Why Is My Internet Slow? Top 8 Reasons and How to Fix Them

Few issues annoy us more than experiencing slow internet. In today's world, most tasks require a speedy and reliable connection. Whether you're streaming your favorite series or gaming with friends, slow internet can be a damper. Luckily, there's usually an easy fix.

Your slow internet connection could be due to a busy network, data throttling, or even outdated hardware like an old router. We’ll walk you through the top reasons for slow internet and how to fix yours.

Reasons for slow internet speeds 

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1. Your network is busy or interrupted

You may notice your internet connection slow down regularly at certain times of day, like early evening, for example. This drop in speed happens because of high network traffic—more people are coming home and hopping online, which clogs your internet network and lowers its efficiency and speed. This can happen to any internet type from wireless 5G networks to physical fiber networks.

Thankfully, this internet slowdown is temporary—once bandwidth opens back up, your internet should return to normal. So if your speeds often slow at the same times during the days or weeks, there's nothing you need to do other than wait it out. However, if you typically get online during these times, you may need a faster plan. To determine if you're getting the speeds promised by your internet service provider (ISP), use our speed test tool below.  

There may also be a total network outage affecting your internet access. Most internet providers have portals on their apps or websites where you can check to see if the network is down in your area. If you see an outage alert, it means your provider knows there’s an outage and will likely work to fix it as soon as they can. 

Finally, you can also check out our provider outage guides to learn more:

• AT&T Internet Outage
• Xfinity Internet Outage
• Spectrum Internet Outage
• Cox Internet Outage

2. Your data is being throttled

Data throttling refers to the intentional slowing of your bandwidth by your internet service provider (ISP). Throttling can occur for many reasons, such as network congestion (as outlined above) or exceeding high-speed data limits. Depending on what your speeds throttle down to, your internet could end up being essentially unusable until the throttling ends.

If you experience noticeably slower speeds at the end of the month, you’ve probably reached your bandwidth limit or data cap—and might need more data! Most data-heavy activities that require fast speeds, such as streaming, gaming, and social media, probably won’t work at all. These data limits will essentially “reset” when the next month or billing cycle begins and return your normal speedy service. 

A tell-tale sign of throttling is super slow speeds that result in buffering or lagging, but you may be experiencing slow speeds for other reasons. Follow these steps to find out if your internet provider is throttling your connection.

1. Read the fine print in your internet plan. Since most internet plans include either some form of data deprioritization or data throttling, reading the fine print is an important step to know what to expect from your plan.
2. Run an internet speed test and see if you’re getting good speeds. Since you are checking internet speed, make sure you run the test using a computer connected through an Ethernet cable to your router. If you use Wi-Fi, the distance from the router may affect the test results.
3. Connect to a VPN (virtual private network) and run a speed test again. If your connection is significantly faster while using the VPN, your ISP is likely throttling your service and purposefully slowing you down. A VPN hides your online activity from your provider, so they can’t slow you down based on your activities, like torrenting or using a specific streaming service.
4. Run an Internet Health test to check your internet’s performance. If you see a big difference in speeds between consecutive tests, your internet is likely being throttled.

3. Your router is too far away

Your Wi-Fi signal has to travel from your wireless router to your computer, and the distance it covers significantly affects how fast it arrives. If it's located in the farthest corner room of the house, it's likely encountering a number of obstructions on its longer journey to your device's receiver.

Run a speed test directly next to your router and another one in the farthest room away from it. If there's a significant gap, this might be your issue. Keeping your router as centrally located as possible helps you achieve maximum coverage throughout your home. If you're not interested in or able to move your router, consider upgrading to a long-range router that can broadcast your internet farther across your home and property.

4. Your Wi-Fi router is old… or cheap

Aged and inexpensive wireless routers typically have lower-quality processing units, so they don't support the signal strength required for today's super-fast internet speeds. The older a router, the more it falls behind as the processors in laptops and cell phones get more and more sophisticated with each generation. Experts say routers more than five years old are ripe for replacement, especially after an FCC change in 2015 that significantly increased the transmission capabilities of newer devices.

Here's a good way to tell whether the slow speed issue is with your router:

• Plug your computer directly into your modem via an ethernet cable. If your internet speed jumps up, your internet is fine, and your router is the culprit.

If your speeds are still slower than they should be, though, the investigation continues.

