Echo service speed detection. How to check the speed of the Internet (Speedtest, Internetometer from Yandex). How internet speed measurement works

Today, there are many services that offer Internet speed checks. It is no secret that a high speed Internet connection is the key to comfortable and high-quality online activities. However, which tester is better to use and which speedtest is the most reliable? This question worries many users who control their connection. In this article, we will analyze for testing the Internet channel, which are most reliable and, most importantly, free.

Checking the speed of the Internet connection on a computer or smartphone allows you to understand the functionality of the device. Next, we will consider the three most popular, reliable, functional, convenient services in Russian, which will allow you to control the speed of the Internet services provided. For example: Rostelecom, Byfly or any other global provider from both mobile and personal computers.

First, let's look at the table of functionality of each service:

Now let's take a closer look at each of the services for checking the quality of Internet services. At the same time, it is necessary to focus on the fact that when testing, one should not forget about converting megabits into megabytes. As 1 byte is 8, not 10 bits. This moment should be taken into account!


TOP-1: Service www.speedtest.net


Description: speedtest.net is one of the current ways to measure internet performance. With millions of requests daily, it remains the leading network performance testing service. According to the developers, their goal is to build a better and faster Internet around the world. Proven technologies have been purpose-built for accurate and unbiased testing, allowing users around the world to evaluate and troubleshoot internet connection speeds.

disadvantages A: The main disadvantage of the service is that it is quite difficult to check the connection speed for mobile devices in this service. To get started, you will need to download the official application on your smartphone.

TOP 2: Speedtest from yandex.ru/internet


Description: Yandex Internetometer is one of the leading Russian services for checking network connectivity. Able to show data about both traffic and browser.

disadvantages: It is not possible to change the server for checking, as well as the data and ping of the provider.

TOP 3: Checking speed on PR-CY.ru


Description: Allows you to perform a qualitative check of the channel status and check of the functionality in the same way. Also, with one click of the mouse button, it checks the bandwidth of the connection line.

disadvantages: The disadvantages of the service include the lack of additional technical information provided.

Conclusion

Which of the presented speedtests to use is up to you. All have their advantages and disadvantages. Everyone should determine their needs and preferences. However, we are sure that the presented resources will help to accurately determine the quality of the Internet signal, which plays an important role in the comfort of working and surfing sites.

Imagine that you are surfing the Internet and all of a sudden pages take longer than usual to open. The computer or browser may be to blame for this, but the provider should not be discounted either. Today I will tell you how to check internet speed on your computer for free. If it is lower than declared by the provider, it is worth calling the office of your Internet provider and reporting the problem.

Internet speed units

Internet speed is the maximum amount of data that a computer can receive in a certain unit of time. It is measured in kilobits/second or megabits/second.

If you want to determine how many megabytes of data your PC can receive or transfer, you need to know that 1 byte equals 8 bits. With an Internet connection speed of 50 Mb / second, you can download: 50/8 = 6.25 megabytes in one second.

What affects internet speed

Before checking the Internet speed, you should know what factors affect it:

  • First of all, the actual speed of the Internet connection directly depends on which tariff plan you have chosen from those provided by the provider.
  • The number of people using the network at the moment also affects the speed. The more people connected to a particular network and the more data they download, the slower the information you need is loaded.
  • The last one is the speed at which the site can load. If the site server at the time of connection can give the user only 5 Mbps, then even with an Internet speed of 100 Mbps, the site pages will be loaded exactly at 5 Mbps.

Preparation for measurement

Before starting the procedure for measuring the speed of the Internet, it is advisable to carefully prepare for it. This will give you the most accurate reading.

In many traffic flows, it is difficult to assess the speed of access to specific resources. If the provider promises 100 megabits per second, then there are several options to check this data for reality. We will tell you in detail how to check the Internet speed through online services on a computer, using a torrent client and Windows tools.

megabyte and megabit per second

Before figuring out what the Internet speed is on a computer, you need to understand some aspects of the measurement. Many users do not see the difference between the concepts of Mbps and Mbps. In the decimal number system, the prefixes kilo-, mega-, and so on differ exactly by orders of magnitude, and in this case by 3. However, in computer technology, a binary system with digits is used, so 1 kilobyte is 2 10 \u003d 1024 bytes. As you can see, the number is slightly different from the decimal representation, where a thousand is clearly obtained. With increasing bit depth, this difference only increases. A megabyte is already 1,048,576 bytes.

