10 ways to speed up your slow internet connection today

If you have constant speed problems, your bandwidth is the first thing you should consider. 

Ensure you are on a plan that can cope with today's array of devices and their demand for bandwidth. ZDNET's Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols notes that a minimum speed of 30Mbps is recommended. 

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While many areas are only served with cable connections, fiber provides the best speeds. If you want a fiber service but your ISP doesn't offer one, in some cases, you can register your interest with your ISP -- and if enough people follow suit, this might push your location up the priority list for installation. 

The general rule is that you will need more bandwidth if you have multiple devices and streaming services on the go. 

Your internet provider may throttle your service if you use too much bandwidth. This is more common when you are on a basic plan. If this is the case, you must call your service provider. You might also need to renegotiate your plan, upgrade, or, if you aren't being offered a good deal, switch providers entirely.

If you are already on a high-speed plan and you are suffering slow internet speeds, despite the service you're paying for, you should check your connection. If you are paying for a subscription of up to 30Mbps, for example, and are only receiving speeds of 2 or 3Mbps, it may be an issue with your internet service provider. 

 The free services below will ping and check your download and upload speeds.

It's also worth checking in with your provider to see if there is an outage or other known issue in the area. An easy way to do this is to type your ISP's name and "outage" into a search engine or visit its website for live outage notices. 

You could also ask neighbors if they are having trouble. Several years ago, my whole street was booted offline after a maintenance worker accidentally sliced through our main fiber cable. If this is the case, call your provider immediately to get your ticket in for your connection to be restored.

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Flickering lights on your router (often yellow or red, but it depends on your router model) may indicate a problem outside your home, such as with physical cables or junction boxes. There might also be an issue with your internal setup or wall connection, but an engineer can diagnose the problem.

Sometimes, being unable to access web domains is not the fault of your service but rather an issue with content delivery networks (CDNs). An example is when Fastly made vast swathes of the web inaccessible due to an outage in June 2021. 

However, if you're having trouble with only a specific online service, go to Down for Everyone or Just Me, type in the address, and check to see if your slow speed or failed connection to a domain is a third-party problem or outage. 

Specific online services or platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or Microsoft services sometimes have outage issues. Unfortunately, all you can do is wait until these cases are resolved. 

Sometimes, the simplest explanation is the right one. If your speed is suffering, try rebooting your router: Unplug the router, leave it off for 10 seconds or so, and then restart. 

In the same way that a PC sometimes needs a reboot, routers sometimes do, too. This can be particularly helpful if you are suffering connectivity issues, bottlenecks, or slow speeds. 

Also: Modem vs router: What's the difference? 

However, note that there is a difference between rebooting and resetting your router. If you reset your device, you restore it to factory settings and will likely lose any customized configurations you've implemented. This might be useful, however, if you've made mistakes while tampering with it and your router is not working correctly as a result. 

To simply reboot (or restart) your router, turn it off (per above). To reset your router, find the reset button while the device is powered up. This is typically a small hole and may require a paperclip or similar implement. Press and hold the reset button for between 10 and 15 seconds. Use caution: You should only do this as a last resort and if you have a copy of your configuration settings available. 

If you have more than one router in your network (for example, I used to have one hub dedicated to my smart home devices and another for general use), try turning them off separately and checking each connection.

Two general hardware categories are used to connect your home: A traditional router or a mesh network (unless you rely on a mobile device and cellular 3G, 4G, or 5G setup). 

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Traditional routers act as a central hub to link you to your ISP service. These routers manage traffic through one access point. 

In contrast, mesh networks are more modern entrants on the market that create a web of nodes for internet access. Instead of every home device connecting to one central access point (the router), these products include a hub and nodes that can be dotted around different areas of your home. Devices will connect to the closest physical node to access the web.

Also: The best mesh networks, plus how many nodes you need

If you use traditional hardware, such as a standard router provided by your ISP, you must remember that the farther away a device is from the router, the higher the risk of connection problems, slow speeds, and dropouts. 

A simple solution is to move your router -- or invest in a Wi-Fi extender to boost signal strength. 

