In this day and age, everyone is expected to have an internet connection at their home. But of course, experiencing a slow connection is inevitable, and you don’t have to worry about this! Whether you need it for work or fun, there are ways to make it faster. From resetting your modem to having an ethernet cable installed, you can jump from connection to connection.
Find out what can you do to speed up your internet connection below.
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<h3>Internet Connection</h3>
How fast your internet can be doesn&#8217;t depend on which company you choose, but rather on the type of technology, they use. Some technologies, like fiber optic cables, are much faster than others, like copper phone lines
Fiber Connection
Fiber optic cables transmit data using light pulses, offering significantly faster speeds compared to traditional copper cables. Fiber internet tops the list when it comes to speed, starting at 100 Mbps and easily reaching gigabit speeds (1 billion bps). While it is not yet widely offered by many internet service providers, fiber is becoming increasingly available in many areas.
Cable Internet
Cable internet uses traditional cable TV wires to get the job done, making it the runner-up to fiber in terms of speed. While downloads can keep up with even the fastest fiber plans, uploads lag way behind. Download speeds start at a decent 5 Mbps and can reach up to 35 Mbps, but keep in mind, that uploading large files might take a while.
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
DSL internet uses phone lines for data. Download speeds max out at around 15 Mbps, and uploads are even slower at 6 Mbps. DSL speeds weaken the farther you are from the phone company&#8217;s hub. So, while it might be readily available, keep in mind its limitations if you are seeking a fast internet connection.
Satellite
While satellite internet might offer decent download speeds, it’s in the last place among the options previously presented. Download speed can reach 12 to 100 Mbps, while upload can only reach up to 3 Mbps. Blame the 22,000-mile round trip your data has to take to a faraway satellite. This creates latency, or lag in simpler terms, that can be hundreds of times worse than anything you&#8217;d experience with wired options. Having this type of connection means buffering nightmares and experiencing lag when playing online games. It&#8217;s best left for situations where other options are out of reach.
<h3>Device</h3>
When it becomes laggy, don’t just jump to conclusions just yet and blame your internet connection. Sometimes, it’s the device that you’re using that is the problem. A computer or tablet can experience slowdowns due to factors unrelated to your home network or broadband connection.
Don&#8217;t worry because a quick fix is often just a click away. Give your browser a restart and see if it changes anything about your connection. Poorly designed web pages can excessively consume memory and processor resources, leading to reduced speed and system congestion. Although restarting your browser is just a temporary fix in which you might experience a slow connection again, installing an ad blocker could be a big help in the future, especially when you open several tabs at once.
Your device could encounter problems with your Wi-Fi as well. It might be experiencing difficulty in maintaining a Wi-Fi signal, or it could have lost its valid IP address, rendering it invisible to other devices on the internet. In such situations, disconnecting from the network and reconnecting might resolve the issue. If nothing has changed, consider rebooting the entire device.
<h3>Wi-Fi Connection</h3>
Wi-Fi connection is known for its inconsistent performance in real-world usage. If multiple devices are experiencing slow speeds, as indicated by a speed test app, your wireless router could be the reason behind this.
First, give it a quick refresh &#8211; a simple power cycle (off and on again) can sometimes work wonders. If that doesn&#8217;t do the trick, head over to its settings page or mobile app. Look for any pending firmware updates hiding there &#8211; these little patches can often fix slow connection performance. Lastly, follow these steps if the first two ways do not work:
The Wi-Fi router’s location is essential for its speed. Moving it closer to the middle of your home or your workspace can significantly improve Wi-Fi signal strength and reach, giving all your devices a fairer shot at internet speed.
Verify which of the two primary Wi-Fi bands, 2.4 or 5 gigahertz (GHz), each device is connected to. Modern dual-band routers typically handle this automatically, but your device might require manual selection through the router settings page. This much older 2.5 GHz reaches far but gets easily interrupted by other devices using the same frequency. Meanwhile, the newer band, the 5 GHz, offers super-fast speeds but with a shorter range. It is perfect for streaming or gaming in one room, but the signal might get fuzzy farther away.
