Months into the coronavirus crisis , many of us depend more than ever on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime to make long days stuck inside livable. That makes it all the more infuriating when a show stutters and stops right at the climax thanks to bad Wi-Fi. The collective groans, the held breath as loading stalls at 99%, All of these could be avoided if the internet just stayed steady. steady internet is rarely our reality, and in many areas, internet service provider options are too limited to solve the problem by just switching companies.
Step 1
Run through the usual troubleshooting methods
So your Wi-Fi is slow and you think your service provider is throttling your connection. Before you jump to those conclusions, it's important to run through the usual troubleshooting list: Check that your router is centrally located in your home, reposition its antennas, double check your network security and so on
If you've run through the laundry list and your Wi-Fi is still chugging, move on to the next step.
Step 2
Test your internet health
Once you've made sure there are no simple explanations to your Wi-Fi woes, you can get a more in depth measurement of the health of your internet in a number of ways. I would suggest starting out with a simple test through M-Lab. This will check your connection speed, essentially gauging whether your ISP is providing consistent performance no matter the content you're accessing. This measurement isn't perfect, but it's a good starting place.
Step 3
Find a reliable VPN
If you've done a basic first test on your internet health, and you still think something may be awry with your ISP, start researching VPNs. There are dozens of reasons to get one, and just as many factors to take into account while searching for the best virtual private network, such as security, price and server locations. Luckily, we've done that work for you already.
Step 4
Compare your speed with the VPN.
Next, test your internet speed somewhere like Fast.com or Speedtest.net. Compare the results to the same test when your VPN is active. The use of any VPN should cut your speed considerably, so the speed tests should show a discrepancy, with the VPN-active speed notably slower than the VPN-inactive speed. But a VPN also hides the IP address that providers use to identify you, so if your speed test with the VPN is faster than without the VPN, that may mean your ISP is targeting your IP address for throttling.
Step 5
Fix your internet
OK, this is the hard part. Even if you find out your provider is throttling your internet, there may not be much you can actually do. Many people in the US live in regions with ISP monopolies or duopolies, so you might not be able to find a better provider. But here are a few useful responses:
- If you do have options, use the best provider in your area. Measurement Lab provides a good resource for finding info specific to your region, and that can guide you to a more reliable ISP.
- Use your VPN to maintain more consistent speeds. A VPN can't solve a bad connection or other reasons behind your slow service, but it can mitigate throttling from unscrupulous ISPs.
- Some times it won't be the ISP it will be the type of router you use sinse new technology are available the router has also evolved the new routers com with two bands 2.4 and 5 five being the fastest and 2.4 having a long range