The Internet has become an important part of our life in today’s world. In fact, we cannot imagine our life without the internet now. Thus, it is quite essential that we have a consistent internet connection 24 x 7. Using the internet with the help of wifi devices is in fact the most budget-friend;y option and also a durable option compared to other internet sources. But despite being a good source of internet, wifi devices sometimes seem to deliver inconsistent speed. This can be very much frustrating in case you want to download a movie or watch youtube videos in high quality. To fix this issue you can perform a full reset of your router. It does the job most of the time. But you can try to troubleshoot your router following the steps that we will be discussing in this article. Let us know ‘Why Is My Wifi So Inconsistent?’.
Inconsistent wifi can be a result of unknown people using your internet, bad placement of routers, excess cache data, faulty modem, cheap routers, background applications, blocked wifi signals, low internet speed, multiple devices accessing the wifi, overloaded channels, spyware and viruses, and so on. There are a lot of ways by which you can boost the download speed such as moving the router closer to your computer, closing unnecessary background apps, using wifi extenders, scanning for viruses and malware, limiting the number of devices connected to the router, changing the wifi password, upgrading the router, etc. So, let’s jump into the various common issues because of which you are getting inconsistent wifi speed.
Unknown People Are Using Your Internet
These days hacking the internet with wifi cracking programs and scanners have become a lot easier due to which it is very much easy to access anyone’s internet and steal data. You might have no idea that your friends or neighbors are accessing your internet without your permission. This could be the main reason for not getting a consistent wifi speed. There is an excess load on the internet when someone is downloading large files or performing a live stream. So what you can do to get rid of this issue is to change the existing password and set a strong one. This will prevent unknown people from accessing your data. You can also restrict the number of devices that you want to get connected to your router. For this, you can dedicate personalized sources to those devices which consume less internet and then disconnect them from your primary router.
Using additional antennas
You might have no idea that the antennae of your router play a significant role in increasing the speed of the internet. If you place your router at a higher place then these antennas can receive excellent signals and you will get a good internet speed. The inclination of these antennas also matters a lot. Make sure that your antennas are of high quality and as well have a high range. Companies like TP-Link, WAVING, etc manufacture high-quality antennas. If you use your wifi devices in an open environment then it is a must that your antennas are powerful because in open spaces the signals are mostly weak
Bad wifi spot
You need to find out what the position of your wifi device is. If you have kept the device inside a closed space such as a cabinet try to place it somewhere in an open space. In this way, it can get better signals and your WiFi speed can get a good boost instantly. If your house is quite big, then one reason can be the distance of your wifi device up to your pc or laptop. Try to experiment with the speed by moving closer to the wifi divide and then getting away from it. If the values are not similar then you need to buy some WiFi extenders and use them.
Cheap routers
Many times, cheap routers are the main culprits behind slow internet connections. Always ensure that a router is from a reputed company while making an online or offline purchase. Do not buy routers that are priced below $20. Routers are like PCs and they have their memory and processors. Cheap routers make use of inexpensive processors and memory units. A router that weighs more can be a better choice. So try to invest in good quality routers.
Background Programs
There might be a lot of applications that you use and keep them open while browsing the web or watching a video. We tend to forget that we have those apps running in the background. Those background applications can highly faucet the bandwidth and this can result in slow internet connections. You can manually check for apps and programs that seem to be running in the background and troubleshoot your slow internet issue easily at home.
Jammed WiFi signals
Elevators, metal furniture, pillars, and walls can create a blockage of the signals coming from the inconsistent Wifi router and the connected devices might face serious connection issues. Try to place your wifi router or modem in the middle of the room or premises. Do not keep WiFi routers or modems inside cabinets or closets. Also, you need to adjust the orientation of the antennas properly and WiFi extenders can most probably solve your issue.
Issues with the host server
The host server can be one of the most important reasons behind a poor internet connection. A host is responsible for hosting websites, and the transmission of files such as images, videos, and other applications. If the server that you are dependent on can be misconfigured or can be underpowered for the users accessing it simultaneously. If a single website is not loading properly then there are issues with that particular website but if most of the websites are not loading properly then there is a problem with the host server.
External devices causing a disturbance
Sometimes we tend to replace our routers, reset our devices and even try to move the modem here and there to get a better internet speed but none of these work. The main reason behind this is that there can be devices in our home other than our laptop and router which cause the disturbance. These can be any type of electronic device like TVs, radios, monitors, etc which emit radio waves that interfere with the network signals of the routers. Locate such devices and try placing them away from the router.
Crowded Channels
The channels that seem to create interference from other devices are called “crowded channels’ ‘. This can drastically decrease your internet speed. When loading a page, you will observe that the browser takes a lot of time to load. You can bring back your internet speed by logging into your broadband user account and switching to a different channel other than the existing one.
Malicious software
Viruses and spyware can have a very bad impact on the network connection on your device. Spyware and viruses slow down the computer and can regulate the internet speed on their own. Viruses tend to replicate themselves and send copies of themselves through emails slowing the internet. Hence, it is a wise thing to install anti-malware programs or antivirus and scan for this malicious software. There is a bunch of antivirus software like Avast, Kaspersky, Quick Heal, Norton, etc which can serve your purpose. Also, make sure you install paid antivirus software for better protection of your device.
Not knowing the actual speed in Mbps
There is a tech jargon that some of you might not be familiar with and i.e Mbps. It is usually associated with the network speed provided by the ISP. Usually, it is a number and we generally use that word as we say “I am getting 25 Mbps to download speed on my machine”. So if you have no idea about maps then you cannot predict whether you have a good or bad internet connection. To find out the internet speed you can use Google’s speed test by typing “speed test” in the browser. It is pretty accurate and will help you to know your network speed.
Faulty Modem
Faulty modems can cause slower internet speeds and there is no other way than to replace them. You need to make sure the ethernet cable is not loose and all the lights of the modem are on and properly blinking. If everything seems okay try to reset the modem and see if it worked. If you notice then the issue does not get resolved then you may have a faulty modem.
Issues with your existing plan
Your service provider might also be the issue for slow internet connectivity. If you think that the network speed that you have measured matches the one given to you by your internet service provider, then it is very much likely that you are getting a slow connection for the regular price you are paying. If this is the case, then you might need to reconsider your existing plan and switch to another company if you want a better speed.
Conclusion
Wifi speed can be affected by multiple wireless mediums as it runs on magnetic radio frequencies. It is quite a normal thing to get inconsistent internet speed times. But if you think that you are getting an inconsistent speed most of the time then you need to find a proper solution for this. Usually from 4 pm to 8 pm, the internet speed can be low because of high internet usage. People are mostly busy accessing the internet during these hours. This is the reason you might face an inconsistent wifi speed during these busy hours. But if the speed is low even during other times of the day then you can try the solutions proposed above and this way you can get a stable wifi speed.