Handy Tips to Fix Your Slow Family Internet

You could still be facing slow internet speeds despite paying hundreds of bucks for high-speed plans. The internet is made of several different technologies that have to communicate with each other to transmit data.

This also results in data being delayed before reaching you. The issue could be due to the ISP (Internet Service Provider), hardware, or your DNS server being at fault. However, there are other factors to look for in your home wifi setup as well.

In this article hereunder, we are going to give some of the most essential tips to fix your slow family internet. Let’s get started.

1. Change Your Router Position

The first and easiest thing you should do if you are facing slower internet speeds, especially in certain areas of the house, is to reposition your router. If your router is placed in a closed closet or basement, anything could be blocking the signals, resulting in slow speeds.

Ideally, the router should be placed in a central location of the house, so it can transmit signals easily without much obstruction.

Moving to a slightly more central position can make a huge difference. Mostly, routers should be wall-mounted to give a better reach to signals.

2. Check Your Speed

If you have already subscribed to a high-speed internet plan and there seems no reason for sluggish speeds, head over to a speed testing tool for analysis. These tools like Speedtest.net will ping and check your upload and download speeds.

If you are paying for an internet plan of up to 100 Mbps and are only getting up to 15 to 30 Mbps, there is an issue with your ISP. At this stage, you need to check if there’s an outage in the area.

This information can be found on the official site or you may contact the ISP. For example, if you have subscribed to one of the Optimum packages, you may type Optimum and “outage” on the search engine or contact the Optimum customer service team to ask where the issue lies.

3. Look for Your Modem And Router

High chances are that you have rented a modem/router combination from the ISP. If this is the case, you should look out for the same two devices close. Check the following things:

• Make sure you are using the latest technology of modem and router. These devices work best for up to a maximum of 2 to 3 years. If you have to face slow speeds frequently, consider upgrading or buying a new pair for the best results.
• Make sure to secure your Wi-Fi using a strong password to save it from your neighbors putting an extra burden on the connection.

4. Consider Your Data Cap

Data caps are one of the main reasons for slow internet connections. This is why most providers avoid disclosing the data caps but play around with your connection.

Data cap means the limit of data you can use every month. As soon as you reach the limit, the providers start restricting your internet speeds. This is also called throttling.

In case, you are not aware of the data cap, one way is to check your bill. You will most probably find the number there. Also, if you exceed that limit every month, you may need to contact your provider to upgrade your plan. You can talk through your usage with them and they will suggest the best plan for you.

5. Embrace Ethernet

Most people prefer using a wireless connection, which is very convenient and easy to use. However, they are not too fast most of the time. On the flip side, a cabled connection like Ethernet is better in terms of speed and reliability than wireless ones.

The wired connection helps in transferring data directly without having to rely on air transmissions.

If possible, you should connect devices that are most important via cable connection. Devices like TVs, gaming consoles, Computers or laptops, etc.

Also, Ethernet is considered a safer option, especially for keeping your private information secure. If you prefer shopping online, Ethernet can be a more reliable option for keeping your data secure.

6. Try Streamlined Browsers

If you’re someone like us, you frequently have hundreds of browser tabs and windows open. But all that open media can result in poor internet connection speed, which is why we advise keeping a backup browser like Opera.

Streamlined browsers simplify all the information on websites to make browsing faster for you. Although we wouldn’t advise using such browsers every day, you can switch to them without affecting your tab ecology if you truly need to search for something up and your Wi-Fi connection is bad.

7. Install Antivirus

We strongly suggest installing antivirus and malware-scanning software. It should go without saying that any viruses or spyware on your computer will significantly slow down your internet speed. Additionally, you should typically have protection software installed.

Once you’ve installed some reliable software, configure it to automatically run periodic malware and virus scans.

If the software does uncover any malware or viruses that are already there (the cause of your poor internet connection), have it uninstalled by a computer professional and resume simple browsing.

Final Words

We are aware that sluggish internet speeds can physically and mentally hurt, particularly if you regularly deal with a slow connection and have high priorities.

Don’t worry—you should be back to uninterrupted binge-watching in no time if you use these seven ways to speed up your internet connection a little without getting bogged down in overly technical server specifics.

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