Slow internet: computer, mobile device (troubleshooting, causes, fixes)

If you ask yourself "why my Internet is so slow," it is possible that a virus is slowing down your computer and the Internet speed. In this case, removing the virus should be all you need to do, to make your computer fast again.

To learn how to scan for and remove viruses, check out the Viruses / Spywares / Malware solutions.

Maybe your smartphone's or tablet's Internet speed is slow, because an application that became unresponsive might be slowing down your mobile device (and your Internet speed). Consider restarting your mobile device, as a way of improving your Internet speed.

To learn how to restart your mobile device, check out the don't know how to restart my device solutions.

Another reason for a slow Internet connection is the place where the router is positioned. Things like TV's, microwaves, computers, things that have a motor inside, and other electronics can interfere with the router's signal and make it weaker.

Place your router away from other electronic devices. In that way, the signal will be stronger and the Internet speed faster.

Maybe the Internet speed is slow, because the Internet plan you are subscribed to doesn't meet your needs. 

To check this: 

1. Check the contract you signed with your Internet service provider and see what subscripton plan you have and what the Internet speed is (for instance 10Mbps Download speed / 1 Mbps Upload speed)
   
   
2. Run a test at http://www.speedtest.net and see what the actual Internet speed is.

If the current Internet speed doesn't match with the one you pay for, report the problem to the ISP.

If they match, then there is a different issue, such as a virus (check out the viruses/spywares/malware solutions which should help you remove it), or the internet plan doesn't meet your requirements and needs and you should consider upgrading it.

If you decide to upgade the Internet plan, make sure to think carefully about what you need the Internet connection for (games, streaming, watching TV channels, browsing the net only, office business, programming etc.). For instance, If you are a gamer, you need a larger Internet traffic (more than 100 GB or unlimited), low ping value, and high download speed (around 20 - 30 Mbps).

An average Internet speed (10 - 20 Mbps Download speed) should be enough for a simple web browsing or an office business.

Note (mobile device users): The mobile devices that support 4G LTE have greater download/upload speed than those with 3G only. To learn more about mobile broadband, read this article by Ispreview.

Every application and widget is active in the background, occupies the device's RAM memory and decreases the Internet speed. Uninstalling the applications you don't need should increase the Internet speed.

To learn how to uninstall unused applications, check out the don't know how to uninstall an application solutions.

If you are using a router and your Internet speed is slow on one computer or on all the devices, you might be experiencing issues with the quality and strength of your Wi-Fi signal. People usually place the router in a corner of their house/flat and the signal that the router emits is being absorbed by the walls. The closer you are to the router, the better.

There is an icon on the right corner of the taskbar (top right corner if you are a Mac user), which displays the strength of the Wi-Fi signal. If the bar is not full, try placing your router in a central location so that it will be in range (it will broadcast the signal out in equal strength in all directions) of every device you use, and the signal will be stronger.

The router sometimes makes the Internet connection slow, unexpectedly. Other times it doesn't reconnect to a network automatically. There are lights on every router which should tell you whether the internet connection is active or not (i.e. if you can browse the Internet or not.

If you notice that the lights are not working properly, the best solution is to restart the router. The easiest way to restart the router is to unplug the power cord from the outlet and wait for a couple of minutes. After that plug it back in the outlet and everything should be fine.

Every browser demands different amount of RAM memory for best performance. That is why it is advisable to try a different browser if you have trouble loading websites or if the Internet speed is slow.

The most used web browsers according include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera etc.

If you are a Windows user (especially if you have recently upgraded your computer to Windows 8 or Windows 10) and your Internet speed has become very slow, the power plan settings might be the problem. Windows 8(.1) and Windows 10 try to save power wherever it's possible by limiting the hardware components (one of which is the network card). To change the power plan (disable power-saving mode), and hopefully resolve the "my internet connection is too slow" issue follow the steps below:

1. Go to the start menu and type device manager.
   
   
2. Once the Device Manager opens, click on Network adapters, right click on your Wi-Fi adapter and click on Properties;
   
   
3. Click on the Power management tab (the last one) uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power;
   
   
4. Click on the Advanced tab;
   
   
5. Change the values of: 

• Afterburner to Enable
• AP Compatibility Mode to Higher Performance
• Minimum Power Consumption to Disabled
• Power output to 100%
• Power Save Mode to Disabled

Reboot the computer and once it turns on, go to speedtest.net to test your Internet speed.

Note: The options in step 5 may vary from computer to computer or Wi-Fi adapter.

If you reported your problem regarding slow Internet connection and your Internet service provider exhausted every option to find a solution to it, you should subscribe to a new provider.

There are always more options available. All you need to do is to check the Internet plans of other providers carefully and make sure to ask if there is a good bandwidth coverage in your area.

Also, ask other users about their personal experience with the provider you intend to choose, in order to find out more information.