That is why the value in megabits is not a real indicator of Internet speed, but was created only in order to simplify the calculation. For example, you have an indicator of 5 megabits. It is easy to get the real Internet speed from it: you need to divide it by 8 (since there are so many bits in a byte). So 5 Mbps / 8 = 0.625 Mbps. It is at this speed that you will download pictures, movies and other files. It is necessary to clearly understand this so that after the measurements you do not make claims against your provider.

What to do before checking

Before starting a measurement, any causes that may cause an incorrect reading should be eliminated. The user needs:

  • Close unnecessary tabs in the browser, stop downloading or distribution in the torrent client, deactivate various software that uses traffic.
  • turn off any devices that use the Internet. For example, smartphones and tablets connected via Wi-Fi. They may introduce some error.
  • Disable your ad blocker (AdBlock or similar) and plugins in your browser.

Next, we recommend that you understand the terminology. On online services, you will come across three main concepts. Incoming download speed. It determines how fast files will be downloaded from the global network. Outgoing - this is the speed with which you can transfer files from your computer to the Internet. Ping is the time it takes for a packet to travel from the local device to the server and back. The smaller it is, the better.

Checking the speed in Internet services

The easiest and fastest way to check the real speed of the Internet is through websites. There are about a dozen resources on the network that are ready to measure at the touch of a button. We will present a list of the most popular services that you can try and compare on home computers.

Speedtest.net

A convenient resource with pleasant navigation and the ability to select a point on the map to check Internet traffic. To start the procedure, you only need to click the "Begin Test" button. The service will start to sequentially measure the incoming, and then the outgoing speed for several tens of seconds. At the end, at the top of the window, the results will be presented.

Also, the user can check the indicators and his ping for another city on the planet, for example, you can see how quickly files will be downloaded from the USA or another country available on the site map. The number of measurements is unlimited.

2ip.ru

Another simple service that allows you to easily test the speed of your Internet. The service offers visitors a whole range of tests, including determining the IP address, site availability, and more. To perform the test, follow the instructions:


The site also contains a wide catalog of interesting articles about such measurements.

fast.com

A site with a minimal interface and features. Created and maintained by the famous Netflix company. You don't have to press anything to start the test, as everything starts automatically. The check comes with servers from America, which gives underestimated results by several tens of megabits. Also, the site does not support the Russian language, although this is not entirely critical.

speed.io

Another "measurer" with an intuitive interface. The system selects the optimal server on its own for a more truthful result. You need to run the test, and then wait for the results, which will also be shown in the form of a graph. It is possible to manually select hosting by writing the name in the search bar. Using the site, you can easily see the speed on a laptop or even a phone.

"Yandex. Internetometer"

The service provides broad technical information, such as cookies and browser version, support for various technologies, and so on. To check, you must click the "Measure" button. An interesting feature is that you can cancel the test while it is running. The main convenience of Yandex is that it allows you to find out the speed of wired Internet on your computer with conversion from megabits to megabytes.

For Rostelecom subscribers

Rostelecom subscribers (and not only) can use the service of their provider. Just click the "Start testing" button. The system not only allows you to know your speed, but also gives you information about what you can do without hindrance. For example, watch movies online, listen to music, connect interactive TV.

Checking the speed in a torrent client

If you do not trust such sites, you can find out the real speed in practice. You will need any torrent client (we recommend using uTorrent). Start downloading a popular movie or game on it. In the uTorrent program, open the "Speed" tab, and then wait for the established values. The green bar is the download speed, the blue one is the upload speed. Note that the scale is measured in KB/s.

Internet Speed ​​Checker is your trusted tool to help you measure and troubleshoot your internet speed. The speed test will tell you exactly how much internet speed you are getting at a particular time, which is the first step in identifying issues affecting your internet speed.

