There are different types of internet connections like dial-up, DSL, cable, etc. The dial-up connection is the most basic type but, more often than not, it is the slowest among others. But when you are using DSL or cable internet connection, expect it to be way faster than dial-up since it is considered a high-speed connection. However, take note that high-speed internet connection will not always run as fast as how it is promoted by the internet service providers. Most of the time, the advertised speed is the maximum speed their connection could achieve. Therefore, do not be panic if your internet slows down. If you experience such, do not call your service provider right away to complain. To explain more of this, below are several factors that lead to slow internet connection.
- Expect your internet to slow down during peak hours. This is due to internet traffic or congestion.
- The speed of the internet can be affected by the network location. This is the distance of your computer to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The farther you are from it, the slower your connection can be. On the other hand, the nearer you are from your ISP, the greater the chance of achieving the maximum internet speed.
- The modem can also be a factor why your internet slows down. More often than not, cheap modems and internal modems can only handle a certain speed of internet connection.
- Good quality modem cables or LAN cables, which are usually supplied by your ISP, may also contribute in having faster internet connection. Beware of cheap or low quality cables since these can also slow down the speed of your internet.
- Some websites can affect the speed of your connection. When a site has heavy traffic, meaning a lot of people are connected to that website, loading or browsing in that particular site can be slower than usual. Another possible reason for this is the slow server of the website. In order to make sure that the particular site is the problem, try opening other websites. If these are faster, then your ISP is not to be blamed.
- If you have two or more computers at home and you are using a router to connect them to the internet, its speed will significantly slow down. This is because the internet speed is being distributed or shared to a number of computers.