Why Is My Internet So Slow? 10 Fixes to Try, in Order
By Gllownite Technology • Published 1 November 2026
Slow internet usually has one of four causes: your device, your Wi-Fi signal, your router, or your internet provider. The fastest way to fix it is to find out which one, rather than trying random fixes. Work through these steps in order and test again after each one.
Step 1: Get a baseline
Run a speed test and write down the download speed, upload speed and ping. Without this number you cannot tell whether a fix worked. Then compare it with the speed your plan promises.
Step 2: Work through the fixes
- Restart the router. Turn it off, wait 30 seconds and turn it on again. Give it a couple of minutes to reconnect before testing.
- Check for other people and devices. Cloud backups, game downloads, phone updates and 4K video on another device can all use up your connection. Pause them and test again.
- Try a different device. If a phone is fast and a laptop is slow on the same Wi-Fi, the problem is the laptop, not your internet.
- Turn off any VPN. A VPN sends traffic through another server, which often lowers speed and raises ping.
- Move closer to the router. Walls, floors and distance weaken Wi-Fi. If speed jumps when you stand next to the router, your problem is Wi-Fi coverage.
- Switch to 5 GHz Wi-Fi if your router has it. See our 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz guide to choose the right band.
- Test with an Ethernet cable. Connect a laptop directly to the router. This takes Wi-Fi out of the picture and is the most useful check on this list.
- Check the router and cable. A router with 100 Mbps ports, or an old damaged cable, can hold back a faster plan. A loose or bent fibre cable can also cause drops.
- Check who is on your Wi-Fi. Look at the connected devices list in your router settings. If you see devices you do not recognise, change the password to a strong Wi-Fi password.
- Test at different times. If speed is fine in the morning and poor every evening, your provider may be congested at peak hours.
Step 3: Read the result
| What you see | Most likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Slow on one device only | That device | Update it, close background apps, restart it |
| Fast on cable, slow on Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi signal or band | Move the router, use 5 GHz, change channel |
| Slow on cable and Wi-Fi | Router or provider | Restart, check router ports, then call your provider |
| Slow only in the evening | Provider congestion | Share evening results with your provider |
| Good speed but laggy games and calls | High ping or jitter | Read our ping guide |
When to call your internet provider
Call once you have tested over Ethernet at a few different times and the speed is still well below your plan. Give them the dates, times and results. Clear evidence that a wired connection is slow is much harder to dismiss than saying the internet feels slow.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my internet slow all of a sudden?
A sudden change often comes from a device using the connection in the background, a router that needs restarting, or an outage or fault at your provider. Restart the router, pause other devices and run a speed test. If a wired connection is also slow, contact your provider.
Does restarting the router really help?
Often, yes. A restart clears the router's temporary state and makes it reconnect to your provider. It is quick and safe, so it is the right first step, but it will not fix weak Wi-Fi coverage or a provider fault.