Although the connection to the web managed to make our lives much easier, it is also interesting how it managed to generate one of the most frustrating situations of our days: slow internet. We live in the age of immediacy, where technological advances have given us the possibility of obtaining all kinds of results in a matter of seconds. So, when we face a slow connection, it is hampered from our work, to our mood. Therefore, we want to talk about the possible causes of this problem and what you can do to fix it.
In this sense, if you are experiencing slowness in your connection on a recurring basis, keep reading because you will surely find the origin and the way to end the error. To achieve this, we will follow a problem solving process, which goes from the simplest to the most complex.
Why is my internet slow?
The slowness of an Internet connection is a matter that has many edges and therefore it is necessary to apply a problem solving process, following the path of all possible variables. When we connect to the Internet, our experience is subject to a whole series of elements that go from the Internet service we contract to the browser we are using.
In this way, if you want to get to the cause of the problem, we must review each of the elements involved in the process.
Causes and solutions for slow internet
Is it our internet or a specific site?
We will start with a kind of presumption of innocence of our internet service, since, sometimes, the problem is not in the connection to the web. In this sense, it is common that when we perceive slowness when trying to enter a web page or service, the first thing we think is that it is our connection.
So, the first solution to determine if the failure is on our side is to do a Speed Test. To do this, we must be clear about the speed offered by the plan we are hiring and later, we do the test to compare both data.
It should be noted that, many times, internet companies guarantee only a percentage of the connection speed you are hiring. This is something to consider when comparing your speed test result to our plan.
How are you connected? WiFi or ethernet?
If indeed, the speed test shows that your internet is slow, then we will go on to verify the type of connection we are using, that is, are you from WiFi or from the network cable? This is essential to directly address the device or medium that is providing us with the Internet connection.
In this sense, if you are connected through the WiFi network, our first solution will be to turn off the router for 10 seconds and then turn it on. This will refresh both the hardware and software of the device, removing any inhibitions that slowness could cause.
For its part, if you are connected by means of a network cable, the first thing you will have to check is the cable in question. One of the main disadvantages of network cables is the fact that they have various weak points that degrade their performance and can generate anything from slow to disconnect. So, if your network cable is bent, its RJ-45 connector is broken or with a disconnected pair, the service will fail.
Does the WiFi have interference?
If you are connected to a WiFi network, you may notice the slowness of the connection in some specific places in your home or office. This is common because each device has a limited distance to where it transmits the signal and as this distance increases, the connection degrades even more. Additionally, along with the distance, there is an important factor to consider and it is the interference or obstacles present between the router and the place where you are.
This means that you do not necessarily have to be very far from the access point for a slow connection, but walls, for example, can be a problematic factor.. In this sense, the solution for this is to extend the range of the WiFi network by adding a new router or a signal extender that covers the area where the internet is slow.
Are there intruders on your network?
Another aspect that can cause a slow internet is the number of devices connected at the same time. This is something quite common in WiFi networks, where intruders are part of the ecosystem. Usually, it's not even hackers, but normal people who got your WiFi password from someone else and managed to connect. In this sense, it is essential that we do a review on our router in order to verify if there are intruders that slow down the service.
To determine if there are other users draining your bandwidth, you must go into the router's settings. This is something that varies in each device and depends on the manufacturer, however, the information is always available on the official page. In case of finding computers that you do not recognize, it will be enough to change the password to remove them.
Is your browser up to date?
In our days, updates are a determining factor for our experience with any software. This is not only due to the fact of getting new improvements and features, but programs like Google Chrome, for example, tend to slow down when there are pending updates to install.
In this sense, check if instead of the icon of the 3 vertical points in the upper right part of the screen, the "Update" button appears. If so, click it to update the browser to the latest version and check if your internet is still slow. You can apply the same principle for any browser you use and even for the operating system. If you have pending files to install on Windows Update, turn on the update immediately and see if the issue persists.
Malware on your computer or browser?
Malware nowadays acts in different ways and one of them may be affecting the speed of our internet connection. It is common to find malicious programs in the form of browser add-ons, for example, which end up hindering your work and slowing down the display of websites. Likewise, many Windows viruses have within their consequences the generation of enormous traffic, making the Internet work very slowly.
There are two solutions that we can recommend for this and it will depend on your disposition and the intensity of the problem. In this sense, the first thing we must do is a general analysis of the system with an antivirus. Do the same with the browser, if you use Chrome, you can do it from the option that it incorporates in the Security and Privacy section.
Now, if you are infected, you can:
- Remove the viruses with the solution that detected them and see if the problem persists or if it is completely fixed. This is the fastest option.
- Format the equipment. This solution is guaranteed to be successful, since we will have a completely clean installation. However, it takes more time, deserves to make a backup of our files and create a USB installation media.