We’ve all been through that moment; you’re happily browsing the Internet with multiple tabs open when all of a sudden you notice that your pages are taking forever to load. There are many causes of slow Internet and it’s definitely one of the most annoying things you can experience.
Some of the most common causes of slow Internet include things like a slow DNS server, saturated bandwidth, data throttling by your ISP or poor signal on your Wi-Fi or router/modem.
1. Try Different Websites and Devices
Once you do a Speedtest to determine if your Internet speed is really slow, try connecting to the Internet using different devices around your house or office. Try visiting a different website from each device to rule out any possibility of a particular website being the culprit.
If that’s the case, then you can always write to the website owner and ask them to fix the problem on their site or leave it alone altogether.
The best way to figure out the causes of slow Internet is to narrow down your options. This makes it easier for you to take actionable and effective steps towards fixing the problem. You’ll find out whether it’s one or all of your devices that are experiencing the problem. If it’s a single device, check if it has malware or viruses and reboot it. If it’s multiple devices, you may need to fix the problem at the router level.
2. Compare Your Actual Internet Speed to Your Plan
Also, do a comparison between the expected and measured Internet speed to find out if there are other causes of slow Internet that you should be worried about.
3. Restart Modem/Router
Routers and modems also get overworked like computers and other devices. That’s why you need to reboot them every once in a while. This will help to boost its speed and restore its settings.
If you’re using a router/modem combo, then you may have to reboot both devices. To do this, simply unplug each of them from the power outlet, leave them out for at least 10 seconds and then plug them back in.
4. Check for Coax Splitters
Cable internet typically comes with coaxial cable splitters which connect to your cable modem. Now, it’s not uncommon for coaxial cable splitters to compromise your signal strength. It’s one of the leading causes of slow Internet.
The best way to deal with cable line splitters is to do a troubleshoot of your Internet connection. You can do this by disconnecting the splitters and see how your Internet connection works without them. If your situation improves then you now know what was causing the problem.
5. Try to Improve Your Wi-Fi Signal
It’s not uncommon for Wi-Fi to experience signal problems despite the fact that your actual Internet connection is fine. The issue is usually with a faulty Wi-Fi connection and this leads to slow Internet connectivity in your devices among other Internet connection problems.
You may also be experiencing a dead zone which can also be noticed through poor coverage or Wi-Fi signal across your home or office network.
If you’re in need of a really wide Wi-Fi coverage, then you should start thinking about investing in a mesh Wi-Fi system. it comes with different base stations which you can install at different areas around the property.
6. Change DNS Server
Another way to increase your Internet connection speed is to change to another DNS server. Your internet service provider will have provided you with a standard, default DNS server. But these tend to get faulty over time causing your Internet speed to become sluggish and slow.
That’s why it helps to change to a new set of DNS servers that are fresh and more advanced. A few good options include OpenDNS and Google Public DNS.
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