Plug your computer straight into the router with an Ethernet cable. If you get the advertised speed this way, but not wirelessly, you might need to buy a new router. If your home is relatively huge or interference runs rampant, a single router might be struggling to keep up. You might want to consider installing a mesh Wi-Fi network.
<h3>Service Provider’s Modem</h3>
Even before blaming your Wi-Fi connection, consider the modem or gateway, which is the box that connects your home to the internet, as it can also cause you as much trouble than
your Wi-Fi. The first step that you should do is to reboot it. Don&#8217;t underestimate the power of a simple restart. It can clear out temporary glitches like a magic button. Next, check for firmware updates. Think of these like software patches for your internet device. They can fix hidden bugs and boost performance.
If all else fails, it might be time to say goodbye to your old modem or gateway. This is especially essential for dial-up users, where speed is crucial. Microsoft even recommends using the fastest modem available.
If you rent your modem from your provider, replacing it should be a breeze. Just contact them and they&#8217;ll likely send you a new one right away. But if you bought your own modem, make sure you research models compatible with your provider before purchasing a replacement.
<h3>Having a New Router Channel</h3>
Sometimes, a slow internet connection may be due to it being the wrong Wi-Fi channel. Most devices connect to either the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band. While routers usually pick the best channel automatically, sometimes things get crowded, slowing you down.
See if your device is on 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. You can usually find this in your Wi-Fi settings. Most routers pick the best channel automatically, but if your internet feels sluggish, it might be worth checking. If needed, you can manually change your channel to a less crowded one.
2.4 GHz connection reaches far but gets easily interrupted by other devices using the same frequency. Speeds are decent, but not the fastest. But a 5 GHz connection is faster but has a short range.
Switching to the best channel can boost your internet speed. First, log in to your router&#8217;s control panel. You&#8217;ll need its IP address to enter. Just type it into your web browser and log in with your router&#8217;s password.
<h3>Internet Provider</h3>
If you&#8217;ve eliminated all hardware issues within your home, the problem likely lies with your internet connection itself. Check with your neighbors who also have the same internet provider as you and ask them if they are experiencing the same about their connection. If they are, it is best to contact your service provider to resolve this issue.
Another possibility of having a slow internet connection is because of high internet traffic resulting from the large number of people online in your area. Peter Holslin of HighSpeedInternet.com describes this phenomenon as &#8220;internet rush hour.&#8221; Peak usage hours usually fall between 6 pm and 11 pm on weekdays, when individuals have finished work and school and have more leisure time to spend online. Holslin also notes that with more people now working and studying from home, slow internet speeds may occur not only during these peak hours but also at other times.
At times, a slow internet connection calls for an upgrade. Cable and fiber providers can usually crank up your download speeds, even if you crave hundreds of megabits per second. Only fiber offers a significant upload speed boost. A cable might offer some improvement, but not as dramatic. DSL and satellite leave little room for speed upgrades. Consider switching if you need a major performance jump.
<h3>Shop for a New Internet Service Provider</h3>
If your current provider can&#8217;t offer a speed boost, it&#8217;s time to explore other options. In many US cities, competition is heating up between cable and fiber providers, giving you more choices.
Cable is a familiar option, offering decent speeds for browsing and streaming. But if you&#8217;re a heavy user – think endless online gaming or frequent large file transfers – fiber&#8217;s fast speed connection and reliability might be worth a look, even though it usually comes with a higher price tag.
Most of America has terrible internet options: slow DSL, cable monopolies with data limits, or satellite with even stricter limits. Unfortunately, the broadband landscape in America means that in certain situations, the only option to upgrade internet service is to relocate.
Alternatively, some individuals are occasionally compelled to resort to driving with a laptop or tablet to areas with Wi-Fi connected to faster services when they urgently require a speedier connection. You might want to search for different internet service providers available nationwide to have several options.