Objects, too, can impede connections between your devices and a router. If possible, try to keep clutter around your router to a minimum. 

Larger properties or home offices may not be serviceable by one centralized internet hub. If this is the case, moving your router won't be enough, and it may be time to consider a mesh network instead. Read more about ZDNET's recommended mesh systems to check out our top picks in 2024.

Standard and mesh routers can provide reasonable speeds, but mesh networks tend to sacrifice some speed for improved connectivity. Mesh networks, however, can handle simultaneous connections more efficiently.

Also: Mesh networking vs traditional Wi-Fi routers: What is best for your home office?

If you require direct, high-speed connections for streaming, gaming, and power-hungry work applications, upgrading your router is a worthwhile investment and will likely perform better than a mesh setup. 

It's also worth noting that you can connect a router to a LAN cable if you want a stable, rapid connection for a PC in one room. 

There is no point in signing up for a high-speed internet plan if your old hardware can't support it. So, if slow speeds are a problem, you also need to consider the age of your router. If it's been years since you've received a router from your ISP, ask for a new model to replace your aging device.

The wiring linking your router to a switch, phone jack, or PC could cause connectivity or speed issues. If it is old, consider replacing older ADSL and Ethernet wires (and potentially switches) to see if this solves the issue. 

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If pets are roaming around and have chewed wires, these will need to be replaced, and you must either add a deterrent (bitter apple spray is safe and a great barrier) or move them out of reach. If you can see broken wiring, crimping is another solution that may salvage your cable. 

If you are suffering slow speeds, this may be because someone else is hijacking your internet connection.

Routers usually come with a randomized password set as default and printed on a sticker on your router; however, if you have changed your password to something easy to guess, are using an insecure protocol, or have a Wi-Fi hotspot open, you could be at risk of other people using your network without your consent. 

Also: How to set up a VPN on your router

To lock your connection or change your password, go to your router's configuration page in a browser. You will need to check your vendor's specific router address -- which is usually something like 192.168.0.1 -- or perform a Google search with your router type. This should provide the address you need to access router settings and boot out any unwanted users. 

If you see an alert revealing that your wireless security is weak, visit your router address, go to security settings, and change the router to a more secure protocol, such as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) 2 or 3.

Wi-Fi channels facilitate the sending and receipt of data. Bottlenecks may form when you have too many connections, slowing down your broadband. Depending on which channels your router uses, you may be able to switch to less congested traffic paths. 

Also: How to use public Wi-Fi safely: 5 tips you need to know

There are different Android and iOS apps to analyze your Wi-Fi channels easily and reveal what devices are connected to your network. To change channels, sign in to your router's configuration page and select the channel you want from the available options. 

Furthermore, some mobile apps and PC programs with heavy resource demands or streaming requirements may take up bandwidth you otherwise need without your realizing it. Shut down any software you don't need to be active.

A virtual private network (VPN) is software that adds a layer of encryption to connections between your device and servers, and also masks your IP address. Many of us work from home, so offices may require you to use a VPN to access corporate resources securely. 

Also: The 5 fastest VPNs

Using a VPN can slow down your internet as you are using a relay for traffic -- and if the VPN service is being used at peak times, there also may be congestion. 

One possible quick fix is to try a different location option offered by your VPN; for example, London users set to a New York server could try using a different server located in the UK. However, not all VPNs are created equal, and there can be substantial differences between the speeds offered. 

Free VPNs are generally not recommended because of security and privacy tradeoffs. After all, the money to provide a VPN for free must come from somewhere, and this may be generated through the sale of user data, for example -- nullifying the entire point of a VPN. 

Also: The 5 best VPN services

There are some trusted free VPN offerings on the market, but you should still expect a slowdown in most cases. 

Another reason your internet is slow may have nothing to do with your hardware or ISP. If your computer has been infected with malware, such as nuisanceware or adware, the program may be throttling overall performance by taking up memory reserves. 

Also: The best antivirus software right now

Run an antivirus scan to ensure your system is clean. Suspicious behavior to look for includes large numbers of unwanted pop-up ads, changes to your default search engine, and redirects to unusual websites.