What Factors Affect Your Internet Speed [Infographic]

With lightning-fast speeds being delivered to your doorstep, many of us have become used to fast streaming, no lagging and finding anything we want online within seconds. But if you don’t have the correct wireless router for your home, you may find that you may not be enjoying the optimum Internet speed that you could be. If you’re wondering what factors could possibly affect the speeds you receive, check out this infographic created by the BlueGadgetTooth team.

IMAGE: PEXELS

Wireless Is Always King

Who wants to really be tied down to one spot at home – and with the latest internet standard of 802.11AC being commonplace now, it has ensured that we enjoy those fast speeds from anywhere within our home. However, an Ethernet connection will always offer faster speeds – theoretically to 10Gbps. Check what internet standard your wireless router has and what type of Ethernet cable you are using.

Computer Hardware

The older the parts you use in the devices either connected to the internet, or devices getting you connected could slow down your internet speed.

Virus Alert

With annoying pop-ups suddenly appearing while you’re streaming your favorite show to finding your device has slowed down considerably, viruses like spyware and malware could cause havoc in your computer – using up more bandwidth and slowing down your device.

Your Wireless Router’s Age

It’s all about the age – it stands to reason that the older the wireless router, the less capable it would be to handle the awesome speeds or load that your ISP delivers. Weak antennae could also deliver weak signal strength to all areas of your home. Upgrade your wireless router to get faster speeds.

Location, Location, Location

The location has always been key in determining your internet speed. Why? Because the more obstacles you have between your clients and your router, the weaker your signal strength will be and your speeds will be slower, you can always check what your current internet speed is at speedcheck.org. Keep an eye out for multiple walls, many 2.4GHz interferences like microwaves, kitchen gadgets, water bodies, and metal etc.

Which Web Browser You Use

These days you could be comfortable using Firefox, Edge, and Chrome – and although your internet speed won’t be affected no matter which browser you choose to use, your browsing speed itself could vary, depending on which browser you use.

Your Host Server

Your Host Server could be unable to handle the loads or a number of users connected, or it simply could be misconfigured – either way, this remains as one of the most common causes of slow internet speeds.

Your ISP

What plan do you subscribe to from your ISP? What speed you get is largely affected by your ISP – always. Although there are different ways to access the internet, from Dial-up in some areas, to Satellite in remote areas, the most common way is through coaxial cables. Do you know what your connection cable is made of?

Your OS

How old is your computer? What brand do you use? If you are an Apple user, you will probably notice a difference in perceived internet speeds when compared to a PC user due to having a faster processor. However, don’t gloat just yet – PC’s have better RAM and this is a huge factor in website loading speeds.

All About The Traffic

If there are multiple users connected to your network, you could face slower speeds due to the traffic congestion. You could face this problem also at peak hours when everyone is online at the same time.

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