5. You're using a VPN

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are awesome for privacy and security but not for your internet connection speed. That's because instead of going straight from your ISP to your final destination, VPNs reroute your connection through their own server networks, where your data gets encrypted before continuing on to its endpoint (you). This process takes time and processing power, slowing your speeds from what they would typically be if you were only using your ISP's network.

One major factor in VPN speeds is the number of servers they have to handle their traffic. If your VPN is too slow, consider another with a larger server network. Not sure where to start? 

6. Your other devices are interfering

Other electronics in your home might be throwing a wrench into your internet's mojo. Items like radios, baby monitors, smart TV's, or anything else that emits a radio frequency could potentially interfere with your Wi-Fi signal, creating a traffic jam of sorts within your home's airwaves.

Take stock of all the electronics in your home, and either try turning them off or moving them temporarily to test whether your speeds increase.

7. You have a virus

Viruses will eat away at your device's resources as it performs its dastardly deeds, resulting in slower performance that has nothing to do with your actual internet speed.

If you have antivirus and malware protection on your device, run a scan to see if any rogue infections pop up. If you don't want to or can’t scan for viruses (you really should, though), do a speed test on all of your internet-connected devices. If all but one are speeding along merrily, it may be an indication that your device has a virus that’s slowing it down.

8. You need a faster internet plan

Your slow internet speeds may have nothing to do with your equipment—you might just need a faster plan. Ask yourself a couple of questions:

1. Are multiple people or devices connected to my internet at a time?
2. Do I mainly browse the internet and send emails, or do I stream videos and music, play games, or use video conferencing apps like Zoom?

If the answer to either or both of these is "yes," you likely need to consider a high-speed internet plan that supports multiple users and/or data-heavy activities.  

Most multi-device households get by just fine with download speeds around 100Mbps. Also, make sure you also know how much monthly data your plan provides you, and don’t forget to read your plan’s fine print. Xfinity’s Connect internet plan, for example, gives you cheap uncapped data. But to  lock in the super-low price, you need to sign-up for a year of service. You can read up on what a good internet speed is to choose the best plan for your internet habits.

How to fix a slow internet connection

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If quick fixes like moving or replacing your router don't work, here are a few other tricks to boost your internet speeds: 

1. Reset your modem by turning it off and on again.
2. Buy a Wi-Fi extender. These devices act as beacons to catch your Wi-Fi signal and send it along to your device, helping to shorten the distance it must travel from your router.
3. Don’t run too many applications at the same time. Close any other programs, web pages, or applications running in the background.
4. Use an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi. Connecting directly to your modem with an Ethernet cable sends your internet directly to your computer, bypassing any obstructions and eliminating distance-based slowdowns.

Switch to a high-speed internet plan

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The best way to avoid slow internet is to sign up for a plan that’s fast enough to meet your household's needs.

Technically, high-speed (or "broadband") internet is classified as having a download speed reaching at least 25Mbps. This speed may be plenty fast for some users, but as mentioned, most multi-device households who stream HD video, work remotely, FaceTime or video chat, or play online games will find speeds around 75–100Mbps much more satisfactory. 

High-speed internet doesn't have to break the bank. There are plenty of home internet providers that will get you fast internet at an affordable rate. And with WhistleOut's internet search tool, you can enter your address to find the perfect plan available in your neighborhood.  

In the meantime, here are some of the top broadband internet plans to keep your online experience smooth and speedy.  

How to fix slow internet FAQs

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Why is my Wi-Fi so slow?

The top reasons why your Wi-Fi may be slow include: network congestion, bandwidth throttling, an old router, or possibly even a virus. Read our troubleshooting tips to try fixing your slow internet on your own.

How do I fix my slow internet?

To fix slow internet, you should first identify the issue. Start with a speed test and follow these quick fixes:

1. Reset your modem.
2. Buy a Wi-Fi extender.
3. Minimize your application usage.
4. Use an ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi.

Why is my connection good but my internet is slow?

You may have a solid internet connection but slow internet speeds due to network congestion or data throttling.

Why does my internet keep dropping to slow speeds?

If you notice your speeds keep dropping, it could be due to device interference or a faulty router. If you notice it particularly at the end of the month, you could have reached your high-speed data limit. Read our tips to find out if your internet service provider is intentionally slowing you down via throttling.

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