Why Is My Broadband So Slow?

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Why Is My Broadband So Slow?. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Slow broadband can disrupt productivity for small business and home office users across Australia. Before contacting support, it is important to determine whether the slowdown affects every device on your network or just one computer. This guide walks you through basic troubleshooting steps to help identify and resolve common causes of slow internet speeds.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Restart your modem and router.
2. Check WiFi signal strength on affected devices.
3. Test internet speed using a wired connection where possible.
4. Close bandwidth-heavy background applications.
5. Check for software updates or large downloads running in the background.

Detailed Instructions

1. Restart your modem and router

Power cycling your networking equipment can clear temporary glitches and refresh your connection to the exchange.

1. Locate your modem and router. These may be separate devices or a single combined unit.
2. Unplug both devices from the power outlet.
3. Wait at least 30 seconds. This allows capacitors to discharge and ensures a clean reset.
4. Plug the modem back in first and wait for its indicator lights to stabilise.
5. Plug the router back in and wait for it to fully boot up.
6. Reconnect your devices and test the internet speed again.

2. Assess WiFi signal strength

Weak WiFi signals often cause slow speeds or dropouts, particularly in larger homes or offices with thick walls.

1. Move closer to your router and run a speed test again.
2. Check the WiFi icon on your device. Fewer bars indicate a weaker signal.
3. Identify potential sources of interference, such as microwaves, cordless phones, or baby monitors operating on the 2.4 GHz band.
4. If possible, connect your computer directly to the router using an Ethernet cable to determine whether the issue is specific to WiFi.

3. Check background applications and devices

Background updates, cloud syncing, and streaming services can consume significant bandwidth without obvious signs.

1. On Windows, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Click the Performance tab, then select Open Resource Monitor at the bottom.
3. In Resource Monitor, click the Network tab to see which applications are sending and receiving data.
4. On macOS, open Activity Monitor from Applications > Utilities, then click the Network tab.
5. Pause or close any non-essential applications using large amounts of data, such as video calls, cloud backups, or system updates.

4. Test on multiple devices

Determining whether the issue is isolated to one device helps narrow down the cause.

1. Connect a smartphone, tablet, or laptop to your WiFi network.
2. Open a web browser and visit a speed testing website.
3. Compare results across devices.
4. If only one device is slow, the issue is likely with that computer rather than your broadband connection.
5. If all devices are slow, the problem is likely with your modem, router, or external line.

5. Check for network congestion

In small office environments, multiple users streaming video, downloading large files, or using cloud applications simultaneously can saturate available bandwidth.

• Ask colleagues whether they are running large downloads or video conferences.
• Schedule heavy tasks such as cloud backups outside of business hours.
• Consider upgrading your broadband plan if your organisation regularly exceeds its current speed capacity.

Troubleshooting

Slow speeds on a single device

• Restart the affected computer.
• Toggle WiFi off and on again, or disconnect and reconnect to the network.
• Check for malware or adware using your installed security software.
• Ensure your network adapter drivers are up to date.

Slow speeds across all devices

• Verify that no devices are performing large uploads or downloads.
• Check that your router firmware is current. Log in to the router administration page (commonly 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) and look for a firmware update option.
• If you use a VPN, disconnect it and test again, as VPNs can reduce throughput.
• Contact your service provider if speeds remain consistently below your plan's advertised rate.

If you have completed these steps and are still experiencing slow broadband, Open a Ticket and our support team will investigate further.

For help connecting devices to your network, see our guide on How to connect to Wi-Fi.

If you host with us, you don't need to do this yourself — just Open a Ticket and our Brisbane team will get it sorted.

Still Having Issues?