Few things are more frustrating than slow internet — especially when you’re paying for speeds you’re not getting. The video buffers. The Zoom call freezes. Downloads crawl. And you’re left wondering: is it my router, my provider, or something else entirely?
Before you spend 45 minutes on hold with tech support, work through this guide. Most slow internet problems have a simple fix, and you can diagnose them yourself in 10 minutes.
Step 1: Run a Speed Test (The Right Way)
First, establish a baseline. You need to know what speed you’re actually getting vs. what you’re paying for.
How to Run an Accurate Speed Test
- Use a wired connection — Connect your laptop or computer directly to your router/modem with an Ethernet cable. This eliminates WiFi as a variable and tells you what speed is actually reaching your home.
- Close everything else — Shut down streaming, downloads, cloud backups, and other devices using the internet. You want a clean test.
- Run the test — Go to speedtest.net or fast.com. Run it 2–3 times and average the results.
- Compare to your plan — If you’re paying for 150 Mbps and getting 140 Mbps on a wired connection, your internet service is fine — the problem is likely your WiFi or a specific device. If you’re getting 50 Mbps on a wired connection, the issue is with your service or modem.
Key benchmark: You should get at least 80% of your advertised speed on a wired test. Anything below 60% indicates a real problem.
Not sure how much speed you actually need? Our speed guide breaks it down by household size and usage.
Step 2: Check If It’s a WiFi Problem (It Usually Is)
If your wired speed test is fine but everything feels slow on WiFi, the issue is your wireless network — not your internet service. This is the most common scenario.
Common WiFi Killers
- Distance from the router: WiFi signal strength drops dramatically with distance and through walls. Two rooms away from your router, you might be getting half the speed. Through a concrete basement floor? Even less.
- Too many devices: The average Canadian home now has 15–25 connected devices. Each one competes for bandwidth and router processing power. Smart home gadgets, security cameras, and IoT devices add up fast.
- Router placement: A router stuffed in a basement closet or behind a TV cabinet will perform terribly. WiFi signals travel best in open spaces, and routers broadcast outward and downward from their position.
- Interference: Microwaves, baby monitors, Bluetooth devices, and neighbouring WiFi networks (especially in apartments and condos) can all degrade your WiFi signal. This is particularly bad on the 2.4 GHz band.
- Old router: If your router is more than 4–5 years old, it likely doesn’t support modern WiFi standards. A WiFi 5 (802.11ac) router from 2018 can’t deliver the same performance as a WiFi 6 or WiFi 6E router.
Quick WiFi Fixes
- Move your router to a central, elevated location — The middle of your home, on a shelf or mounted on a wall, with clear line-of-sight to your main living areas. This single change can double your effective coverage.
- Switch to the 5 GHz band — If your router broadcasts both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks (most modern routers do), connect to the 5 GHz network for devices within 1–2 rooms of the router. It’s faster and less congested, though its range is shorter.
- Restart your router — Unplug it, wait 30 seconds, plug it back in. This clears the memory, resets connections, and often resolves mysterious slowdowns. Do this once a month as maintenance.
- Update your router’s firmware — Log into your router’s admin panel (usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) and check for firmware updates. Manufacturers regularly release updates that fix bugs and improve performance.
If these fixes don’t help, you might have WiFi dead zones. A mesh WiFi system is the most reliable solution for larger homes or multi-storey layouts.
Step 3: Check for Bandwidth Hogs
Sometimes the internet is fine — something on your network is just using all of it.
Common Bandwidth Hogs
- 4K streaming: A single 4K Netflix or Disney+ stream uses 15–25 Mbps. Two simultaneous 4K streams can consume 50 Mbps — a third of a 150 Mbps plan.
- Cloud backups: Services like iCloud, Google Photos, OneDrive, and Dropbox can upload gigabytes of photos and files in the background, saturating your upload bandwidth.
- Game downloads and updates: A single game update can be 50–100 GB. While it’s downloading, everything else slows to a crawl.
- Security cameras: Multiple WiFi security cameras streaming 24/7 can use 5–15 Mbps each, especially at 1080p or higher resolution.
- Other people: In a household of 4–5 people, everyone streaming, gaming, and video-calling simultaneously adds up quickly.
How to Fix It
- Check your router’s admin panel — Most routers show connected devices and their bandwidth usage. Identify the top consumers.
- Schedule large downloads — Set game updates and cloud backups to run overnight.
- Enable QoS (Quality of Service) — Many routers let you prioritize certain types of traffic (like video calls) over others (like downloads). Check your router settings.
- Consider upgrading your plan — If your household regularly maxes out your bandwidth, you might genuinely need a faster plan. Our internet plan guide can help you figure out the right speed tier.
Step 4: Inspect Your Hardware
Old or faulty hardware is a surprisingly common cause of slow internet.
Your Modem
- Check for overheating: Feel your modem. If it’s hot to the touch, it may be throttling performance. Make sure it has ventilation — don’t stack things on top of it or put it in an enclosed cabinet.
- Check the lights: A solid green or white “online” light means your connection is healthy. Flashing or orange/red lights indicate a connection problem. Check your provider’s support page for light status meanings.
- Age matters: If your modem is more than 5 years old, it may not support the DOCSIS 3.1 standard required for modern cable internet speeds. Ask your provider if your modem supports your plan’s speed tier.
Your Router
- Combo units (modem/router) from your ISP are convenient but often perform worse than dedicated routers. If you’re on a high-speed plan (300+ Mbps), consider using your own router.
- Check Ethernet cables: If you use wired connections, make sure you’re using Cat 5e or Cat 6 cables. Old Cat 5 cables cap out at 100 Mbps — a bottleneck if you’re paying for more.
