“Why Is My Internet So Slow?” This is a question that most users have in their mind and slow internet is one thing that can be very annoying. There are various reasons why your internet might be slow, it could be from your ISP, it could be due to the problems with your router/modem, it could be due to the problems with your device, it could be because of weak WiFi signals, slow DNS server, and various other reasons.
These are something that will help you narrow down the problem that why is your internet connection so slow! Resolving the problem(s) might help you in getting back the fast internet connection.
Perform a speed test
A speed test is like the basis of all the internet speed-related problems. This test determines the speeds of your internet connection and you can compare the results with what you’re paying. You can find the internet speed of your current internet plan on your bill and you can compare the results and see if the results are about the same that you’re paying for or not.
To make the speed test as accurate as possible, make sure to stop any activity that consumes a lot of internet speed such as downloads, Netflix streaming, or anything else.
Keep in mind that the results might fluctuate a bit, for instance, if you are paying for a bandwidth of 50 Mbps then you might get results in which the speed may be a bit higher or a bit lower than 50 Mpbs, however, if the results vary too much then give your ISP a call about this matter.
Opening Different websites on multiple devices
To make sure that there is not a problem with the website that you’re visiting or your device, try opening different websites on different devices. If you face the problem with one particular website only then the problem is on the website’s end and not on your end.
If the internet is slow only one of the devices, for instance, if the internet is slow on your PC only and works fine on other devices then it means the problem is with your PC only and you need to fix it. However, if slowness is on all the devices then it probably means that there are other factors involved in the slowness of the internet.
Reboot your Router and Modem
Sometimes there is no major problem, it is just that the modem/router is stuck in an overloaded state and that is the reason why you are facing slow internet. The solution to this to just reboot your Router and Modem.
Some people have a combined router and modem unit, however, others don’t. To reboot, just unplug both the router and modem from their power outlets for 10-20 seconds and after that plug them back in. If the problem was with your router/modem it probably would have had fixed after the reboot.
Improving WiFi Signals
Weak WiFi signals can also be the reason why you may be facing slow internet. Weak WiFi Connection seems like that there is an internet problem because it can affect all of the devices in a household. There are various reasons why the WiFi signals may be poor, this includes poor router placement, WiFi signals blocked by obstacles, signals interference, etc.
Poor Router placement means when you have placed your WiFi router in such a place where its signal is blocked by other obstacles, such as placing the WiFi router in a cupboard. The optimal placement for the WiFi router is to place it in the central area of the home or apartment and a bit elevated from the ground so that the signals can be evenly transmitted.
Also, if you have a dual-band router consisting of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency band then switching to 5 GHz might help if you are living in a dense urban such as in a complex apartment where there are other people living who also have different wireless routers. Because the default frequency of all wireless routers is 2.4 GHz, there is a higher chance that there may be signal interference which could lead to a slow internet connection. So, switching to the 5 GHz frequency band might help you in crowded areas.
Cleaning up your device
If you are facing slow internet on only one of your devices then it means that problem is with your device and you need to clean it up because it is most-likely infected with a virus or malware of some kind that is consuming the network resources in the background.
Install an antivirus program of your choice and perform a scan to see if there are any threats or not. Also, check for any programs that are running the background and consuming the internet such as Windows updates.