Slow internet? Find out what to do to fix the problem

Nowadays, most people use the internet all day long for different reasons, such as watching movies and series, browsing social media, working and studying, and playing games. However, when this wireless network is unstable, any activity carried out over it becomes impossible.

To help you solve this problem, we have put together some information that can help you fix your slow internet connection. Find out what to do next.

Check which device is the problem

When an activity is suddenly interrupted due to slow internet, the first thing to do is check which device is causing it: the internet devices or the machine you are using.

Regardless of where you are accessing the network –– cell phone, computer, console, etc. ––, it is important that you turn off the Wi-Fi on your device and then turn it back on again. If the network is still slow, try using other devices to connect to the broadband: if they are also slow, then the problem is with your internet provider; otherwise, the cause of the slowness would be the device (for example, your cell phone) that you were using.

Examine connected devices

Some activities require excessive use of the internet, which can slow it down; therefore, we recommend that you examine all devices connected to the wireless network to understand if any of them are responsible for “sucking up” the internet.

This can happen, for example, in the following scenario: if a person is playing an online game that demands a lot of speed, consequently, everyone else in the house will have very rudimentary access to the Wi-Fi network.

If you find the culprit causing the slowness and can disconnect it, your internet speed will likely return to its normal speed.

Clear the device cache folder

The cache folder carries temporary data from the user experience on an app and device. When this file becomes overcrowded or has corrupted data, it can cause system errors while performing different tasks on the device.

Therefore, we recommend that you access the cache folder of the device that is experiencing slow internet and delete it; then, if necessary, restart the device. In the case of a computer, for example, you can delete the cache folder of your browsers and then clear the temporary data from the machine (we teach you how to do this here).

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Prefer wired connection

If you are in the middle of a very important project or research project and cannot wait for the internet to return to normal, we recommend that you use a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi. Although wireless networks are very good, they can also have problems at times; in this case, it is a good idea to connect your computer or laptop to the modem using an Ethernet cable.

The advantage of the cable is that the internet goes directly from the device to your PC, completely unlike Wi-Fi, which is “spread” through the air and can suffer from obstacles such as walls, resulting in lower internet efficiency than that transmitted directly through the Ethernet cable.

If the problem has affected another device, such as a cell phone, we recommend that you move as close as possible to your modem and router to improve signal reception.

Restart your internet devices

If none of the above tips worked, we recommend that you restart your modem and internet router. To do this, unplug both devices from the power outlet and wait a full minute before reconnecting them.

Then, with the device already connected to the power, look for the “Reset” button and press it for a few seconds to reset the device’s settings.

Update the router firmware

Firmware is software that comes built into your router and is used to direct basic actions on the device, helping it to function properly. When you update the software, it can fix a number of bugs that affect your internet performance.

In this article, we discuss the step-by-step process for updating your Internet connection. If your internet connection is still unstable after updating, then it's time to contact your internet provider to resolve the issue.