If your internet feels like it’s dragging, you’re definitely not alone. Slow speeds can make the simplest things feel frustrating whether you’re just streaming a movie, checking your email or running a business from your home. The good news is there are several things you can do that don’t require waiting around for an ISP tech to show up between 8 and noon on Tuesday. Some fixes are quick and simple and others might take a little more effort but each one brings you closer to a smoother faster online experience.
The first and most important step is to make sure you know what speed you’re supposed to be getting. Check your internet bill or log into your account with your provider. Find out what speed you’re paying for because that’s the fastest speed you are going to get. If you’re supposed to be getting 200 Mbps and you’re only seeing 20 Mbps then something’s definitely wrong. On the other hand, if you have a more basic plan and your speeds are close to what you’re getting, your troubleshooting might be over.
Once you’ve identified your target speed, run a speed test while connected to your network. Use a speed test site like fast.com or speedtest.googlefiber.net. These sites are fairly basic and barebone. They don’t have a lot of ads or other “fluff” and will simply run a speed test for you and give you accurate results. If your speed is close to what you’re paying your ISP for, you should be good to go, if not, keep going.
Connect a PC directly to your ISP modem with an ethernet cable and run the speed test again. If the speed test comes back slow, reboot the modem by unplugging the power cable, waiting 30 seconds to a minute and plugging it back in. When it’s fully powered back up and online, run the test again. If your speeds have improved, that was your problem. If they are still slow while connected to the modem, either the modem or the cable coming into the modem is the problem.
How to troubleshoot the modem depends on who owns it. If you rent the modem from your ISP, give them a call to troubleshoot. If you own the modem, it might be time to upgrade, especially if it’s more than a few years old or doesn’t support the latest firmware.
When it comes to cabling, the responsibility can get a bit murky but a good rule of thumb is that the ISP will only be responsible for cable outside of the building and anything inside the building will be your responsibility.
Next, move on to the router if you have a separate router from your modem. If your router is older, it might not support higher speeds, particularly over Wi-Fi. Do the same process as with the modem. Connect a PC via Ethernet cable, run a speed test, reboot and repeat if necessary. Replace the ethernet cable between the modem and router as well to make sure that isn’t the cause of the bottleneck.
Your cabling is the backbone of your network and your network is only as fast as the slowest component. If you’re using anything older than Cat5e cable, you should consider upgrading because you won’t get the speeds most modern internet plans offer on anything less than that. If you’re installing new cable, make sure to install Cat6 or Cat6a.
If your speed lags are limited to Wi-Fi, make sure your router is placed in a central location, off the ground and not shoved into a cabinet or behind furniture. This will allow the signal to broadcast freely across your home without any physical interference.
Speaking of interference, one of the main culprits when it comes to Wi-Fi interference is Wi-fi. If you live in an apartment complex or a neighborhood where the houses are close together, it’s possible that your neighbors networks could interfere with yours. 2.4GHz Wi-Fi is prone to interference and offers a limited number of channels to connect to. Making sure you’re connected to your 5GHz network can help with this. One way to ensure that you’re connected to your 5GHz network is to name the networks differently in your router settings so you can tell which one you’re connected to at all times.
Mesh networks and Wi-Fi extenders are a great way to fill in the gaps but only when used properly. They can make the problem worse if not placed correctly. The devices should be place close enough to the router that they get a strong signal but far enough away from the router that they can extend that signal into the dead zones.
Your devices play a role as well. Your network could be functioning perfectly but, if your device hasn’t been updated or is running slow, it may present as network slowness. Run any updates that might be pending and be aware of the age of your devices. Older devices will have speed limitations that a fast internet connection can’t do anything about.
Finally, you’ll want to look at who is using your network and how. Many of the things we do online today take up a lot of bandwidth and, if everyone in the household is streaming, gaming, video conferencing etc., your network connection could be fine but still seem slow. It might be time to upgrade your plan and or your setup.
Going through this process step by step should tell you where the problem exists. Even if it ultimately means very little to you, when you reach out to a pro, they can look at your results and see what’s causing your slowdown. At the end of the day, if you don’t have the bandwidth to do these tests yourself, that’s what we’re here for. We can come in, test your connections from end to end and determine the best course of action to get you online, up to speed and focused on what’s most important to you. Reach out to us today!