Are you having internet problems? Do you have a slow internet connection, or do web pages take an unusually long time to load? There is nothing more frustrating than waiting and waiting – and waiting! – page loads, or the Internet is so slow that it lags behind you. Luckily, checking your internet connection speed is easy to do and can give you an idea of ​​what's going on.

We will provide instructions on how to troubleshoot your slow internet connection. But let's start with the most important tool: the speed test.

Performing a speed test

When your internet seems to be slow, checking your internet connection speed is one of the tools you will need to find the cause of the slowness. The Internet connection speed test is actually an Internet connection speed meter that gives you specific figures for downloading and uploading data to the Internet.

It's important to have these specific metrics because slow download and upload speeds can indicate problems with your ISP, or a potential problem with your router. On the other hand, if the Internet connection test shows that you have a normal Internet connection speed, then this may indicate a possible problem with the site you are trying to access, or perhaps your Internet speed is insufficient for the browsing you are use.

Internet connection speed test is easy to perform. It only takes a few seconds and it's free with Speedcheck.

Using Speedcheck to measure internet speed

Testing the internet speed of your internet connection is as easy as shelling pears – you need to open the site, click on the blue “Start Speed ​​Test” button, and run the test. Wait for the test to complete, then you will see three measurements on your screen:

  • The wait period indicates the time delay for data to reach its destination. The timeout period is measured in milliseconds. In general, any wait period less than 100ms is good. A long wait period, such as more than 200ms, can cause delays during your activities, such as during a video call, and it may seem that your Internet is even slower than it is.
  • Download speed, measured in MB/s, indicates how fast your device downloads data from the Internet. If your download speed is not fast enough to support your activities, such as watching videos or playing games, then your Internet may appear to be slow or slow.
  • Upload speed, also measured in MB/s, is how fast your device can upload data to the internet. Your download speed affects how quickly large files like photos or videos download.

It is important to regularly check the speed of your Internet connection for several reasons:

  1. Your ISP contract will display the upload and download speeds you set, but you don't have to have those speeds. In fact, the speeds can be much slower than those specified in the contract, which may affect the functionality of your Internet and the ability to browse the Internet.
  2. You can get these speeds at certain times during the day, but not at other times. The only way to determine the quality of your Internet connection is to test your Internet connection speed at various times during the day. You may notice that your internet slows down during peak hours, then speeds up again late at night or early in the morning when fewer people are using the internet.

In order to understand your current connection speed, you will need to run several tests at different times of the day. With the site, all your previous checks are logged so that you can easily view all the results at once.

For example, let's say your ISP contract says you get 500 mb/s download speed and 9.4 mb/s upload speed. You run a few checks and find that you get a download speed of 48.9 mb/s and an upload speed of 9.4 mb/s. These are excellent speeds and are quite close to the promised values. However, if you run tests and find that you get 4.5 Mb/s instead of 50 Mb/s, then this difference significantly affects the functionality of your Internet, and indicates that there is a problem in the system.

Unusually slow download and upload speeds are indicative of a problem with your ISP, your connection, or may simply appear during the day when a lot of people use the internet. If you have done a lot of checks and found that your internet connection speed is consistently slow, then you will have to deal with the problem if you want to surf the internet without slowing down, without waiting while loading pages or pre-downloading while watching videos.

Understanding your internet connection speed is one step in troubleshooting your slow internet connection. The more you know about the speed of your internet connection, the sooner you will be able to identify issues that are causing your slow internet connection or low activity. With all of this, you should be able to resolve your internet connection issues and improve the activity (and reliability) of your internet connection.

But what, in fact, is mb / s? And how to fix a slow internet connection? Here is the information you need, as well as a few additional tools to help you speed up your internet connection.

Chapter 2: Internet Connection Basics

To identify the causes of a slow internet connection, you need to understand information about different types of internet connections. From various ISPs, you can choose how to measure your internet connection speed. Below is detailed information explaining in detail how your internet works. We will also explain the difference between download and upload speeds. Then you can use the internet speed test results to better understand how fast your internet is.


Understanding the Basics of Internet Connections

Let's start with a quick overview of how the internet works so you can understand what we're trying to do when we're trying to troubleshoot your internet connection.

