So many factors can be responsible for the slow running of your Wi-Fi. Common causes include modem/router issues, weak Wi-Fi signal or cable line, multiple devices on your network, and so on.
You will learn some of the factors in the remaining part of this write-up towards helping you to better understand what can be the cause.
You will also be able to use the information we provide below to take care of any of the problems in order to enhance your Wi-Fi network. There is an assurance that the solutions provided below will help to resolve the problems effectively so that you can continue using your Wi-Fi satisfactorily.
Does having too many devices on Wi-Fi slow it down?
Does having too many devices on Wi-Fi slow it down? Yes; this is the main feature responsible for this problem. Too many devices connected to the network will lead to connection saturation.
This is a possibility, but the network can be better improved without disconnecting some devices if you update your network driver.
Things even get worse if some of the connected devices are consistently used while being connected to the Wi-Fi for downloading large files, streaming videos, and making video calls.
So, your best bet would be to reduce the number of connected devices on your WiFi or you buy wifi that has an even larger capacity to accommodate more device connections.
If you have been asking “why is my Wi-Fi slow”, the answers below can give you a way out of the problem:
· Use of wrong spectrum bandwidth
One of the factors that can cause your Wi-Fi to run slowly is when you use the wrong spectrum band. There are two main frequency bands used by wireless networks. They are:
- 4 GHs and
- 5 GHz
The two can affect how fast and how far the data travels over Wi-Fi. The 5GHz is faster and can go farther than the 2.4 GHz band. When looking for answers to why is my Wi-Fi slow, check if you are using the 2.4 GHz. If this is the case, then you should consider changing over to a 5 GHz band for your device.
To make things a lot easier for you, it is better to use the two of them together on the same Wi-Fi router. However, this can only be possible if you are using a dual-band router.
Does having too many devices on Wi-Fi slow it down? Yes, this is possible also. But, increasing the bandwidth to 5 GHz can help to solve the problem effectively.
· Use of the wrong Wi-Fi channel
One other factor that can make your Wi-Fi run slowly is when you use the wrong Wi-Fi channel each of the frequency bands in Wi-Fi is divided into several channels. The channels are used for sending and receiving wireless data.
In the case of the 2.4 GHz, 3 channels do not overlap. You can choose any of the three channels when resolving the problem of why is my Wi-Fi slow. In the case of the 5 GHz band, there are up to 24 channels that do not overlap. You can also choose any of the channels.
You can choose from up to 11 channels when using the 2.4 GHz band. You are; however, better off with channels 1, 6, and 11. This is because these are the only channels that do not overlap. Most of the routers out there are using channel 6 as default.
So, you can decide to change from channel 6 to any of the other channels that do not overlap. Does having too many devices on Wi-Fi slow it down? Yes, but changing the channel can help a great deal.
Those using the 5GHz band can also choose any of 36, 40, 44, and 48 since these do not overlap
· Heavy bandwidth activities
Why is my Wi-Fi slow? It may be because you have many activities going on and each of these activities requires heavy bandwidth. Bandwidth is a measurement of the amount of data you can send over a network at any time.
When you have so many devices connected to the Wi-Fi and each of these devices consume huge data, it can slow down the pace of the signal from the router. Does having too many devices on Wi-Fi slow it down? Yes, it does quite alright.
Things even get worse if some of the connected devices are consistently used while being connected to the Wi-Fi for downloading large files, streaming videos, and making video calls.
You can easily detect the device that is consuming so much data by opening the Task Manager. You can check the Taskbar at the bottom of your computer screen and look for Task Manager on the pop-up list.
You can then use the task manager to sort out the various activities of each of the connected devices on the Wi-Fi router.
· Using an outdated router
One other answer to the question, why is my Wi-Fi slow is the use of an outdated router. In fact, many of those that are experiencing slow Wi-Fi should not complain further but just change their routers.
Studies show that people can get better Wi-Fi speeds when they use newer routers. This is because many of the older routers are unable to work with the newer standards of Wi-Fi. It is not enough to get a newer router; you should also check if that new router is compatible with 802.11ac technology. Another name for this type is Wi-Fi 5 or Wireless AC.
You can check the label on the router to know if it is compatible or not. This type of Wi-Fi will give you a speed of more than 1 Gbps.
Yes, changing your router to an updated version will forestall such a thing from happening. In case you are unable to find the Wi-Fi 5, you can go for the router that is compatible with 802.11n technology or 802.11ax technology
· Wrong positioning of your router
One other factor that can cause the Wi-Fi to be slow is if you place your router in the wrong place. If after changing your router to a new one but the speed is still very slow, then you should consider changing the location of the router.
