Even if you have one of the fastest internet plans, there’s a high chance that you might face certain issues with your internet speed.
This may be because of a couple of reasons, some of which may need you to upgrade your hardware or internet plan. But being a Latino myself, I know how financially burdening these upgrades can be for some Hispanic families.
To prevent that, I’m going to share some reasons your internet speed might be acting up and provide some cost-effective solutions that worked for me and might work for you.
Let’s explore!
Reasons Why Your Internet Speed Might Be Slowing Down
After some testing around my home, I’ve been able to find a few common reasons our internet speed slows down without us realizing it. Take a look.
Barriers Interfering with Wi-Fi Signals
Your router transmits and receives signals to and from the devices that use the internet in your home. Sometimes barriers in between, such as other nearby networks, electronic appliances, walls, or even distance, can interfere with the transmission of these signals, which results in slow speeds and disconnections.
Too Many Connected Devices
Sometimes the slow speed issue arises because there’s a high number of users on the network, and considering the sizes of most Hispanic families, this might be a common one among us. You see, when the number of users on your internet network increases, it leads to network congestion.
More data has to be transmitted, and this overload might cause your router or modem to malfunction or lose data, which in turn causes lower bandwidth, speeds, disconnections, and sometimes outages.
Unauthorized Wi-Fi Access
Yes, it happens more often than you think, because often we neglect security measures when using the internet. Stealing Wi-Fi has the same effect as a higher number of users, because when someone steals your Wi-Fi, bandwidth is divided, and your internet speed slows down. There’s also the added danger of sensitive information being accessed, and God forbid, your network being used for criminal activities.
Loose or Damaged Ethernet Cable
Your Ethernet cable enables data transfer by connecting your router to your modem. This allows your router to receive information from your modem and pass it on to the devices connected. It might be that your Ethernet cable is loosely connected, due to which data is not being shared, and speeds are reduced. If that’s not the case, it might be internal damage in the cable.
Outdated Device Operating System
Each device has an operating system that allows communication to the router using software called drivers. It’s quite possible that your device’s operating system or drivers are just corrupted or outdated. Corrupt files might cause disconnection or reduce your operating system’s performance. Whereas, outdated drivers might prevent signal sharing between your devices and network, causing slow speeds.
Internet Service Provider (ISP) Issues
Sometimes, everything might be clear on your side, but not so much on your provider’s side. There may be a network outage, infrastructure problem, or a maintenance check in progress. During such situations, your internet speed might slow down. This one might take a while to fix, so there’s no option other than to chill with the family for a while.
On that note, congratulations, amigo, you got through the causes. Now, let’s dive into the solutions.
Easy Ways to Fix Your Internet Speed Without an Upgrade
Nothing too complex here, just some easy and quick tips that won’t cost you or take you very long to try out.
Call Your Provider
I always find that the best first step is to first figure out if the issue is at your end or your provider’s.
I mean, you don’t want to go through all the hassle only to find out you’re innocent, do you? Not only can they inform if the issue is at your end or theirs, they can also help you troubleshoot it.
For example, I was once facing a slow speed issue and couldn’t find out what was wrong. Luckily, my provider, Optimum, offers bilingual customer service, so I dialed the Optimum servicio al cliente en Español and they got me out of trouble in no time.
Update Your Router
Don’t confuse update with upgrade because an upgrade means buying a new router, whereas an update is just ensuring your current one is up to date. Your internet provider releases updates periodically, and these updates remove bugs and improve your network’s security and performance.
The best part is that these updates install automatically, so you only have to verify if your router is updated.
Reposition Your Router
Like I said earlier, physical barriers can interfere with Wi-Fi signals, so you want to keep your internet setup away from any of them. Most homes position it into a corner, but ideally, it would help to place it in a central and slightly elevated location. You might want to keep it away from walls, doors, windows, metal appliances, or anything hot.
Switch Wi-Fi Bands
Most Wi-Fi networks offer two bands that you can switch between: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
Both of them have their pros and cons, and you can choose depending on your needs and lifestyle. 2.4 GHz might be better for you if you’re looking for a higher range, since it can pass through walls. 5 GHz, on the other hand, might be better if you need constant signals and higher speeds. Some routers allow splitting between these bands by dedicating 2.4 GHz for some devices and 5 GHz to others.
Battle Against Slow Internet Speeds – Victory Can Be Yours
Slow internet speed might find you one way or another, and it’s best to stay informed and prepared to minimize its effects on your usage.
With the tips I’ve shared above, you can do that quickly, easily, and free of any expensive and unnecessary upgrades.