Devices such as computers, mobile phones, tablets connect to the Internet in a variety of ways, including underground wires, cellular connections, or even satellites. Once connected, computers can communicate with each other, and you can view information and share information with other people around the world within seconds.

Your device can connect to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or by creating a wired or wireless hotspot on your mobile phone. When you create a wired or wireless hotspot on a mobile phone, you are effectively turning your phone into a mobile hotspot. Only a few operators and tariff plans allow you to create a wired or wireless hotspot on your mobile phone. Mobile operators MTS, Rostelecom and Beeline offer tariff plans that allow you to create a wired or wireless access point on your mobile phone.

When it comes to your internet service provider, you can choose any provider and any mobile phone. Common ISP providers are Rostelecom, MegaFon or MTS. Different ISPs offer different types of internet, such as dial-up access, broadband, and DSL. We will delve into these concepts a bit, as the type of connection you have determines the way your computer or smartphone connects to the Internet.

Once you register with an ISP and start receiving services, your computer will be given an Internet Protocol or IP address. The address, which consists of a series of numbers and spaces, helps identify your computer and all your online activity.

When your computer is connected to your ISP and you have your IP address (this is usually done automatically and you don't have to worry about it), you can access the Internet, visit pages, send emails and more.

The problem is that if any part of the system breaks, you won't be able to access the internet. And if your internet connection is too slow, then just browsing the internet can become tedious and you won't even be able to access specific sites. You will not even know which part of the entire system caused the connection to fail. And this is where you need troubleshooting.

What you need to know about ISP

It is important to know that not all ISPs (Internet Service Providers) provide the same Internet service in terms of price, download and upload speeds. All ISPs are different, so you will need to carefully study the aspects that are important to you. Remember that most ISPs require you to sign a contract for at least 2 years, so be careful with this decision - you will have to stick with one ISP for a while.

When evaluating ISP options, take the time to review reviews of these services. Reviews can reveal important information to you about factors such as reliability, technical support, and the overall quality of an ISP that you might not otherwise know about.

One of the most important differences among ISPs is the difference between download and upload speeds. These speeds have a direct impact on how you can use the internet and can be one of the reasons why your internet is slow.

In addition to the speed that an ISP offers, also consider the following factors:

  • Availability - Before looking for information about an ISP, make sure the provider provides services in your area. You may find information that ISPs only serve certain areas, and some only serve certain addresses in the city. Do not rely on the coverage map provided by the ISP, as it usually does not show in detail the availability of services at your address. Instead, call the provider and see what services are available to you.
  • Reliability - look for information about how often there are interruptions in the Internet with this provider. This can be quite annoying, especially if you need the Internet for work.
  • Plan Options and Pricing - Most ISPs offer many different plan options. Tariff plans may differ in speed and price. Look through the available options and see if there is a convenient one for you. If not, check with other ISPs.
  • Contracts - Always read the fine print in your ISP contract. Most contracts require services to be retained for a minimum of 2 years, and prohibitively high penalties for terminating services before the specified period may also be included. Also recheck the price - some prices may only be fixed for a certain period of time, and after this period, the price of your tariff plan may go up.

There is another important factor in choosing an ISP: the type of internet connection you will be provided with.

How is internet speed measured?

Internet speed can be measured in many ways, but most of the metrics refer to Mbps.

  • One kilobit per second (Kbps) is the slowest metric in use. It is commonly used with older types of internet, like dial-up modems.
  • One megabit per second (Mbps) is the equivalent of 1,000 Kbps. This is the most common speed indicator you can see today.
  • One gigabit per second (Gb/s) is the equivalent of 1,000 Mb/s. This indicator is associated with high-performance networks.

The higher the score, the faster the internet.

Let's take a look at MB/s. What is normal? What is not normal?

Contracts offered by ISPs usually differ in download speed. In most cases in the world, contracts start at 3Mb/s and go up based on speeds of 10Mb/s, 20Mb/s, 50Mb/s, 100Mb/s, 200Mb/s, 500Mb/s, and in some cities and up to 1000 MB/s (1 Gb/s).

