How Does Internet Speed Affect Your Connection?

How Does Internet Speed Affect Your Connection?
6 min read

If a web page opens slower or your download seems to last for ages, certainly, your internet connection is affected. 

Having a strong internet connection is a need of the day. Every household has different needs for downloading and browsing speed. Furthermore, fixed networks and mobile networks have their own differences.

There are many factors that influence how fast and how reliable your internet connection is. Among these factors are the type of transfer technology, your location, the number of people sharing the connection, and the device you use. Whether you opt for cheap internet plans or the higher paying plans, internet speed should be the same as per the plan. Therefore, it is important to consider these factors to keep your network running smoothly or you can resolve that issue when it occurs. 

Table of content

  • Speed Difference In Fixed Network
  • Speed Difference In Mobile Network
  • Test The Actual Connection Speed
  • When Provider's Network Is Congested
  • Check Your Hardware
  • Number Of Users
  • Distance From Router
  • Check The Software/ Applications

Speed Difference In Fixed Network

Fixed networks are affected by data transfer technology, which is the main factor affecting broadband speed. High-speed connections are possible over fiber-optic and cable networks, while limited transfer speeds are available over traditional xDSL connections.

Speed Difference In Mobile Network

In mobile networks, the connection speed is influenced primarily by the area's network technologies and the features of the user's terminal device:

Under the right circumstances, the 4G network can support high-speed connections. It is usually possible to use a 3G network in a wider area, but the speed is usually lower than that of a 4G network. Despite being the most extensive network, the GSM network has very limited data transfer speeds.

Test The Actual Connection Speed

There are several operators that offer their customers a free speed test. During the test, you can see how fast your connection is downloading and uploading. Running the test at different times can yield different results, so you should run it several times.

When Provider's Network Is Congested

When everyone in the neighborhood is online at once at peak times, cable internet subscribers may experience slowdowns. You may be familiar with traffic on your home network, but this is on a larger scale. The same bandwidth is shared by you and all your neighbors in this scenario. 

Essentially, you are competing for bandwidth with your neighbors. In case of extreme congestion, your internet provider may throttle your internet speeds in your area to reduce traffic.

Check Your Hardware

It is highly dependent on the network equipment you use, such as the router or cable, to speed up your Internet connection. For instance, the reliability and speed of an Ethernet connection are generally better than Wi-Fi. As more devices connect to the same Wi-Fi network, your internet speed might decrease. The hardware of the computer might also slow down your online work - for example, a slow processor might affect your online performance.

Number Of Users

Many people connecting to the internet at the same time can cause a slowdown in internet speed. The majority of these incidents happen after work hours when everyone is trying to connect to the internet. It is also typical to experience slow internet speeds at airports and other places where a large number of people are using one Wi-Fi network.

Distance From Router

As well as your terminal device's distance from the network centralizer, your connection speed also varies. In general, the distance from the broadband centralizer affects your connection speed more. You won't get the best internet speed if your Wi-Fi router is too far from the devices. It might be a good idea to get a wireless repeater to solve this problem. 

A signal copier doubles the strength of the Wi-Fi signal by connecting it between the therefore, it is also important to note that the distance between your terminal device and the network centralizer plays an important role in the speed of your connection. In addition to physical obstacles such as water or metal, physical obstacles can also affect internet speed. Make sure to remove any from metal boards or place your router away from such things. 

Check The Software/ Applications

Running too many apps that connect to the internet at once will naturally slow your computer down. You might not even notice some of them running in the background. For example, in file-sharing apps, you can check the settings for auto-update, sync, or backup.

You should also limit the number of add-ons and toolbars you install in your browser. Your bandwidth will be consumed by each of them.

Conclusion

A smooth internet connection is a blessing. Whether you use a fixed network or mobile internet, there can be several factors that affect the overall speed of your internet. These factors might be at your provider's end or you may need to check your internet device. If you opt for cheap internet plans, check the number of users you have, ensure the router is working fine, or perform a speed test to check the status of your network. This guide will help you understand what factors can cause a network to be slow.  You can also get more information about How to Prevent Deadly Electrical Shocks

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Scarlett Watson 1.5K
I am a professional writer and blogger. I’m researching and writing about innovation, Blockchain, technology, business, and the latest Blockchain marketing tren...

I am a professional writer and blogger. I’m researching and writing about innovation, Health, technology, business, and the latest digital marketing trends. 

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