Effective Methods To Fix Slow Internet Speed Issues In 2022

At first, it was just a way for people to stay entertained and to communicate with friends and family but nowadays it has become a necessary service for both professional and personal needs. But having an internet connection has its demerits as well since users often feel that they are not getting the speed that was promised to them. 

Common problems have forced people to search the internet for questions such as “why is my internet slow?” and “why is my internet so slow at night?”. If you are also searching the depths of the internet, worry not as we have the perfect solution for you. 

Follow today’s blog till the very end to know how to fix slow internet speed issues without breaking a sweat. 

After conducting an internet speed test, if you find out that your internet is slow, you can try to get to the root of this issue by connecting to multiple websites and by using multiple devices that are available at your home.

If everything is working just fine except for a website or two, it simply means that the servers of the site are at fault and not your internet. If that is the case, all you can do is wait until the issue is fixed by the people in charge of the site.

If there are no such devices, you need to check whether the issue occurs only for mobile or computer devices. If it only happens on the computer, simply as simple as rebooting it may help you to fix the issue or you can try to perform a full scan with the antivirus of your choice to check if everything is fine.

At last, if the issue is there with every device, it is almost certain that there is something wrong with your internet connection and you will need to go to the router. 

Let us now get to know about the different methods that can be used to fix the “My internet speed is slow” issue. 

Different ways to fix slow internet speed issues

By checking your connection speed and then comparing it to your plan

Before you proceed any further with the advanced troubleshooting options, it is better to opt for a speed test by visiting websites such as this to check how good the connection is. Keep in mind to cancel any sort of downloads, uploads, or any other heavy internet activity to ensure that there is as little interference as possible with the results of the test. 

After you are done, begin by comparing the speed results with the expected speed of your internet connection. If for some reason, you are unaware of the promised speed, you can simply find it out on the bill of your internet connection. 

Although, there are some conditions here. At times, speed tests may show relatively high results since some internet service providers may give priority to them and may have servers that are pretty close to you. The speed can also appear a bit low but that can be pretty normal as you pay for “up to” a certain speed and not a constant number which is why it is common that users don’t always get the speed that they pay for. 

You also may get slow internet speed at busier times of the day when tons of people around you are using the internet as compared to off-hours when people are at work or relaxing. 

So, the next time someone asks you, “why is my internet so slow at night?”, just tell them this. 

There may be the possibility that you simply have a cheap internet connection which is why you have to face this issue. You can contact your internet service provider and upgrade your plan to fix it. But if that isn’t the case, time to move forward with the troubleshooting methods. 

Try to reboot your modem and router

Similar to computers and laptops, modems and routers can also get stuck sometimes in a bad, overloaded state. This can be fixed with a simple reboot. If you haven’t done it, now is the best time for you to do so. 

In case you have a combined modem/router unit, you may only have to reboot just a single unit, but there is also a possibility that you may need to reboot both the modem and the router. In simpler terms, the router is connected to the modem which is further connected to the cable that is coming out of the wall. 

In order to reboot the two, you will need to unplug both of them from their respective power outlets for ten seconds before you plug them back in again. You may have to wait for a couple of minutes before it reconnects with your internet service provider so to bring your internet connection online. 

After you are finished, check to see if the reboot has fixed your slow Wi-Fi speed. 

By improving your Wi-Fi signal

It is quite possible that your internet may be fine but your Wi-Fi which makes it possible for you to connect to the internet may have signal issues. A bad Wi-Fi connection can lead you to believe that you have a bad internet connection since it affects all of the devices that are at your home or place of work. 

This issue can occur due to a variety of reasons such as the congestion of airwaves when there are too many devices connected, especially if you are using 2.4 GHz and 5GHz which have the ability to support tons of devices. 

This is commonly seen in crowded urban areas such as complexes and flats. There is also the chance that you have a dead zone, some interfere with the Wi-Fi, or you may face poor internet network coverage throughout the home. 

In case you live in a big place or something like that, you can try to get a Wi-Fi mesh system as it offers multiple base stations that can be placed around your home or workplace in a proper manner. 

Avoid saturating your connection or try using QoS

Why is my internet so slow all of a sudden? Since everyone at home uses the internet connection, it wouldn’t come as a surprise that other devices on the same network may be saturating your connection and ultimately your internet speed.

Suppose, you are streaming a series on Netflix while someone else in your house is downloading a torrent file, it may slow down things for everyone. If you feel that there has become a frequent problem, you may ultimately need to upgrade your internet package. 

But before that, you can also try to check if your router has a Quality of Service (QoS) feature which automatically allows the router to manage and assign the correct bandwidth for different devices and different services. 

Try to check for Coax Splitters

Everyone knows that if you have coax cable splitters with cable internet that goes to your cable modem, it may degrade the internet and lead to slower internet connections. Splitters are known to vary in quality, and it is also known that a cheap and bad one can lower your signal strength more than a high-quality one ever would. Having several splitters can cause severe inconvenience as well. 

You can try to disconnect splitters in case you have any on the cable line to fix the internet issue. Check to see if the internet performs better without it, know that you have found your problem. 

By using another DNS server

For some people, switching DNS servers can often help speed up the overall connection speed in case the default internet service provider DNS servers are quite slow. For those of you who don’t know how DNS servers work, let us get to know. 

The moment you connect to any website such as Google.com, the computer contacts the DNS servers and asks this, “what numerical IP address is connected with Google.com?”. An answer is sent back and the computer connects to that IP address which may seem something like 216.58.193.78. 

All of the DNS servers are typically provided by the internet service provider. But if the servers are slow or overloaded, you may achieve better speed without having to switch to another set of DNS servers. 

A slow VPN 

Used by people to add an extra layer of security for the connections between your device and servers along with the feature of masking your IP address, VPN these days are required in many offices for employees to access corporate resources with added security. 

But at times, VPN can also slow down your internet connection as there may be congestion. A simple fix for this can be done by changing the location of the VPN. For instance, users who are currently using a New York server can try to switch to a server that is located in the UK. 

It is also recommended for you to use paid VPNs as they are far more secure when compared to free VPN services. 

Contact your ISP and report the problem

If you have been through all of the different troubleshooting methods but are still unable to fix this problem, there is a high chance that you cannot fix that problem as the cause of the problem may be your internet service provider. There might be an issue with the cable line that is running from the ISP to your house or any other issues with the equipment that you have. 

The internet service provider has to make sure that you get the service that you are paying for. Just make sure that it is something that can’t be solved at your end instead of plan issues such as Wi-Fi signal issues. You can also try to install a new internet connection if things don’t end up in your favor.

Conclusion

People from different parts of the globe often ask the question that goes like, “why is my download speed so slow when I have fast internet?” since the internet has become a necessary evil in a world that is feeling the effects of a pandemic. The methods given in the earlier parts of the blog can help you to get rid of such issues with relative ease. This way you wouldn’t have to worry about googling the “why the internet is slow today?” question every time you face this issue. 

We hope that this blog has answers to all of your queries regarding slow internet speed issues. 

Up until next time!