When you’re pushing through a busy day at the office, there’s nothing worse than your internet speeds dropping or cutting out completely. Any downtime in your business means a loss of earnings and a failure to deliver your service, which can deter customers from returning. Fortunately, before you start pulling your hair out, there are a few ways to troubleshoot your connection and boost your internet speeds – continue reading to find out more.
Clear Your Cache
When you access websites, your browser stores fragments of information that help it to load up faster in the future. Despite being extremely helpful, they soon add up and become too overbearing for your browser, which results in sluggish load times and crashes. Depending on your browser, there will be a different method for clearing the cache – you can run a quick search online to find instructions. There are no limitations to how many cache clears you can do, but it’s recommended to clear it once or twice every year.
Check for Malware and Viruses
The internet is a fantastic tool, and we’d be lost without it in today’s world. However, there’s a malicious side to the internet full of cybercriminals, viruses, and malware. To protect your digital infrastructure from any unwanted guests, install a high-quality defense suite to scan your devices at convenient times. It’s important not to run scans during business hours because it may interfere with your daily operations, especially if anything is flagged. Therefore, communicate with your IT department and have them check your system around your working schedule.
Check Real-Time Metrics
Your internet point is responsible for supplying high speeds to all connected devices, whether that be through ethernet or Wi-Fi. However, certain devices guzzle more data than others, which can result in bottlenecks and lower every other device’s speed. The reason for this may be streaming Netflix or downloading large files.
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To check if there are any culprit devices, monitor real-time network speeds to find patterns correlating to downtime. If your research highlights any issues, you can speak to the employee or restrict certain apps. Alternatively, you can access your router settings and limit bandwidth to each device – giving just enough to complete work-related tasks.
Reboot Your Router
If you’ve ever watched the IT Crowd, you will be familiar with the question “Have you tried turning it off and on?”. In the show, this is used as a lazy response from the IT team. However, this is a fantastic solution for countless tech issues. Therefore, if you’re facing slow internet speeds, one of the first things you should do is turn your router off, leave it for ten seconds, and then turn it back on. It will take a while to get started, but this will often fix any connectivity issues.
Reposition Your Router
When your devices are connected through Wi-Fi, they’re relying on receiving radio waves. If these waves aren’t able to reach a device fully, you will find patchy internet speeds or complete drops in connectivity.
To get the best connection from your router, it’s suggested to place it on a unit clear of obstructions. Alternatively, you can hook the router onto the wall, which will allow for optimum wave spread. In some cases, you will need to spread the reach of your router to fix connectivity issues. To do this, we recommend investing in a wireless mesh.
Upgrade Your Router
Technology evolves and devices soon become obsolete, and the same goes for your Wi-Fi router. For example, if you’re using VoIP and rely on cordless phones, ensure that your system isn’t locked on 2GHz bandwidth. The majority of devices these days operate on Wireless AC or 5GHz, which greatly improves bandwidth and internet speeds. For help with the upgrade, you can speak to your internet service provider (ISP).
Check Your Phone Lines
If your internet is supplied through a DSL/FTTC connection, you can remove the front plate and you will find a phone socket. To check if your line is working properly, connect an old-school wired landline and listen out for a dial tone. If you hear a solid tone, your line is working perfectly. Whereas, if you receive a crackling sound, you’ve got issues and should begin troubleshooting.
Have a Leased Line
If you’re operating on a general internet line, your network speeds are dictated by surrounding usage. For example, during peak hours, your ISP’s lines will be overworked, which results in lower internet speeds. If you’ve tried everything above and still have no luck, approach your ISP and speak to them about having a leased line. These lines are dedicated and only used by your business, meaning you receive much higher internet speeds at all times.
If your existing ISP doesn’t offer a leased line option, perhaps it’s time for a change. If you head over to Northpointe Vistancia internet service and head to their enterprise business packages, you will find leased line options. What’s more, the line will be fiber, meaning it won’t be impacted by adverse weather.
Run a Speed Check
If you’ve tried everything in the list, run a speed check to find out what you’re receiving. We recommend running these at different times during the day, as your speed will fluctuate anyway. If your network speeds are much lower than the minimum promised by your ISP, get in touch with them because they’re legally obliged to fulfill the contract terms.
Go Mobile
In some cases, no amount of troubleshooting and tinkering with your router will change the speeds. For example, if you’re in a remote area, you may not be fully supplied through traditional broadband suppliers. Therefore, if you receive a solid data connection from your mobile provider, you should consider switching to a 4G or 5G broadband.
The world relies on the internet to function, which is why slow connectivity and downtime are devastating, especially for businesses. Before launching the router out of the window, follow the troubleshooting and solutions above. If nothing works, consider changing ISPs or going mobile.
