different areas of your house with a computer or smartphone and picket the Wi-Fi signal forcefulness indicator. If you lot notice a lot of dead zones, you may need to motility your router again (if they happen in areas where you normally need Wi-Fi) or invest in something to boost your Wi-Fi signal to that detail area. You can also make a Wi-Fi heatmap if you want to become more precise with it.

If yous have more than than a couple of issues with Wi-Fi dead zones, nosotros recommend upgrading to a mesh networking kit . They ordinarily send with at to the lowest degree ii nodes—one that connects to your modem and another that communicates direct with the first unit—to create a "blanket" of coverage. There's no centralized bespeak, and you can easily add more nodes to extend coverage. Moreover, devices seamlessly switch between nodes as you move virtually the home or office.

If you prefer to stick with the traditional router, you could add a Wi-Fi extender or powerline adapter , However, we still prefer mesh router kits versus the router/extender setup .

Reorganize your Wi-Fi connections

If you've already pruned your Wi-Fi connections of unnecessary devices , it's time to brand sure all active connections are on the correct Wi-Fi band.

Most mod routers offer two Wi-Fi bands, which each create their own visible Wi-Fi network. By default, these are usually labeled with their frequency bands, only information technology might be unlike if you've changed your Wi-Fi network's name.

These bands operate on two different frequencies: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The 2.4 GHz frequency band has a better range, but it's slower and more susceptible to signal interference from other electronics. The five GHz band is faster merely can't travel as far.

Basically, you want to use the 5 GHz band for most bandwidth-heavy applications like streaming or gaming. Devices that don't need that much speed—like smart home devices— should use the 2.4 GHz band instead .

Typically, you can modify the Wi-Fi band each device uses past logging in to the correct Wi-Fi network on each device. However, some routers circulate merely one network proper noun and automatically selects the best frequency band for your device. This tin can be problematic if you really need the faster v GHz connection, merely the router forces your device to use the 2.4 GHz band.

Change your Wi-Fi band's channel

Both the 2.4 GHz and five GHz frequency bands used past your router split into multiple channels, similar to how analog and digital TV works over the air. Like any network dealing with lots of information, these Wi-Fi channels tin get likewise crowded, which can cause slowdowns. This is particularly true for compacted living situations similar apartment buildings.

To observe the best channel, you tin use an app like NetSpot for Windows or use the Network Diagnostics role on a Mac. Irresolute your Wi-Fi aqueduct involves logging in to your router's web interface and manually selecting the ideal channel.

Check continued devices

As we mentioned earlier, sometimes the upshot isn't with your cyberspace connection— it'due south with the smartphone, computer, or tablet you're using to access the internet . Information technology may need a reboot, it may be outdated, or you accept too many apps and programs open, bogging down the device's processor.

Manage your network

If you've fabricated information technology this far and you're notwithstanding experiencing problems with slow internet speeds, run through the tips in the home network traffic section of this mail service if you haven't already.

Your speed bug most likely stem from your internet provider's reliability or the traffic on your own home network. Even if you've organized and trimmed downwardly your number of connected devices, you could still not have enough bandwidth at certain times of twenty-four hours to cover everything your network has to handle. The only solution to this is to either use the net less or get a faster net plan.

Bank check out every provider and plan in your expanse to see if you tin can get improve speeds for a improve deal.

Quick fixes for slow cyberspace speeds (and why they work)

Before we dive in, take an internet speed test. Measuring your internet speed and knowing how it compares to the speeds you pay for is an important part of diagnosing a boring connection.

Run the Speed Test

Fix #1: Ability cycle your modem and router (or wireless gateway)

Your modem and router piece of work difficult , and sometimes they demand to refresh with a quick power wheel. Simply pull the plug on both units, wait 30 seconds, so plug the modem back into the wall outlet. Once it properly boots, exercise the same with the router.

In the instance of a wireless gateway, pull the plug, wait, and plug it back in.

Draining both units of power allows them to articulate the system retentivity, clear up any local communication bug, and reestablish fresh connections. Moreover, a power cycle allows the modem to resync with your internet provider's operator—a device that communicates with multiple modems. Information technology also refreshes your router's public IP address.

Overall, a power cycle can actually give your internet speeds a heave on your side of the modem.

Set #2: Move your router to another location

Many people hibernate their routers or wireless gateways in closets, backside article of furniture , or down in basement s . Don't be one of those people unless y'all want excessively bad Wi-Fi.

Instead , put as few physical barriers between your router and your devices as possible. Walls, floors, ceilings , doors, large furniture, and similar obstructions tin barricade your Wi-Fi signals and reduce connection speeds , especially over longer distances.

Certain signals from other devices can besides interfere with your wireless speeds. These include microwaves, Bluetooth speakers, baby monitors, and cordless phones.

For the all-time Wi-Fi coverage, identify your router in a central, elevated location, or at a location where you use Wi-Fi the near, like in a abode office .

Be sure to use your router's external antennas ( if present ) to get amend Wi-Fi coverage. About router antennas broadcast Wi-Fi signals in an outward circle perpendicular to the antenna's position . For instance, if the antennas are positioned vertically, the Wi-Fi signals broadcast horizontally in all directions.

That said, if you lot live in a ane-story house, continue the antennas vertical. If y'all live in a multistory house, positional at to the lowest degree one antenna horizontally so the Wi-Fi signals reach the additional floors.

Fix #three: Use the internet during off-peak hours

If you know there's a large download in your future— the latest version of macOS or a 100 GB update for an Xbox Series X game—yous might want to schedule a time when yous don't need to do annihilation else online. The early on morning hours are ideal when anybody is asleep and no other downloads currently pig your bandwidth.

Operating systems tend to wait until the early morning hours when you're fast asleep. Game updates, meanwhile, typically require you to manually offset the download. Other updates aren't quite so accommodating with your schedule.

If your internet gets also wearisome to stream during sure peak hours, download the content earlier in the day (or once more, in the middle of the nighttime) so yous'll be ready to binge scout all of Avatar: The Last Airbender without buffering -related interruptions.

Set #4: Upgrade your internet programme

Y'all may need a faster plan if more people live with you lot now, if y'all transitioned to working from dwelling, or if you generally apply the internet more than than you did earlier. Enter your goose egg lawmaking below to detect a speedier plan that's available in your area .

Author - Rebecca Lee Armstrong

Rebecca Lee Armstrong has more half-dozen years of experience writing about tech and the internet, with a specialty in hands-on testing. She started writing tech product and service reviews while finishing her BFA in artistic writing at the University of Evansville and has establish her niche writing about abode networking, routers, and internet admission at HighSpeedInternet.com. Her work has too been featured on Height Ten Reviews, MacSources, Windows Cardinal, Android Central, All-time Visitor, TechnoFAQ, and iMore.

Editor - Cara Haynes

Cara Haynes has been editing and writing in the digital space for seven years, and she's edited all things internet for HighSpeedInternet.com for five years. She graduated with a BA in English and a modest in editing from Brigham Young University. When she'due south not editing, she makes tech accessible through her freelance writing for brands like Pluralsight. She believes no one should feel lost in cyberspace land and that a adept internet connection significantly extends your life span.

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Source: https://www.highspeedinternet.com/resources/why-is-my-internet-so-slow