Five Reasons why your WI-FI is Slow
A slow internet connection can be difficult to cope with, especially for a student as many rely on the internet for their studies as well as their personal lives. Your internet speed can be explained, so therefore improved upon.
Hardware
Your computer may be the problem. Wi-fi speed may vary for several reasons but the main reason why your upload and download speed is so slow may be due to your computer rather than your internet speed.
Tip: Do an internet speed test online so that you can understand whether it is the Wi-Fi speed that is the problem and if it is, how slow it is and how much it needs improving upon.
Software
There are too many applications or downloads running on your computer. Keeping downloads open on your computer or running multiple internet tabs will hog your bandwidth.
Tip: Close down applications you aren’t using such as Spotify or BitTorrent and make sure to shut down any internet tabs you aren’t using.
Router
There is a problem with the router. Connection or speed problems will often be due to a problem with your router. If the problem persists you must reboot your router.
Tip: Turn your router off and on again. This usually allows your router to re-set the problem and return to your normal internet speed. If the problem persists after rebooting, consider purchasing a new modem/router.
Location of Router
Your routers signals aren’t reaching your computer as it is not in a prime location.
Tip: If your router is fairly new, try moving it to a different location in the house. The prime location is a central location with minimal obstructions so that the signals can carry throughout the house. Experiment on different areas until you find the best location.
External Factors
External problems such as weather, time of day and traffic can severely lower Wi-Fi speed. During peak times, storms or whilst on high traffic websites keep in mind that your internet connection will become slower yet this is only temporary.
Tip: Simply try and avoid or postpone use of the internet during peak hours or extreme weather. Other than that there is not much anyone can do about the speed of the internet with regards to these causes.