Step 5: Rule Out ISP Problems
If your wired speed test shows significantly less than what you’re paying for, and your modem and cables are fine, the problem may be on your provider’s end.
Signs It’s an ISP Issue
- Consistently low wired speeds (below 60% of your plan) at all times of day
- Frequent disconnections — internet dropping out for a few seconds or minutes, multiple times per day
- Slow speeds only at certain times — if internet is fast at 7 AM but slow every evening from 7–10 PM, your provider may have congestion in your area. This is common with cable internet in densely populated neighbourhoods.
- Outage reports — Check Downdetector.ca for your provider. If hundreds of people in your area are reporting issues, it’s not your equipment.
What to Do
- Document the problem: Run speed tests at different times of day for 2–3 days. Screenshot the results. This gives you evidence when you call.
- Call your provider: Share your speed test results and ask them to check your line. They can often run remote diagnostics on your modem and detect signal issues.
- Ask about infrastructure: If you’re on older DSL or aging cable infrastructure, speeds may be limited by the physical lines to your home. In some areas, upgrading to fibre internet is the only real fix.
- Consider switching providers: If your provider can’t resolve ongoing speed issues, it may be time to switch. In Western Canada, there are competitive options across Alberta, BC, and Saskatchewan. Compare internet plans at Get WiFi.
Step 6: Advanced Troubleshooting
Still slow? Try these deeper diagnostics.
Change Your DNS Server
Your DNS server translates website names into IP addresses. A slow DNS server makes every page load feel sluggish, even if your download speed is fine. Switch to a faster public DNS:
- Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
- Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
You can change this in your router settings (affects all devices) or on individual devices in their network settings.
Check for Malware
Malware and adware on a device can consume bandwidth in the background — sending data, mining cryptocurrency, or participating in botnets. Run a full antivirus scan on any device that seems unusually slow.
Try a Different WiFi Channel
In apartments and condos, dozens of neighbouring WiFi networks compete on the same channels. Use a WiFi analyzer app (like WiFi Analyzer on Android or NetSpot on Mac/Windows) to find the least congested channel, then switch to it in your router settings.
For 2.4 GHz, channels 1, 6, and 11 are the only non-overlapping options. For 5 GHz, there are many more channels available, so congestion is less common.
Check Your VPN
If you use a VPN, it adds an extra hop for all your internet traffic and can reduce speeds by 10–50% depending on the server location and encryption overhead. Try disconnecting the VPN temporarily to see if speeds improve. For more on VPN performance, see our home WiFi security guide.
When to Upgrade Your Internet Plan
Sometimes slow internet just means you’ve outgrown your plan. Here are signs you need more speed:
- Your household has 4+ people regularly online at the same time
- You stream in 4K on multiple TVs
- You work from home and need reliable video conferencing — check our home office internet setup guide for specifics
- You game online while others are streaming — our gaming internet guide covers latency and speed requirements
- You have 15+ smart home devices on your network
A good rule of thumb: you need about 25–50 Mbps per person for comfortable usage. A family of four should be on at least a 150 Mbps plan; heavy usage households benefit from 300+ Mbps.
If you’re in Alberta, BC, or Saskatchewan, check Get WiFi’s internet plans for competitive options across all speed tiers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my internet slow only at night?
Evening slowdowns (typically 7–10 PM) are usually caused by network congestion — everyone in your neighbourhood is streaming, gaming, and browsing at the same time. Cable internet is especially susceptible because bandwidth is shared in your local area. Fibre connections are much less affected by congestion.
Does restarting my router actually help?
Yes, and it’s one of the most effective quick fixes. Restarting clears the router’s memory, resets all device connections, and can resolve IP address conflicts and firmware glitches. It’s good practice to restart your router once a month.
How do I know if my router is too old?
If your router doesn’t support WiFi 5 (802.11ac) or newer, it’s definitely time to upgrade. Routers older than 5 years often lack the processing power and antenna technology to handle modern internet speeds and the number of devices in today’s homes.
Should I use my ISP’s modem/router or buy my own?
ISP-provided combo units are convenient but often mid-range in performance. If you’re on a plan of 300 Mbps or faster, you’ll likely get better WiFi coverage and speed from a dedicated router (or mesh system) paired with a standalone modem.
Will a WiFi extender fix my slow internet?
WiFi extenders can help with coverage in dead zones, but they cut your available speed in half because they rebroadcast the signal on the same channel. A mesh WiFi system is a much better solution — it uses dedicated backhaul channels to maintain full speed throughout your home.
Quick Troubleshooting Cheat Sheet
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Slow everywhere, wired and WiFi | ISP issue or modem problem | Run wired speed test, call provider if below 60% of plan |
| Slow on WiFi, fast on wired | WiFi signal or router issue | Reposition router, switch to 5 GHz, consider mesh |
| Slow only in certain rooms | WiFi dead zones | Move router, add mesh nodes |
| Slow at certain times of day | Network congestion or bandwidth hogs | Check device usage, consider fibre or plan upgrade |
| Slow on one device only | Device issue (old WiFi, malware, software) | Update device, run antivirus, check WiFi adapter |
| Pages load slow, downloads are fast | DNS issue | Switch to Google or Cloudflare DNS |
| Frequent disconnections | Modem or line issue | Check modem lights, restart, call provider |
The Bottom Line
Most slow internet problems come down to WiFi issues, not your actual internet service. Start with a wired speed test to identify whether the problem is your connection or your wireless network, then work through the steps above.
If you’ve tried everything and your provider still can’t deliver the speeds you’re paying for, it might be time to switch. Compare internet plans at Get WiFi to find reliable, fairly-priced internet for your area in Alberta, British Columbia, or Saskatchewan.
Recent Comments