Why Is My Internet So Slow? 12 Fixes That Work

First, find where the problem is

Run a speed test next to the router with a cable, then on Wi-Fi where you usually sit. Compare the two with your plan speed:

• Cable fast, Wi-Fi slow → the problem is your wireless network (fixes 1–6).
• Both slow → the router, modem or provider (fixes 7–12).
• Fast in the morning, slow in the evening → likely congestion on your provider's network.

The usual suspects

Slow internet almost always comes down to one of five things. Knowing them helps you go straight to the right fix:

• Wi-Fi. By far the most common. Distance, walls, floors and neighbours' networks all cut wireless speed, sometimes to a fraction of what the line delivers.
• Other devices. Every phone, laptop, TV and console shares the same connection. A game update, a cloud backup or a 4K stream in another room can take most of it without anyone noticing.
• The router. Old routers struggle with modern speeds and many devices. Overheating, outdated firmware and long uptimes make it worse.
• Your provider. Busy evenings, faults on the line, or a plan that's simply slower than you need.
• The website or service. Sometimes it's not you at all — a slow server, a busy game store on launch day, or a streaming outage.

Fixes for slow Wi-Fi

1. Move closer to the router, or move the router to a central, raised, open spot.
2. Use the 5 GHz or 6 GHz network when you're in the same room or next door — it's much faster at short range.
3. Restart the router. It clears memory and can pick a less crowded channel.
4. Update the router's firmware from its admin page or app.
5. Reduce interference from microwaves, baby monitors, cordless phones and thick walls.
6. Add a mesh point in large homes — see mesh Wi-Fi vs extenders.

Fixes when even a cable is slow

1. Restart the modem and router — unplug both for 30 seconds.
2. Check for heavy users: backups, game downloads, cloud sync and streaming on other devices.
3. Check the cables between the wall, modem and router; a damaged cable can cap the speed.
4. Look at lag under load. If ping jumps during downloads, run the bufferbloat test and enable SQM or QoS on your router.
5. Replace an old router. Routers more than five or six years old often can't handle modern plan speeds.
6. Contact your provider with test results from different times of day. If you suspect throttling, see how to tell if your ISP is throttling you.

Slow only at certain times?

Timing is a strong clue. If the connection is fine in the morning and slow every evening, the cause is usually congestion on your provider's network as the whole area comes online. If it slows only when someone in your home starts a download or a call, it's your own connection filling up — check the bufferbloat grade in the speed test result. If it slows at random times with no pattern, suspect Wi-Fi interference or a failing router.

Run the test at a few different times over two or three days. Your results are saved in this browser, so you can compare them side by side. Patterns are much easier to spot — and much more convincing to your provider — than a single slow result.

When to call your provider

Contact your provider when a wired test, with other devices paused and the router restarted, is still well below your plan speed — especially if it stays that way for a day or more. Bring your results with dates and times, and mention whether you've tried another cable and a restart; it saves time on the call. Ask whether there's a known fault in your area and what minimum speed your plan guarantees.

If your speed is fine but everything still feels slow, the problem may be latency rather than speed. Read what is ping and what is bufferbloat.

Questions