Why is my internet connection slow?

Several factors can affect the speed of your service. For example, you should be aware that the speed of your connection gets distributed among all the devices in your home (computers, smart TVs, phones, tablets, game consoles, etc.). Also, your speed varies depending on the capacity of each device.

The type and age of your devices can slow down the speed of your connection, and so can the number of applications running (the more apps you’re running, the more speed you lose). Also, the number of things you’re doing online at once can affect your speed.
To maximize your Internet speed, start by connecting your computer (or other device) directly to your modem or router using an Ethernet cable. Plus, you should verify that:

• The devices you’re using don’t have any performance issues
• If you’re sharing your connection with others, verify that your connection is not overloaded. Try making a schedule for when people can do heavier-use activities online.
• Your firewall software is properly configured (if it isn’t, it can cause a slowdown)
• Your modem or router has no signal problems
• Your browser’s cache has recently been cleared
• Your operating system has recently been updated

Check Your Router Settings:

As the centre piece of a network, a router can be responsible for slow internet connections if it is configured improperly. Ensure your router’s settings are all consistent with the manufacturer’s documentation and your Internet Service Provider’s recommendations. Carefully record any changes you make to your router’s configuration so that you can undo them later if necessary.

Avoid Wireless Signal Interference:

Wi-Fi and other types of wireless connections often perform poorly due to signal interference, which requires computers to continually resend messages to overcome signal issues. Household appliances and even your neighbours’ wireless networks can interfere with your computers. To avoid slow internet connections due to signal interference, reposition your router to a more central location for better performance. In general, the closer your device is to the router, the better the Wi-Fi connection.

Make sure your router and other network equipment is working:

When routers, modems, or cables malfunction, they don’t properly support network traffic at full speeds. Certain technical glitches in network equipment negatively affect performance even though connections themselves can still be made. To troubleshoot potentially faulty equipment, temporarily rearrange and reconfigure your gear while experimenting with different configurations. Systematically try bypassing the router, swapping cables, and testing with multiple devices to isolate the slow performance to a specific component of the system. Then, decide if it can be upgraded, repaired, or replaced.

Stop background programs that hog bandwidth:

Some software applications on a computer run background processes that are hidden behind other apps or minimized to the system tray, where they are quietly consuming network resources. These applications are designed to do useful work and are not the kind that a person wants to remove from a device normally. Games and programs that work with videos can heavily impact your network and cause connections to appear slow. It’s easy to forget these applications are running. Check your computers for any programs that are running in the background when you troubleshoot a slow network.

Call Wightman, your Internet Service Provider (ISP):

Internet speed ultimately depends on the service provider. Your ISP may change its network configuration or suffer technical difficulties that inadvertently cause your internet connection to run slowly. Don’t hesitate to contact Wightman Tech Support at 1-888-477-2177 if you suspect it is responsible for your slow internet connection.