Written by Robyn Hyde, Customer Director
23 Aug 2024: A slow internet connection can bring your day to a frustrating halt. Whether you’re faced with endless buffering or a web page that won’t load, it can be hard to know exactly why your broadband is crawling at a snail’s pace.
In this guide, we’ll explore some of the common culprits behind sluggish internet speeds and give you some actionable steps to boost your Wi-Fi speed.
Your internet won’t always be running at the average download speed you signed up for – several factors can affect how fast you browse, stream, or download.
Here are some of those key factors:
The type of broadband connection you have can hugely affect the speeds you get. Standard connections like ADSL and part-fibre (FTTC) use older transmission methods to send data from the exchange to your home, while Full Fibre broadband (FTTP) uses modern fibre-optic cables to send data much faster to your property. If you have an ADSL or fibre connection, you might be more likely to get unreliable and slower speeds.
Each device connected to your Wi-Fi network uses a portion of your overall bandwidth. More devices mean more competition, which can slow down your internet speed, especially if lots of them are streaming videos or downloading large files at the same time.
Ultimately, your broadband speed can only be as fast as the infrastructure and connection available in your area. Plus, your average internet speed in your area can change during peak times, like in the evenings, when lots of people have finished work and are streaming or trying to get online.
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While the above key things can be the most common factors impacting your average internet speed, a number of other unexpected factors can cause your Wi-Fi to lag too.
The physical condition of your internet hardware, like your router and the cables connected to it, can impact your connection quality. Damaged cables or loosely connected wires could disrupt the signal or prevent it from transmitting data at maximum capacity, leading to unstable or slow internet speeds.
Old devices – like routers and modems – can slow your internet speed because they’re not equipped to handle newer, faster speeds or recent technologies. Regularly updating your software is always recommended for getting the most out of your current device, but outdated hardware with poor processing power could limit your Wi-Fi connection from reaching its full potential.
Sometimes, slow internet speeds result from your internet service provider (ISP) intentionally slowing down your connection, known as throttling. This usually happens if you exceed your data limit, as ISPs might not cut off your internet connection if you max out your data cap but reduce your broadband connection speed instead. If this is the case, your provider should let you know when you’re near your maximum bandwidth capacity.
ISP may also slow down your connection speed during periods of busy traffic to manage the number of users trying to get online.
When too many people access the internet at the same time in a particular area, especially in highly populated spaces, the network can become congested. Think of this like traffic congestion on roads during peak hours.
It might be the case that lots of people are streaming a popular sporting event or tuning in for an important television broadcast, and this congestion can significantly reduce your internet speed.
Physical objects can interfere with your Wi-Fi connection, causing the speed to slow or drop out if it’s completely blocked.
Any areas in your home or office that have weak Wi-Fi signals are called black spots. These can be caused by obstructions like concrete walls or even distance from the router.
Interference from other wireless signals and electronic devices in or near your home can impact your Wi-Fi speed. Think of your connection like a radio signal; another signal on the same frequency can hinder or obstruct the data from passing properly.
Common sources include cordless phones, microwaves, household appliances, and devices that use Bluetooth.
We’ve mentioned that devices around the home have to share bandwidth, which is the amount of data that passes through an internet connection at one point, but it goes deeper than that.
The number of programs and apps your devices are running will also affect your Wi-Fi speed. Having several processes or browser tabs running in the background, some of which you might not even be aware of, will use bandwidth and can cause your speed to slow down.
Malware and viruses can wreak havoc on your security and system performance and alter your internet speed. These malicious programs could be running background processes that consume bandwidth, slowing down your connection.
Latency, or lag, is how fast data passes from your device to the server and back. Low lag indicates data is moving quickly; this usually manifests in the form of web pages loading promptly and video content streaming without buffering.
Therefore, a high latency is when it takes longer for the data to reach you, causing delays. Data needing to pass further physical distances can cause high latency and network congestion.
Knowing the potential causes of your slow internet speed is one thing, but what can you do about it?
Here are a few tips for how you can improve your broadband speed:
Restart your router – Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective. Restarting your router can clear its memory and terminate stuck processes that might be slowing down your connection. Simply turn off your router by the mains, wait about a minute, and then turn it back on. This can help reset your connection to your ISP and often resolve minor and temporary speed issues.
