Restarting Your Equipment
As the golden rule of internet troubleshooting, an equipment restart should always be your first step. It’s quick, easy, and often surprisingly effective. The restart process is the same for a modem, router, or gateway (modem/router combo unit): unplug the power cable from the back, wait 60 seconds, and then plug it back in. [1] This allows the equipment to fully reset and reestablish a fresh connection with your internet service provider (ISP). I’ve lost count of the number of times a simple restart has cured my sluggish internet woes. It’s like turning it off and on again – a classic tech support cliché, but one that works more often than you’d think.
Decluttering Your Home Network
Your slow speeds might be the result of trying to do too much at once on your internet connection. Think of your internet connection as a road directly to your house. [1] One car’s worth of people (or internet data) can reach your house at a time. If there are three cars trying to get there, they have to line up to get to your house. And if more cars arrive as the others are waiting to reach your house, you get a traffic jam. To avoid this, you can use your router’s quality of service (QoS) settings to prioritize certain types of traffic, like video streaming, over other less time-sensitive activities. [1] You can also take a quick audit of the devices connected to your network and disconnect any that you aren’t actively using.
Checking for ISP Congestion
Your internet provider’s network can also become congested, just like your home network. [1] When this happens, your speeds will slow to a crawl, no matter what you do on your end. Unfortunately, large-scale network congestion is out of your control, but you can try to work around it by scheduling big downloads during non-peak hours, like in the middle of the night. [1] If the slowdowns persist, you may need to consider switching to a different ISP that can provide you with more reliable service.
Boosting Your Wi-Fi Signal
Weak Wi-Fi signals can be a major culprit behind slow internet speeds. [1] Walls, distance, and interference from other wireless networks can all contribute to a poor connection. To fix this, start by checking the placement of your router. You want it in a central, elevated location, away from any potential sources of interference. [1] If that doesn’t do the trick, you may need to upgrade to a router with a longer range or add a Wi-Fi extender to your network. [1]
Updating Your Devices
It’s not always your internet connection that’s causing the slowdowns – it could be one or more of your devices. [1] An old or underpowered computer, tablet, or smartphone may not be able to handle the speeds your internet plan is capable of. The same goes for gaming consoles and other connected devices. If you’re experiencing issues on a specific device, try giving it a good old-fashioned restart before blaming your internet provider.
Avoiding Data Caps
Many internet providers these days impose monthly data caps, and exceeding those limits can result in your speeds being throttled. [1] You can usually check your data usage through your online account or your ISP’s app. Be mindful of your consumption, especially if you have a household of heavy internet users. If you find yourself routinely going over the cap, you may need to upgrade to a higher tier of service.
Reducing Latency
High latency, or the time it takes for data to travel to its destination and back, can make your internet feel sluggish, especially for time-sensitive activities like online gaming or video calls. [1] Unfortunately, latency is largely out of your control and often depends on factors like your distance from the nearest servers and the underlying infrastructure of your internet service. While you can’t eliminate it entirely, you may be able to reduce latency by switching to a different internet type, like fiber optic, which generally has lower latency than options like satellite or DSL.
Monitoring for Throttling
In some cases, your internet provider may be intentionally slowing down, or “throttling,” your connection for a variety of reasons. [1] This can be frustrating, but you can try to detect if throttling is the issue by running a speed test with and without a VPN. If your speeds improve when using the VPN, it’s a good indication that your provider is restricting your bandwidth.
Upgrading Your Internet Plan
If you’ve tried all of these troubleshooting steps and you’re still not getting the speeds you’re paying for, it may be time to consider upgrading your internet plan. [1] As our internet usage and the demands on our home networks continue to grow, the speeds that were once sufficient may no longer be enough. By running a speed test and comparing the results to your current plan, you can determine if a faster, more robust internet package is the solution to your slow speed woes.
Remember, troubleshooting a slow internet connection can be a frustrating process, but with a little persistence and a willingness to try a few different approaches, you can often get your speeds back up to par. And if all else fails, don’t be afraid to reach out to your internet provider for additional support. They may be able to provide further guidance or even send a technician to your home to investigate the issue more thoroughly.
References
[1] Knowledge from https://tuportal6.temple.edu/web/its/blog/-/blogs/tech-bits-10-tips-for-troubleshooting-a-slow-internet-connection
[2] Knowledge from https://www.highspeedinternet.com/resources/why-is-my-internet-so-slow
[3] Knowledge from https://www.reddit.com/r/networking/comments/txirsf/best_approach_to_troubleshooting_slow_network/
[4] Knowledge from https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/10-ways-to-speed-up-your-internet-connection-today/
[5] Knowledge from https://onesafesoftware.com/software/articles/troubleshoot-slow-internet-connection
[6] Knowledge from https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255256647
[7] Knowledge from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/why-is-my-internet-connection-so-slow-c68cf021-c5cf-db6f-eade-7c9d8bd78aa1
[8] Knowledge from https://community.logmein.com/t5/Hamachi-Discussions/Slow-internet-speeds-after-installing-Hamachi/td-p/210879
