Why is my internet slow?

The short answer

Your internet is slow because of network congestion, Wi-Fi interference, an overloaded router, or a problem with your internet provider — and most causes have easy fixes.

Most common causes

1. Too many devices or people on the network

Every device connected to your network shares the same bandwidth. When multiple people are streaming, gaming, or video calling at the same time, everything slows down for everyone.

2. Your router needs a restart

Routers build up temporary data and small errors over time. A simple restart clears all of that and often fixes slowdowns instantly.

3. Wi-Fi signal is weak

The farther you are from your router, the weaker your signal gets. Walls, floors, and appliances like microwaves and baby monitors also block or interfere with Wi-Fi signals.

4. Your plan is too slow

If your internet feels slow all the time, your plan might not provide enough speed for what you’re doing. Video calls need about 5 Mbps, streaming HD video takes 10-25 Mbps, and a busy household can easily need 100 Mbps or more.

5. Background activity is eating your bandwidth

Automatic updates, cloud backups, and apps syncing in the background can quietly use up a large chunk of your bandwidth without you realizing it.

6. Your provider is having issues

Sometimes the problem isn’t on your end at all. Internet providers have outages, do maintenance, or experience congestion during peak evening hours.

How to fix it

  • Restart your router — unplug it, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in
  • Move closer to your router or move the router to a central location in your home
  • Disconnect devices you aren’t actively using
  • Run a speed test at fast.com to see if you’re getting the speed you’re paying for
  • Pause large downloads or backups while you need fast internet
  • Switch to the 5 GHz band if your router supports it — it’s faster at close range
  • Check for provider outages on your ISP’s website or app

When should you worry?

If your speed test consistently shows results far below what you’re paying for and restarting your router doesn’t help, contact your internet provider. You may have a faulty modem, a wiring issue, or a problem on their end that needs a technician to fix.