A slow internet connection can be annoying and frustrating especially if you want to do something on the internet. How can you speed up your internet if it’s too slow?
Why is my internet too slow? – diagnosing a slow connection
The first thing you should do before finding a fix is to identify where the problem could be and how it came about. Asking yourself these questions might help you to diagnose a slow internet connection and find a solution:
1. What is my internet connection type?
If you are connected to a residential plan, you may want to find out from your ISP about your connection. A residential connection could be in the form of Fiber to Home connection (FTTH), Hybrid Coaxial connection (HFC), shared wireless connection, WIMAX connection, or any other that is available in your neighborhood.
The type of connection coming to your house often affects your speeds. Sometimes, upgrading your connection or changing to a faster internet provider might be all you need to speed up your internet. For instance, you should upgrade to a Fiber (FTTH) connection if its available in your neighborhood and affordable. Fiber connections are usually faster and more reliable than all the others but it may also be a bit more expensive.
2. What is your internet plan?
Again, this question applies to those on residential and fixed internet plans. Most internet service providers will give internet plans with fixed speed limitations. As an example, customers on a 50Mbps connection will pay less than those in a 100Mbps connection. If you think that your internet connection is too slow for your needs, you may need to upgrade to a faster plan with your ISP.
3. Is my internet connection shared?
Shared connections often suffer from latency as the number of clients on the network increases. This is especially bad if it’s a shared WIFI or even a physical network that has too many clients on it and has low bandwidth capacity. If this is the case, reducing the number of users on the network or switching to a dedicated network (if available) will make your internet connection faster.
If you are fond of public WIFI connections such as those on cafes, then a slow connection might be because of the number of users on the same connection. In some cases, a hacker sitting on the network might slow the network down significantly to take advantage of the clients connected to it.
Ensure that you always have a VPN running on your devices when you are on a shared internet hotspot. Remember that you can use a VPN on several devices without a problem if you have more than one device at a time.
4. Is my browser overloaded with tabs?
Opening too many tabs on your device might affect your device’s download and upload speeds. This happens because the many tabs eat up all your computer’s memory and prevent further processes from launching. In some cases, it might be your device that is slowing down as opposed to your internet connection. In this case, closing some of the tabs on your browser or restarting your device will fix the slow internet.
5. Is my internet router too far?
If your house has multiple rooms or floors, then you might experience slow or unstable connections in some rooms if you are using a WIFI router. Solid obstacles such as walls and ceilings will cause signal attenuation. The devices furthest from the router will have a weak signal and slower or unstable connections.
If you think this is the problem or have a weak WIFI signal in your room, then installing another router to boost the signal will fix the slow connection. Another option is to install a series of repeaters in your house to mirror the WIFI signal from the primary router. The third option you might go for is to buy a stronger router with multiple antennas that will send a stronger throughout the house.
Is my network card too slow or dated?
Sometimes you might have a fast internet connection but experience slow connections due to a dated or slow network card. If your network card or WIFI card is a bit old, upgrading it might increase your internet speed.
As you can see, a slow internet connection might be caused by a number of things. It’s through a proper diagnosis that you can identify the problem and find a fix. Sometimes the solution could be as simple as changing the position of your router or internet device!
Article by Vishal
Meet Vishal Gaikar, the tech wizard hailing from Pune, India, who's on a mission to decode the digital universe one blog post at a time. When he's not tinkering with gadgets or diving deep into the digital realm, you can find him concocting the perfect cup of chai or plotting his next adventure. Follow his tech escapades on Twitter and buckle up for a wild ride through the world of innovation and geekery!