In order to find out what speed your Internet has, you need to consider how you connect your device to the modem. Conventional LAN cables can support speeds up to 100 Mb/s or 1 Gb/s (1000 Mb/s). Depending on how fast your ISP connection is, the internet connection or LAN cables can be potential delay factors. For example, if you pay an ISP for 500Mb/s, but use a 100Mb/s LAN cable to connect to your modem, then that cable will slow your internet down to 100Mb/s even though you are paying for a higher speed. On the other hand, if you're only paying for 50 Mb/s but using a 1 Gb/s local cable, that's too much, as the internet speed from your ISP is much slower than the cable can handle.

You do not need to use a local cable to connect your computer to a modem or router. If your device supports WiFi, like most laptops and smartphones, you can connect to your modem wirelessly via WiFi. In this case, you will have 2 connections: your device connects to the modem via WiFi, then the modem connects to your ISP. Both of these connections can slow down your internet speed. This means that you will need to select a WiFi router that supports the speed provided by the ISP. Keep in mind that the distance you are from your router can also slow down your internet speed, so it's best to get a router that supports at least double the internet speed provided by your ISP.

  • For home networks, the speed ranges from 1 Mb / s to 500 Mb / s.
  • Local cables support 100 Mbps or 1000 Mbps.
  • Most Wi-Fi routers (802.11g) support at least 54 Mbps.

Is your internet fast enough? And what is a good internet speed?

This is an ambiguous question, since there is no “good” speed for the Internet. The speed that's right for you depends on a lot of factors: how you use the internet, the types of sites you visit, how much you download and upload. For example, if you access the Internet several times a day to check news sites, weather, and use email, you don't necessarily need the same speed as a user who downloads a lot of photos, watches Netflix daily, and likes to play online games.

How to measure download and upload speeds

Download speeds, upload speeds, and why they matter

We've talked a bit about internet connection speeds, and you should already understand that high speed leads to fast internet usage. But, when you're trying to troubleshoot your internet connection and test your internet connection speed, it's best to know a little more about internet connection speeds and how they affect your internet usage.

When we talk about “internet speeds”, we are talking about two speeds: download speed and upload speed.

Download speed indicates how fast your computer can download information from the Internet. When you're watching a video, loading a web page (especially pages with lots of photos), or downloading a document, download speed is a measure of how long it will take.

On the other hand, download speed shows the process of downloading content from your computer to the Internet. When you download a photo, document or video, or email, the download speed is a measure of how long it will take.

When you browse the web, most of your activity consists of downloading, not downloading. For this reason, most ISPs offer packages with faster download speeds and slower download speeds.

The average internet user won't rely heavily on download speeds, but there are people who do. For example, if you work with large files, videos or photos, and often upload a large number of files, then you need a service that offers download speeds faster than usual.

Chapter 3: Connections, modems and routers

Your Internet connection greatly affects how fast your Internet will function. Of the many possible connection types, we have presented the most basic ones so that you can make an informed decision. But an internet connection isn't everything. You will also need a router with the ability to handle the speed provided by the internet connection. We've included a few tips for choosing the right router for you so you don't inadvertently slow down your internet speed.


Internet connection types

Remember how we explained that your computer can connect to the internet in a variety of ways? These types of internet connections can also affect the speed and functionality of the internet. Some ISPs only offer one or two connection types, so you need to understand the pros and cons of each connection method.

  • dial-up
    It was once very popular to access the Internet via a telephone line, but it is no longer used. This connection method uses a phone line to connect, essentially dialing a phone number to "get through" to the internet. You will need to use a modem and dial-up internet access is extremely slow. In addition, you will not be able to use your telephone line while using the Internet.
  • DSL
    Digital subscriber line (DSL) allows you to use the Internet and telephone at the same time. DSL is very popular in cities, but much less so in rural areas. Today it is the most popular way to access the Internet.
  • cable
    With a cable connection, your computer accesses the Internet through a cable TV connection instead of a telephone line. This means that you can use the internet and phone at the same time, which makes cable internet very popular.
  • fiber
    Fiber optic connections are rapidly gaining popularity because they are much faster than other types of Internet connections. This type of connection is gaining popularity in cities but is not yet widely available in more rural areas.
  • WiFi
    Wireless high speed connections, also known as WiFi, use a wired connection like DSL, cable, or fiber to send radio waves to devices. This creates high-speed connections that are used to create hotspots in libraries, restaurants, and other public buildings. Of course, you can create your own home hotspot.

