Why is your Internet so Slow?

Do you spend your days screaming at your computer or waiting for what seems like forever for a website to load? If so, then it is time to get to the bottom of why your internet is so slow!

If you’d like to take a free test online to check the speed of your internet, go to http://beta.speedtest.net/ and click GO. Once you have your test results and something seems wrong, there are a few factors that could be slowing down your internet…

     1.       How old is your computer? Older computers may need the help of some extra memory to get the best possible internet speeds.

     2.       Distance. The speed of the internet you are experiencing can be affected by the path, speed and capacity of the website’s connection to your network.

     3.       Wi-Fi obstructions. Where is your Wi-Fi router located? Any walls that have metal pipes or metal studs can really slow down the speed of your internet connection.

     4.       Popular websites. Sometimes the problem is not your computer, but the fact that you’re visiting a popular website that may be overloaded.

     5.       Virus infection. Should your computer be infected by a virus without you realising, it can significantly slow down the processing power and speed of your internet.

     6.       Outdated software. Always update your computer software whenever there are updates available – an outdated operating system can slow down your internet.

In addition to the above factors, what else can be done to deal with the issues?

     -          Reset your modem / router

     -          Reboot your PC

     -          Clear your browser cache

     -          Run fewer applications

If these steps don’t help or you’re not sure of something, do not hestitate to contact the IT professionals at The Computer Guyz in Cape Town or Centurion. Call us on 087 001 0511/2 or email helpdesk@thecomputerguyz.co.za