A Slow Internet Connection? Factors that Could be Causing it to Slow Down

A slow internet connection is caused by different factors. Sometimes it is the poor delivery of internet services from your internet provider. Sometimes it is caused by technical and minor reasons that make it seem like your internet connection is failing you when it is actually not.

Regardless, a slow internet connection is frustrating. If the majority of your tasks at work requires a connection to the web, you will hardly get anything done before the shift ends. Correspondences will be delayed and your delivery of your tasks will take a while. 

What could be causing it to slow down anyway? Here are  a few reasons that could explain.

1.      The kind of internet connection you have. If your computer works fast, but you are stuck with a dial-up, your internet connection will naturally be slow. A dial up that runs a standard 56kb will take some minutes to load a web page compared to a broadband connection that can load the same web page in just a few seconds. If there is an option to go for broadband, it is highly suggested that you do.

2.     The website you are viewing. If you are viewing a website loaded with images or a website with a Flash animation on its homepage, it would seem like your internet connection is acting up on you. Loading a website that is 100% text is faster to load than a website like YouTube where you need to stream videos. 

Depending on the traffic the website you are visiting receives, this will affect the loading time on your end. More so if there are thousands of you loading the same website, there is also a good chance that the website may not even respond.

3.     Doing a variety of tasks at the same time. Since you are connected to the internet anyway, it is natural to do different tasks simultaneously to maximise it. However, if you have the knack of downloading 1800p movies as your kids play their respective games online on their tablets, your connection will naturally slow down if you decide to browse the web for info on more movies to watch. As your computer downloads huge amounts of data, your browsing will slow down.

4.     There is maintenance work going on. Speed-related issues are encountered if your internet provider or the web host is performing maintenance work on their networks. They are more likely to advise you if they are.

5.     There are a lot of subscribers on board. Especially for cable broadband subscribers, be advised of the peak hours your internet provider will tell you so you know the time when the quality of the internet connection will be affected by the number of subscribers connected at the same time. If the peak hour is said to at 6 in the evening, try not to log into the internet at this particular hour. 

When your internet connection gets immaculately slow, check your speed and your internet plan. You owe it to yourself to know whether you are getting what was quoted for you in exchange for your money. Look into your hardware. If your computer is fine, then the problem may be located in your modem or router and vice versa. Control the plugins and the apps that you run too. These may hog your bandwidth allowance, hence causing your daily web browsing to be slower than usual.