Why is my internet connection slow?

Your connection speed depends a lot on how your modem/router is running. (Note: Since your CenturyLink equipment is a combination modem and router, we use both words in this article.) 

Adjust your router position

You might be surprised by how much your internet speed can be impacted by where your router sits. You want to find a spot that is up off the floor and centrally located in your home (or in the area of your home where most internet activity takes place).

Physical obstructions can also be major culprits in slowing down your WiFi speed. Look out for any of these things standing between your router and your connected devices:

• Brick or concrete walls or floors
• Thick, heavy doors or windows
• Large containers of water (such as fish tanks) 
• Large metal appliances (especially refrigerators) 

Do your best to move the router or move other items so that these things are not blocking the path between your router and your devices.

Reboot your router

Routers can get bogged down after running for a while. The easiest way to fix many connectivity problems is to restart your router. If you find you're needing to restart frequently, it's easier than ever to set up a daily or weekly reboot to keep things running smoothly.

As a last resort, you can try resetting your modem. Similar to resetting a smartphone or reinstalling a computer's operating system, this will erase custom settings and return the modem to its factory default status.

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Start by understanding internet and WiFi speeds, and how they relate to all the connected devices in your home. The combined bandwidth used by all your devices may be more than you think. And the more bandwidth is used, the less speed you see on any one device. Use a bandwidth table to calculate your household's peak hour usage. Don't forget to include all of the following connected devices (and there very well may be more):  

• Smartphones, computers and tablets
  
• Web-enabled cameras or smart home security systems 
  
• DVRs, smart TVs,  and video streaming devices
• Additional routers, VoIP phones, wireless printers
• Voice assistants and smart speakers (like Alexa and Google Home)

Many of these devices are always on and frequently run updates or backups in the background, all of which can slow internet speeds down quite a bit. Whenever possible, power off or disconnect devices that you aren't using. This can free up more speed for the ones you are using. You may also want to check device settings to ensure backups aren't scheduled at the same time as your personal use peak hours. 

The key is, needs vary widely. One person living alone could easily get by with a 5 Mbps connection, while a large household doing multiple activities may need at least 20 Mbps. Set realistic expectations — depending on your plan speed, you may not be able to have three family members videoconferencing, streaming TV, and gaming online at the same time. Those three activities in particular require substantial upload speeds as well as download, so check your plan.

What we think of as "slow internet" can sometimes be a weak WiFi signal. Wireless speeds tend to be less than wired speeds on the same network, due to interference and signal loss over distance. But there are ways you can make sure your WiFi is running as fast as possible. 

Optimize your router. See #1 above.

Reduce interference from other electronics. Other devices in your home can slow down your WiFi connection, including microwaves, cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, TVs, wireless security systems, baby monitors, garage door openers, and more. If you have a newer modem, opt for a 5 GHz frequency signal to get a stronger connection and avoid some congestion from surrounding devices, many of which use the 2.4 GHz band.

Your base connection and your WiFi are only part of the speed equation — all the devices that you connect to your internet also play a role. To get the best performance, make sure devices, apps and software are up to date, free of malware, and not being overloaded.

Run antivirus scans on all devices

Antivirus protection is essential for good performance. Viruses and malware can slow down your whole system, including internet speed performance. Make sure every device is healthy by installing well-rated security software, keeping it updated and running security scans at least weekly. CenturyLink internet subscribers can get McAfee protection for free on two devices.

Update your browser

Your web browser (Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox, etc.) plays a major role in your experience when you are online. Make sure yours is running smoothly.

• Update your browser. Make sure your browser software and all plug-ins and extensions (like Java, Silverlight and others) are up to date. You can use a third-party website to do a browser check, and visit the support site for each browser to download any needed updates or get additional help.
  
  
• Clear cache on a regular basis. Your browser saves data from most websites you visit, which over time can slow everything down. Look in your browser settings and tools for "Clear cache, cookies and history" or a similar option, then follow the prompts.

If you've gone through the steps above, try running the internet speed test to find out your current download and upload speeds. To check what speed you are currently paying for, check your plan details in My CenturyLink. 

It's a good idea to run the test a few times to get an average. Most technicians recommend running the test on a computer plugged into your modem with an Ethernet cable. This will give you the most accurate picture of your service speed from the network to the modem. It can also be useful to compare the wired connection speed to your speed over WiFi. Finally, testing on multiple devices may give you a sense of whether a particular device is slower.

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Related topic from our Discover blog: 4 tips to improve your internet speed