Some of these connection types are faster than others, and it's important to choose the fastest connection type available in your area if you want to maximize your internet speed.

Using Wireless Routers

Your computer connects to the ISP and accesses the Internet. Pretty simple, right? If you decide to use a wireless router to create a WiFi signal at your home or work, you are adding another layer of complexity and another point where things can go wrong and slow down your internet speed. Anyway, there are many reasons why you should use a wireless router at home.

A wireless router gives you the flexibility to use the Internet at home. Without such a router, you will need to connect your computer directly to the modem using a local cable. You are literally connected to a modem, and if you have a laptop, you will not be able to move around with it while using the Internet. With a router, you can connect many devices to the Internet at the same time, such as a laptop, phone, and tablet. (Most ISPs offer modems that are also routers, so you won't need to buy a router in this case.)

Wireless routers are great for a lot of reasons, but there are many factors that can affect their functionality, and you should keep them in mind:

  • Distance - The farther you are from the router, the weaker the connection. If you have a large house, you can install several routers to solve this issue.
  • Interference - If there are walls or other objects blocking the signal from the router to the device, then your WiFi range may be reduced. If you're two or three rooms away from your router, multiple walls can shorten your WiFi range to the point where you can't connect to the internet.
  • RF Interference - If you're using the Internet at a good speed and it suddenly slows down when someone turns on the microwave, then you're experiencing RF waves because your router uses radio waves to send and receive data. Anything else in the environment that also uses radio waves, such as a microwave oven, can affect your router and speedtest internet speed.

If you need to buy a router, then you need to choose the options that suit you. Not all routers are the same, and a router can actually affect download and upload speeds, potentially slowing down your computer.

Router speeds are measured in megabits per second (Mbps); the higher the score, the faster the router. You can find routers with speeds ranging from 54 Mbps to high performance routers with speeds over 1 Gb/s (1,000 Mb/s).

How important is router speed? Differently. Buying a router with significantly slower speeds can slow down your internet connection. However, buying a router that offers faster speeds than your ISP provides will not actually speed up your internet connection. In short, it's better to buy a fast router, but don't think that buying a high speed router will make your internet faster if your ISP doesn't provide that speed.

There is one more factor that you should consider when evaluating a router: the technological standards of the router. Wireless network devices such as routers are measured against technology standards. These standards are identified by 802.11 numbers followed by a letter. The combination of numbers and numbers is used to identify the specific technology used by the router and may indicate the range of speeds that the router can handle.

  • 802.11g is the main technology that you can see in routers. This technology is only 2.4 GHz. Since this technology is something basic, such routers can only reach speeds up to 54 Mb / s.
  • 802.11n is a step forward in technology. This 2.4/5.8 GHz technology allows the router to reach faster speeds, up to 600 Mbps. 802.11ac is more advanced technology. 5.8 GHz technology makes routers much faster so that they can reach speeds over 500 Mbps.

If you want to evaluate whether a given router is right for you, then one of the best options is to look at online reviews. These reviews can provide information about activity and speed. Generally speaking, it is best to avoid the cheapest option, low activity routers, as they can have problems with low reliability and low activity. Next, we will take a closer look at troubleshooting your router.

Chapter 4: Why is my internet slow?

Slow Internet is not only very annoying. The problem can become so aggravated that the Internet will practically stop working. If you're dealing with an unusually slow Internet connection, then you may have the following problems: websites don't load properly, or videos take forever to download before watching. Factors such as ISP, the time of day you use the internet, the device you use, all of these factors affect your internet speed. Here is a list of some potential causes of slow internet.


Factors slowing down your internet

While you may think that your internet speed is fine, there are some factors that can slow down your internet, causing performance issues, slow loading websites, videos uploading for several minutes at the very end, and other potential problems.

