Working with a slow internet is probably the worst feeling in this world. When you just want to stream a short video clip on YouTube or simply browse through social media, and you have to wait for the buffering wheel to stop or the pages to load, it feels like time has stopped and every second feels like a drag.
If you are frustrated with the constant disappointment from your internet speed, then you would probably find some of the tips mentioned below highly useful. We have gathered some of the most common reasons for an internet service to perform poorly.
Outdated Hardware
The moment you feel that your internet is not up to the mark, your eyes instantly turn towards your internet router. These magical devices provide you with the ability to browse through the internet wirelessly from distant corners of your homes.
Being a piece of hardware, they tend to get outdated after a certain period of time, thus affecting their potential. Manufacturers routinely release newer models of routers that are better equipped to resolve your internet speed issues.
Faulty Cables
While routers connect you to the internet wirelessly, there are cables that power the router itself, these cables lead back to towers, which further lead back to your internet service providers.
Often, cables are damaged or providers are changing them, which affects your internet speeds or even leave you completely off the grid. You might want to contact customer care department for this matter if the problem goes on for long.
Background Tasks Siphoning All the Juice
Your internet plan offers a certain amount of bandwidth for you to utilize. More often than not, a number of background programs are hogging the bandwidth of your internet, leaving behind very little for daily usage.
We suggest you run task manager on your computer and see if any unnecessary programs are running without your knowledge. Also, you should make it a habit of turning off all unnecessary background programs the moment you fire up your systems and cut them off from the start.
Your Network is Crowded
Sometimes, all it takes to get a little speed is to kick off some unwanted visitors from your network. Simply by sharing your home Wi-Fi password with every other visitor, you are exposing your network to significant traffic.
It’s not that you should not share your Wi-Fi password with your friends and family, but you must make sure that no unauthorized devices stay connected without your knowledge or approval. Even if any authorized device is not needed for the time being, you may disconnect it temporarily to access better download and upload speeds.
Data Caps
Internet service providers offer certain data caps if you have not opted for an unlimited plan. When you consume your allotted data, the quality of your service usually takes a hit. You might want to go through your internet plan once again and see if you have consumed your monthly limit or if there is still any space left.
Even if you cannot subscribe to an unlimited plan, you can still make the best of your plan with accompanying data caps. Several internet service providers offer bonus zones for this very reason. In those certain time slots, you can experience relatively better speeds and then you can browse all the internet you want.
You Are Out of Range
The magical Wi-Fi router is capable of providing wireless connectivity only up to a certain point in your home. This is because these devices have a limited range of transmission. Once you are out of their range, you may either experience poor speeds or lose connectivity altogether.
The best way to overcome this hurdle is to place your Wi-Fi router at a central location in your home. Large objects, walls, and doors can also obstruct Wi-Fi signals Thus, place it at a central open location for optimum performance.
It’s Time for an ISP Change
If all else fails, maybe it is finally time to go shopping for a better internet service provider. Your existing service provider may have been the best in the market in the past, but that does not mean that it is still the best option around.
There are a bunch of exceptional internet service providers that have made their way into the US internet market. For instance, Suddenlink internet is not only a remarkable provider of mind-bogglingly amazing download speeds but it is also highly reasonable and doesn’t break your bank.
The Bottom Line
The power of the internet can be best enjoyed with the ideal internet speed. Otherwise, the experience can become somewhat frustrating. We hope that the list of pointers mentioned above with their resolutions would free you from the terror of slow internet speeds.