Image Courtesy: lifehacker.com
You would think by 2019, all of us would have faster internet speeds by now. Sadly, not all of us do and it’s sometimes hard to know why.
We can stream HD movies and TV shows fine one day, and then feel our computer work overtime just to watch a two-minute YouTube video the next day.
Why is this? How do we fix it?
Luckily, we found some answers that can help you make your internet run smoothly.
Download an internet speed checker and call your provider
The first thing you should do is to check your internet current speed. You can do so by downloading your basic run-of-the-mill speed checker .
Once downloaded, compare the numbers to what you were promised from your service provider. This might be as simple as calling AT&T or Comcast and yelling at them over the phone for a few minutes.
Keep in mind that most people RARELY get the max speed promised by their service provider. More often than naught, you’ll operate a few Mbps less than what they promise.
Check other devices
If your laptop is running on the slower side, it might not be your network; it might be your device.
Check your internet speeds on another device like a smartphone or tablet. If the problem is your device rather than your network, this can save you a nasty phone call. Or you can check if there has been a network theft.
Run virus scans and restart often
There’s always a good chance that your computer sucked in a virus that is doing all sorts of damage. To avoid these issues, regular scans with an antivirus program can clear that mess right up.
If you run a scan every now and then, your computer will kill whatever viruses are making your computer run slower. Once you’re done, make sure you restart your computer.
A good sign of whether or not you have a virus is if your computer is running hotter than usual. Yes, computers get fevers when they’re sick just like us. Hot temperatures typically mean that your computer is running tasks in the background, so it is working twice as hard as it normally does. If your computer is running hot, make sure you run a virus scan and restart your computer to avoid damage.
Turn off plugins and apps
Just like we are all guilty of leaving lights on after we leave, we are also guilty of not closing apps once we are done with them. A Word document in the background probably isn’t going to slow down your internet tremendously, but apps like BitTorrent siphon your bandwidth even if you’re not downloading anything.
Close out of everything you are not using to help optimize your speed. You can see everything you have open on Windows devices by hitting Ctrl+Alt+Delete and then opening the task manager, or by hitting “Force Quit” on Mac.
Check/boost your Wi-Fi signal
Most of us have a good idea of where we get the best Wi-Fi signal in our homes. Sometimes you get a great signal in the kitchen but are out of luck in the bedroom. Typically, the closer you are to your router the better, so you need to reposition in order to get your device to run faster.
However, there is a way to boost your signal so you can run at the same speed no matter where you are in the house! Buy a signal booster! They only cost about $25, and they will go a long way. Setup is easy, and it can boost your signal by up to 600 feet!
Wrapping up
You deserve to use the internet at the speed you purchased. These tips can help out, but if the underlying issue seems to come from your provider, it might be in your best interest to switch providers.
