During a pandemic, there are few things that are more frustrating than poor internet connection. With constant Zoom meetings by day and Netflix streams by night, slow internet connection is always painful.
It’s even more frustrating if you are paying good money for it. Good money is supposed to mean good internet, right? If you're paying for a fast, reliable and secure fibre line, that's exactly what you should be getting.
There are a number of factors that can affect your Internet speed, but your ISP shouldn’t be one of them. Here are a few ways to test and improve your connection and get the most of your deal.
Perform a speed test
The first thing to do is run a speed test. If you’re getting download and upload speeds that are much lower than what you’re paying for, you’ll need to do pick up the phone and do some investigating. However, latency and the download or upload speeds is a small part. (In layman’s terms, latency is how quickly your device gets a response after you've sent out a request.)
Now, let’s get technical. Small pieces of data called packets are sent and received when we access our favourite place, the Internet.
But sometimes, these packets go off track and do not reach their intended destination, which is known as packet loss. When these packets are delayed, this is called jitter.
The packet loss and jitter are what cause poor connection quality – even if your bandwidth speed seems fine. This is when you get the low-grade video calls where everyone simultaneously says “I think your connection is bad”. It is also to blame for sub-par quality streaming.
Check for background apps
Windows updates or background apps are another common cause of connectivity issues. You can temporarily pause Windows updates by searching for “Windows Update Settings” when you are in need of faster Internet. However, it’s worth noting that it’s best to keep them on for security purposes.
You can find out what applications are killing your Internet game by using the Task Manager on Windows. You can access this easily by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
Then, in the processes tab, click on “network” to arrange your running applications in descending order according to how much they’re using your network.
Check your router
What is the first thing a good tech support will ask you when you encounter a problem? “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” It might make you roll your eyes ever-so-slightly, but there is a good reason for this question. It’s called power cycling. Turning off your modem for a minute and turning it on again is the easiest and most effective way to get rid of various connection problems.
You can also try repositioning your router to a more central location if you want to significantly improve your connection quality. Plugging your computer directly into the router via a LAN cable gives the best possible connection speed.
If other devices are still out of reach, it is a great idea to invest in a wi-fi extender. Also, make sure to get a dual-band or triple-band router so you can use the 5GHz band. A 5GHz band can carry more bandwidth and usually experiences less interference from other devices. Of course, if you are going to buy a new router, be sure to check if it's compatible with your Internet provider first.
But sometimes, it could also be your ISP
If you have tried all of the above and they have all failed, the problem is possibly your ISP.
Ask whether your line is being capped, shaped or throttled, as these factors impact the speed of your connection. If your ISP isn’t providing solutions and support, then you may have to reconsider your ISP.
IOL TECH