ESET East Africa
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues redefining how we work, many employees working from home are likely to experience slow internet speeds which require a few solutions to fix.
Do you feel doubtful, anxious, or furious about your sluggish internet connection?
Well, in the current “work from home revolution” period, you’ll most likely experience poor connectivity that can drastically reduce your productivity.
Fortunately, you can rectify this issue. In this post, we list a few of the typical reasons behind slow internet speeds and what you can do about them to allow superior performance.
Let’s dig in:
First off, a few of the main issues behind slow internet connectivity, especially when working from home, including the following:
- A surge in the number of internet users
- A faulty router or modem
- A weak Wi-Fi signal
- A slow DNS server
- A saturated network bandwidth due to the connection of many devices
To rectify any of these problems, you can perform a single or combination of the following procedures:
1. Make a comparison between your internet speed and a given plan
Understanding your internet subscription plan can save you lots of effort and time that you may need to troubleshoot a slow internet connection.
You can use speedtest.net to find out how fast your network is, to determine if your service provider or internet subscription plan is to blame.
But first, you need to shelf off any other activities that need immense internet resources—for instance, the uploading and downloading of files and a live stream performance. These would allow you to get a more accurate answer.
Nonetheless, you should note that a few other factors can affect the results. This includes your geographical position concerning your ISP’s servers; for instance, the nearer you’re to them, the faster your internet connection speed and vice-versa.
Furthermore, your internet access time; as an example, less busy hours would provide you with the highest speeds, while peak hours would offer slower speeds due to network congestion.
You can get your internet speed from your internet service provider’s bill or website.
In case you determine that your subscription plan or ISP is the primary reason behind your woes, then it’s time to upgrade
2. Check your network infrastructure and Wi-Fi connection
Your network components, such as your router and associated cables, can significantly determine your network’s speed. As such, a consistent countercheck of their worthiness is worth your effort. In case you find out anything flimsy, clunky, or not up to the task, you can always swap them with gadgets from reputable companies.
Similarly, a weak Wi-Fi connection often leads to a poor connection. These can result from connecting many devices to a 2.4 GHz band Wi-Fi instead of a 5 GHz band Wi-Fi, causing network bandwidth congestion.
In other cases, you could be living in a dead zone area, or your Wi-Fi signal is being interfered with by your neighbor’s network, different wireless networks in your home environment, or Bluetooth interference, among other issues.
To improve your Wi-Fi signal strength, you can upgrade to a 5 GHz band if you’re on a 2 GHz band. Alternatively, you can consider a mesh Wi-Fi unit that allows more excellent wireless coverage, improved reliability, and faster speeds.
3. Reboot your router and modem, as well as update your router’s firmware
Like any other electronics out there, your modem and router are susceptible to overloads, hangs, and throttles.
Luckily, you can fix such by performing a simple reboot process. Even better, once, if your unit comprises both a router and modem.
To accomplish your mission, unplug your unit from its power source for ten seconds, and reinstate it back.
Wait for a few minutes for your internet connection to resume before determining if the speed has improved.
If not, you can consider upgrading your router’s firmware, which can also solve extra problems.
You can either start a manual or automatic process, depending on your type of router. This is informed by the fact that newer models and mesh-networking kits auto-update themselves, eliminating the need for manual updates.
On the other hand, older models would need a physical upgrade, which can be achieved by login into the router’s administrator page and carrying out the due process.
In case you’re stuck. You can Google search your router’s model number to get a user manual that would guide you on how to update its firmware.
Still, if this doesn’t work, it would now make sense to acquire a new router to support your current needs. For instance, one that supports MU-MIMO in case you have several gadgets and want them to simultaneously receive and send data, rather than waiting for their turn.
4. Perform a malware scan
Malware can significantly slow down your internet speed and computer system. Though antivirus software can clear most of the infections, a few can override your antivirus settings.
To fix such an occurrence, you might need to perform a full system scan. The good news is that with our advanced ESET Internet Security you can establish and end any malware threats in an instant—So that everything is up and running in a jiffy.
5. Move closer to your router / connect to a router/ use a wired connection
If your wireless connection isn’t stable enough. Try moving your laptop to the nearest point bordering your wireless access point or router when carrying out high bandwidth activities. For instance, when zoom conferencing or live streaming.
Alternatively, you can ditch your wireless connections in favor of Ethernet cables, which enable a direct connection between your router and personal computer system.
What makes this solution dope is that it improves the speeds at which the signals travel back and forth.
6. Connect fewer devices / turn off idle devices
Without question, the fewer the number of gadgets connected to your access point, the higher the internet speed. This makes it essential to connect the least number of devices to your network when working from home.
Again, you can schedule heavy bandwidth activities such as playing games or watching movies on Netflix by family members, outside your working time zones, in case of a shared home network.
Or, prioritize access to only those devices that you’re currently using by switching off other idle gadgets connected to the internet.
This stems from the fact that idle gadgets can still download software updates, which would consume your precious bandwidth.
7. Check on your Coax splitters, if any
If your internet cable features Coaxial cable splitters, you may have to determine their suitability since they might be the ones slowing down your internet speed. For instance, procuring a low-quality coaxial cable splitter would often result in low signal strength compared to a high-quality one.
As such, try removing them to troubleshoot your network connection if they aren’t located on the cable line. If your internet speed improves, then you’d have found your problem.
8. Disconnect from the VPN
Connecting your computer system Via a VPN translates to more internet bandwidth due to the many encryptions, decryption, and tunneling activities involved.
These can slow things down, especially if your network isn’t robust enough.
Thus, reconsider when to use or avoid a VPN.
9. Consider rescheduling your video chats
When working from home, you’d most definitely engage your boss or co-workers in video/teleconferencing at some point to share vital details/opinions.
But, you don’t want to experience lousy chat sessions characterized by video freezes.
A remedy for such is identifying the busiest time in your neighborhood when everyone is on a high bandwidth activity and shift your call time to ten minutes before or after. This avoids overburdening video conferencing and calling services, as well as reduces connection problems.
10. Consider changing your DNS server
It’s the duty of your ISP to provide you DNS servers responsible for connecting your devices to the various requested IP addresses. If they are overloaded or slow, you can always try out another set of DNS servers to save the day.
You can find them by googling OpenDNS and Public DNS but might come at an extra cost. Thus, consult your employer to find out if they would compensate for the excess internet bill while working from home, if applicable.
11. Call your internet service provider
These should be the last resort after trying out all the other options listed above. Call your ISP to determine if the problem emanates from their end—for instance, issues to do with their infrastructure or equipment.
It’s your right to get a stable internet connection from your service provider since you’re paying for it. As such, they need to fix any issue on their side. Even so, ensure it’s from their side and not yours.
Final thoughts
Conclusively, a slow internet connection can bog you down; hence, affect your performance and quality of time. So, it’s essential to try any of the above hacks or a combination of them if your network connection speed is wanting.
At ESET, we provide Cybersecurity solutions configured to support online safety. What’s more, our software comes with helpful support and a winning strategy for your business. Request for a demo today and see how the platform can boost your business operations.
Pass on the love by sharing this post widely and most importantly stay safe.
