If you’ve ever experienced a slow internet connection, you know it can be extremely frustrating. Everything from loading websites to downloading files takes forever, and you don’t know why. Experts say there is no one single reason for internet speed issues, but there are many factors that can affect the speed of your connection.
Disconnect devices
A simple way to boost your internet speed is to turn off any devices that you don’t use. Many devices automatically install updates without your permission, and they use up your bandwidth without you even knowing it. Disconnecting unused devices will free up bandwidth, boosting your internet speed.
Disable unnecessary add-ons
Besides slowing down your browsing experience, unnecessary add-ons can also make your computer unresponsive. Add-ons are software that boosts your browser’s performance by providing extra tools or media support. But if you find that your web browser takes forever to load, you may be using an unnecessary add-on that’s causing the problem. To help you determine which add-on is slowing down your internet, check out Microsoft’s add-on manager.
Check for network congestion
If you’ve been experiencing slow internet speeds lately, there’s a good chance that network congestion is the cause. Network congestion occurs when number of devices are all using the same bandwidth. Because of this, the data they send delayed. This phenomenon is also known as jitter. It’s an unpredictable delay, so it can cause stalls or spikes. While most network congestion occurs on an ISP level, it can also cause by issues on your own device.
Check for a data cap
If you find your internet speed is slowing down, it may be a sign of a data cap. Most internet providers set a limit on the amount of data you can use on their service. These caps will not affect the amount of time you can spend online, but they will restrict the amount of data you can send and receive.
Check for malware
If you are experiencing slow internet, it may be a sign that your router infected with malware. Malware infections will slow down your computer and can even infect other devices on your network. You can prevent this by cleaning up your computer and router.