  • The type of your internet connection. Internet speed testing over a phone line is very different from what you would expect from a DSL, fiber, or broadband connection. Some connection types provide only limited speeds, so you should be careful about the speed requirements when choosing a connection type.
  • Your ISP. Each ISP offers different plans with different upload and download speeds. Faster plans cost more, but they can also be more reliable. If you're constantly experiencing slow speeds that are hindering your internet use, a faster data plan might mitigate the problem.
  • Time of day. Internet speeds usually slow down during the hours when many people use the Internet at the same time. This is a common problem during the work day. You may notice that speeds return to normal when internet usage is less, such as late at night or early in the morning.
  • Sites with heavy traffic. The amount of traffic a site receives can affect your internet speed when browsing that site. Sites with heavy traffic can become slow, and may also crash randomly when the page is almost loaded. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do in this case. You just have to be patient and visit the site later.
  • your device. You may have a fast internet connection, but your device, such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet, may be outdated, infected with a virus, or a simpler model with slow processing speed, which can also result in slow internet usage. If you try to improve your computer or are using a different computer, it may help determine if this is the cause of the slow internet connection.

Problems You'll Face When Internet Speeds Are Too Slow

Slow internet speeds can lead to browsing problems. These problems can range from problems that will just get worse, but if your internet speed is really very slow, then the internet may stop functioning completely.

You may be experiencing some of these issues due to slow internet speeds:

  • Sites timed out to load and sites do not load properly
  • Unable to stream videos or use Skype or Netflix. Videos can also take a long time to load and display in poor quality.
  • Large sites (which often have a lot of images) load slowly
  • Delayed reaction of the site when entering text or moving the mouse

If you notice these problems, then you can almost be sure that your internet speed is too low to support your internet needs.

Chapter 5: Troubleshooting Your Internet Connection

When your internet goes down, you can't connect to a particular site, or the internet just doesn't load properly, you'll need to troubleshoot to get to the root of the problem. Because a lot of working parts create an internet connection, and because there are many other factors like internet speed test and site functionality that also come into play, you really need to go through a lot of steps to identify potential problems.

Here's a step-by-step guide to troubleshooting a slow or non-functional internet connection.


Signs of internet connection problems

You will most likely notice an internet problem first when you can't connect to a website or access your email. The site may take longer to load than usual, or you may receive a message that the site is unavailable.

Before you start troubleshooting your Internet connection, first make sure that the site is really unavailable. Sites sometimes crash, so check that site again, then check a few other sites to make sure all sites have the problem.

You can also visit downforeveryoneorjustme.com. This site gives you the opportunity to check if the site is really crashing, or if you are the only one having problems visiting this site.

If other sites don't load, you get a message that you don't have an internet connection or that the site is unavailable, then you most likely have problems with your internet connection.

Here's how to solve them.