Reposition or adjust your router – If you suspect your router's placement could be slowing down your broadband speed, try moving it. Place your router in a central, open location away from any metal objects or devices that could be interfering with the signal. Avoid putting it in a cupboard or cabinet, which can block the Wi-Fi signal and make it difficult for your devices to connect. If your router has antennas, adjust them so that they’re positioned at different angles to boost coverage.
Disconnect unused devices – The more devices you connect to your Wi-Fi, the more bandwidth they consume. Many devices also automatically connect to Wi-Fi and run updates or sync data, consuming your bandwidth even when not in use. To prevent this, disconnect devices or turn off their Wi-Fi access when not needed.
Use an ethernet cable – It may sound old school, given that wireless connections are the norm, but using an ethernet cable to connect your device directly to your router can give you a more reliable and speedier connection than Wi-Fi, reducing latency and cutting out any interference issues.
Use a Wi-Fi booster – Wi-Fi boosters or extenders can enhance the reach and strength of your Wi-Fi signal, making them handy in larger homes where the distance from the router can create black spots. By placing a booster midway between the router and the blackspot, you could get a more stable connection throughout your home. Learn more about our Whole Home Wi-Fi extenders here.
Update your software – Give your devices a helping hand by keeping them up-to-date with the latest software. Manufacturers regularly release updates that improve their performance and efficiency, and patch any security vulnerabilities. Check for firmware updates for your router from the manufacturer's website and ensure all connected devices are running the latest software version too.
Check for viruses and malware – If you’re worried that a virus could be slowing down your internet speed, install anti-virus software to scan your devices and spot and remove any threats. Choose a reputable anti-virus provider and make sure it’s up to date and running regularly for optimal efficiency.
Manage background applications – Is your device running 101 applications all at once? Check what’s connecting to the internet in the background, like cloud-storage syncing or social media apps, and close them if they’re not needed. Clearing your device’s cache may also help to keep your browser in top condition and running at full speed.
Password-protect your Wi-Fi network – For anyone who uses a broadband router for personal use at home, it’s strongly recommended that you password-protect it. An open Wi-Fi network is an invitation for anyone within close proximity to your router to steal your bandwidth and slow down your connection – and it may even pose a security risk as your personal information could be vulnerable to unauthorised users.
Upgrade your broadband package –Tried everything and your internet speed is still so slow? Consider upgrading your broadband package. Your Wi-Fi needs may exceed what your current plan offers, so check with your internet provider for available upgrades or switch to a plan that offers higher speeds to match your usage. You might even want to opt for a Full Fibre broadband connection where you can reach internet speeds of up to 500Mbps.
You can check your broadband speed by using online speed test tools like our UW Broadband Speed Checker. Our tool measures your connection's download and upload speeds to provide insights into your network's performance.
To get the most accurate idea of your broadband speed, we recommend using an ethernet cable when you run the test and running the speed test at various times of the day.
Wi-Fi speeds can vary, and a ‘good’ speed depends on the number of devices connected and your level of usage.
Generally, download speeds:
Below 10Mbps are considered slow and may struggle with day-to-day use or handling multiple devices.
Between 10–30Mbps are usually suitable for everyday use, like streaming and web browsing.
Between 30–100Mbps are fast. You’ll experience smoother video calls, streaming in 4K, competitive gaming, and multiple devices connected at the same time without lag.
Above 100Mbps are super or ultra-fast and can easily handle heavy or professional usage across several devices.
A mobile device connected to Wi-Fi can be affected by many of the same things that slow down the internet speed on a laptop or desktop device.
Some reasons why your internet is slow on your phone are:
It’s far from the Wi-Fi router
Lots of other devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network
Your phone software needs updating
Background apps are using lots of data
Your phone is outdated
Your phone’s cache and browsing history needs to be cleared
There’s a problem with your internet router
In extreme cases, your internet might go down completely. To check if this is the case, see if other devices in your home can access the internet. If they can’t, it’s a sign that your internet has dropped altogether, and you’ll need to work out if it’s down in just your property or in your wider area.
A service like Down Detector gives you real-time updates on whether others have reported outages in your area.
Find out more about how to check if the internet is down in your area here.
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