This can help to resolve the question of why is my Wi-Fi slow. All you need to do is to change it to a better position and the speed can increase tremendously. The signal from a router travels in an outward radius.
The router will deliver a better signal if it is located centrally in the home. So, you should avoid placing it in a corner or at one end of the home or room.
However, the Wi-Fi can deliver adequate signals for all connected devices if it is placed in a central position.
· Outdated network drivers
Your computer connects to the internet via a network driver. Once the driver becomes outdated, it will not be able to connect to the internet easily.
When asking “why is my Wi-Fi slow”, it may not be because anything is wrong with your router; it may be because your network driver is outdated. So, you should find a way to update the network driver.
The problem can also come up if the current network driver on your system is incompatible with it or if the network adapter driver goes missing.
This can be one very easily; all you need to do is to follow the instructions given by Windows Update telling you to update to the latest version of network drivers. This notification comes up automatically once Windows notice that the network driver is outdated.
The update going can be done manually on Windows 10; you only need to open the Windows search box at the bottom-left corner of the screen and type Device Manager. When it comes up, right-click on the network adapter and then choose Update Driver.
· Problem with your plan
It is also possible that the cause of the slow network may be because of your internet plan. So, you should consider your internet speed when asking “why is my Wi-Fi slow.” It will save you a whole lot of stress.
One of the best ways to do this is to run a speed test and you can even do that for free online these days. The speed test will enlighten you about the performance of your router.
The result of the performance can be lowered by the other devices connected to the router, especially when those other devices are used for heavy activities, like Netflix streaming, uploading, downloading, or any other activity that requires heavy internet use.
Before running a speed test, you need to disconnect such devices as they can interfere with the speed test result.
You should make a comparison between the expected speed and the measured speed after you have obtained the result for the test
· Your modem needs rebooting
One other factor that may cause the Wi-Fi to be slow is the overworking of the router. The simple solution to this is to reboot the router. If you are wondering “why is my Wi-Fi slow”, simply reboot and it will come back to normal and deliver the expected speed.
Overload can lead to the Wi-Fi to slow down. It may be because too many devices are connected or it may be because you have been using the router for a very long time non-stop. This simple solution can bring things back to normal.
However, the problem can be resolved to make things better; you should reboot both the router and modem. In fact, you should make it a culture to reboot your modem and router from time to time.
Studies show that this simple solution can even resolve many of the issues that are causing the Wi-Fi to be slow. Be that as it may, the rebooting may only provide a temporary solution in some situations.
· Poor Wi-Fi signal
It is possible that the signal coming from the Wi-Fi is very poor and that can be the source of the Wi-Fi signal being slow. If you are looking for answers to why is my Wi-Fi slow, you may need to check the Wi-Fi signal to know if it is good or not.
If not, then you should work towards improving the signal. The signal can still be bad even when the internet is fine. You should understand that there is a difference between a bad internet connection and a bad Wi-Fi connection.
So, the problem may not be with your internet connection, but just the Wi-Fi connection.
Those using the 2.4 GHz band are more susceptible to this problem than those using the 5GHz band. Those living in denser urban areas also experience this type of problem more. It may better to go for a mesh Wi-Fi system to put an end to this problem; it can be trusted for a multiple base station that can be placed around your home.
· Connection saturation
Connection saturation is yet another factor that can cause your Wi-Fi to run slowly. Too many devices connected to the network will lead to connection saturation. When too many devices are connected to the network, it will lead to the saturation of your network and cause the Wi-Fi to be slow.
Things even get worse if you are using a 2.4 GHz band and not the 5 GHz band network. It will undoubtedly give you good value for money each time. Using a 2.4 GHz band can cause your internet connection to be slow, but using a 5 GHz band will change things in your favor.
Upgrading to a 5 GHz band will even provide an adequate internet network for all devices connected to the Wi-Fi, irrespective of how heavy the activities on the connected devices may be it is equally a good thing if your router has a Quality of Service feature.
From the above information, you would have gotten the answer to the possible causes of slow Wi-Fi connectivity. You can also trust in any of the solutions we provide above to help you resolve any of the problems that may lead to the situation.
Conclusion
So many factors can be responsible for the slow running of your Wi-Fi. We already highlighted some of the factors and also provided solutions in the write-up so you can better understand make your WiFi run faster.
I am confident that the solutions provided in the article above will help to resolve the problems effectively so that you can continue using your Wi-Fi satisfactorily.