  1. Check the connection between your computer and router.
    First, you will need to make sure that the internet is properly connected to your computer. Which way are you trying to connect - via LAN or WiFi? If you are using a LAN cable, then make sure the cable is properly connected to your computer and modem. If you are using WiFi, then open the device settings and check the connection. Then look for an indicator that your computer is connected to a network and that the network is available. You may receive a “No connections available” message, which means there is a problem with the network itself, or with the way your computer is trying to connect to the network. Disconnecting from the network and reconnecting sometimes helps solve the problem. If you are still unable to connect to the network, you will need to check the IP address of your computer or device. In fact, you have two IP addresses: one identifies your device with a modem or router, and the second identifies the modem with the Internet. When we talk about identifying your IP address, we are talking about the local IP that identifies your device to your modem or router. Thinking “What is my IP?”. Don't worry - it's pretty easy to look through. To check the local IP address of your device, open Settings. Then select "Networks or WiFi", then "More", where you will see the IP address assigned by the modem or router. Check and make sure your IP address is valid. The address looks like a series of numbers separated by spaces, such as 192.168.1.104 or 10.0.1.8. If your address looks like 0.0.0.0, it means it's invalid. You will need to update or reconfigure your IP address in order to connect to the internet. How you do this depends on the type of connection.
  2. Make sure your router is connected to the internet
    If your router is not connected to a modem or the Internet, then your computer will also not be able to connect. First, check all your router wires to make sure they are properly inserted into your router and modem (if your router and modem are separate). Then check the lights on the router and modem. A red or yellow dot, or a light that does not come on may indicate a problem. Now unplug the wire from the modem, then plug it back in. This will help reset the system and can sometimes resolve connection issues. If you still cannot connect, then unplug the cable from the router, then plug it back in. If you have another router on hand, try replacing it to determine if the router is the source of the problem. Still can't connect? Try directly connecting your laptop to the modem with a cable. You can also wirelessly connect other devices, such as a tablet or phone. If you can connect other devices but can't connect your computer, there may be a problem with your computer's wireless card or your computer's settings. However, if you can only connect your computer with a cable, then this may mean that there is a problem with the WiFi signal generated by the router. If you are still unable to connect your computer or any other device using the above methods, then your ISP may have an outage issue. Call the ISP and explain the problem. They can give you information about current outages in your area.
  3. A note about satellite internet
    If you're getting internet via a satellite connection, then troubleshooting your internet connection can be a bit tricky. Satellites are affected by rain, snow, and even thick clouds. If the Internet drops out during bad weather, then you most likely need to blame the weather conditions. You should also check the satellite dish for dirt and clean it of snow. As frustrating as it may seem, you will need to wait for weather conditions to improve before troubleshooting satellite internet. It is possible that the Internet will simply return when the weather conditions improve. You ISP can also give you information if you call them.

How to speed up a slow internet connection

If you're dealing with a slow internet connection, these tips can help you diagnose what's causing it and determine how to speed up your internet connection.

  • Do a lot of internet speed checks throughout the day. Speedcheck automatically logs the results of each test so you can easily view the results in the future. These checks can also help you see and understand the actual speeds you are dealing with. If the speeds are too slow, then upgrading your data plan or buying a new router can help.
  • Rate your router. Sometimes a slow or damaged router can lead to slow internet speeds and connection issues. Make sure your router is not old or outdated and that it provides the speed you need. Try replacing it with a different router if you have one to see if it speeds up your connection
  • Reduce the number of people connected to the network. If your home network is connected to a lot of people with many devices, then this can also slow down the speedtest. When used simultaneously, phones, tablets and computers require more speed than what you need when using a single computer. Try reducing the number of devices you use at the same time and see the difference. If there is a difference, then you may need to upgrade your data plan to better support all devices.
  • Try using the internet at different times. Remember, during congested periods of internet use, internet speeds may slow down. Try using the internet at different times when fewer people are using the internet, such as late at night or early in the morning.
  • Create a strategic download schedule. If you need to download heavy software, schedule your downloads to spread over the early hours of the morning when fewer people are using the internet. This will save you time, as well as provide you with the opportunity to use the Internet during low traffic hours, when it is the fastest.
  • If you suspect an ISP is the source of the problem, you will need to contact the company directly. In general, it's faster and better to go to the nearest office in person (and sometimes better) than to call customer service or technical support. Of course, this is only an option if there is a service office nearby and if you have time to visit it.

    Whether you're calling support or visiting the office in person, you should keep your case number with you at all times. You will need this information if you are going to deal with this issue, and it can save you a lot of time on future calls.

    If you don't have internet for a few days, many companies can give you a refund, but you will need to request it. Determine how many days you are out of service, then request a refund for that number of days.

    • Wrong settings on your computer
    • Misconfigured network
    • Defective wireless cards
    • Faulty router or modem
    • Other

    If you are frustrated and do not know what to do, then you can hire an IT company or specialist who can help you. An IT expert can come to your home and fix your connection problems. They can also evaluate your hardware, make modifications, make the right settings, and suggest the best ways for you to get reliable home network performance. (The same is true for companies if you're trying to troubleshoot your company's internet.)

    If you need an IT specialist, first visit your nearest computer repair shop. The store may even offer these services to you, but even if they don't provide such services, they will certainly know the local suppliers. Do you need more ideas? Then check with your local business directory or Google for help. Small companies usually provide more affordable services than large IT companies.

    We hope these troubleshooting tips will help you speed up your slow internet connection.

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