It is common for us to wish for a faster internet speed, whether for business or pleasure. However, sometimes internet speed is not as fast as it should be. It can be frustrating to wait for the internet connection to be re-established. Whenever you feel the internet speed is slow, to check the speed of your Internet, use the Centurylink Speed Test online tool to check your internet speed.
There are many reasons for having a slow internet connection, and speeding up your PC or laptop is not always simple. However, you can still optimize your connection speed in several ways.
Disconnect Unnecessary Devices
Due to the increased number of users in your household, many more devices are likely to be connected to the wifi network. Some devices may be required for work, such as laptops or computers. Still, others, such as tablets, gaming consoles, wireless TVs, and even phones, should be disconnected when not in use, as they can download and update in the background, consuming valuable bandwidth when not in use.
It is recommended that you connect only the essentials to your network, as the more devices connected to the connection, the slower the connection will be.
Check Your Data Cap
Your Internet service provider usually caps the monthly amount of data you are permitted to use. If you exceed your data cap, your ISP will likely significantly restrict your internet speed.
You can review your past billing statement if you are unsure whether you have a data cap. It is probably time to upgrade your plan whenever you exceed the monthly cap.
Due to COVID-19, more people are working from home, which has increased the incidence of data throttling. Due to this change in demand, many Internet service providers have been forced to throttle their users’ access.
Adjust Your Frequency Band or Channel
Most routers use dual-band technology, which allows them to emit wireless signals at either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz (the latter has a greater range but offers better performance).
If the band on which you are operating has interference – and most internet of things (IoT) devices use 2.4 GHz, making the frequency rather crowded at times – it might be worthwhile to attempt the other band.
In the same way that any other channel of communication can become congested, your Wi-Fi channel may also experience congestion at times. Alternatively, you can change your Wi-Fi channel (2.4 GHz bands have 14 channels, and 5 GHz bands range from 36 to 165).
For those operating on the 2.4 GHz frequency, channels 1, 6, or 11 are the best options since they do not overlap, thus causing the least amount of interference from other devices. It is important to note that the 5GHz band consists of 24 channels that are not overlapping.
For Mac users, Wireless Diagnostics can be used to find the best channel on either band by holding down the Option key and clicking on the Wi-Fi icon. A Windows user can see their options by using an application, such as NetSpot, or by running a command in Windows PowerShell. To make the change, you will need to log in to the online interface of your router.
Choose a New Wi-Fi Channel
Meanwhile, you’re facing an Internet speed problem and want to change the Wi-Fi connection. Before changing the connection, you should check your Internet speed with the use of Centurylink Speed Test online tools. If your Internet speed is slow, complain to the wifi company. In the case they do not resolve the problem, change the wifi channel company.
To increase your internet speed, try switching your router from a 2.4 GHz to a 5 GHz channel. By doing so, you should be able to obtain more bandwidth and experience less interference. Multiple internet transmission channels are available on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies, though 2.4 GHz only offers 13 overlapping channels, while 5 GHz offers 24 non-overlapping channels.
When data packets travel back and forth on neighboring channels, they may interfere with one another, clogging up bandwidth and slowing down your connection.
There are some routers that are limited to the 2.4 GHz frequency band. If your router is limited to 2.4 GHz, you should select one of the following channels: 1, 6, or 11. It is recommended that you use these channels if you can convince your neighbors to use only channels 1, 6, or 11.
Conclusion
We have discussed in detail how to improve your internet speed. However, in case you are still facing the problem, then check the Internet speed with the use of the Centurylink Speed Test. If the connection speed is low, then your package complains to your company.
