Tech

This Is Why Your Internet Slows Down at Night

Slower internet speeds indicate network congestion. In addition, your network’s bandwidth struggles to keep up when many people use the internet at the same time. There can be a lot of other reasons why you experience internet slowdowns at night. However, you can easily fix these issues on your own.

We have compiled a list of reasons why your nighttime internet slows down and ways to resolve these issues:

Network Congestion

Your internet network has a limited bandwidth to handle web traffic, depending on your internet provider and internet infrastructure in your area. Therefore, it slows down when there is more web traffic than your network can handle, leading to congestion. Similarly, it may also occur when you have multiple internet users at home streaming and downloading at the same time.

Since your connection is susceptible to speed lag and congestion, it indicates that you don’t have enough bandwidth for multiple users on the same network. To resolve this, you need to upgrade to AT&T Internet packages for unlimited data and faster speeds.

Peak Hours

The internet has the most traffic from 6 PM to 11 PM on weekdays. This is because people return to their home from school or work during these hours and use their time to play games, check social media accounts, or stream videos or music. As a result, you may experience network congestion.

Over the last few years, millions of people in the US are studying and working from home, causing the “Internet rush hour”. This makes it difficult to handle multiple people using the internet at the same time because ISPs have a limited capacity to manage people getting online.

You need to subscribe to the best internet plans at BuyTVInternetPhone to carry out your online activities without any speed issues.

Hardware Problems

The condition of your internet hardware can cause slow internet speeds. For example, outdated equipment can’t support the high bandwidth needs of your household if many users are consuming the internet at the same time. High-end activities, such as downloading large files and streaming videos in 4K will make your computer overloaded, causing a lag on the internet.

Poor Weather Conditions

Satellite connections are more likely to have internet issues due to weather changes, compared to cable connections. As a result, you get poor internet speeds and signal interference with weather changes.

Your Router’s Location

The location of your Wi-Fi router determines your signal strength. If your router is placed near your phone or laptop, you will have better signals. Moreover, if you have placed your router in a higher position above the ground, it will transmit downward signals. Similarly, metal objects and electronic appliances placed close to the router can disrupt its signals.

To improve your signal strength, place your router in a central location in your home. If you live in a 2-story house, place your router in an area that allows signals to equally transmit across the two floors.

Router Upgradation

The number of devices connected to the same router can affect the speeds you get. So, when you use multiple devices at the same time, it will exceed your router’s capacity to handle them. In such situations, it is better to get a new router.

Browser Extensions

Adding a browser extension or add-on can improve your online experience and take a toll on your browsing speeds. So, if you want better speeds, you need to disable the unnecessary extensions on your web browser.

Router Hijacking

Sometimes, internet slowdowns may indicate that someone is hijacking your internet subscription. Routers are set with default passwords that are printed on the back of every router. But, if you have an open Wi-Fi access point or a weak password, someone could use your network without your consent.

To get rid of unwanted people on your network, you can block your connection or change your password. For this, you need to access your router’s settings on your web browser.

Slow VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts the connections between servers and devices by hiding your IP address. Many employees use a VPN to access company resources while working from home or the office. When there is a lot of traffic on the VPN service during peak times, it may slow down your internet. In addition, free VPNs may cause speed issues while putting your privacy and security at risk. To fix this, subscribe to a paid VPN service instead of using a free VPN. Also, you can enter a different location on your VPN to improve your internet speeds.

Conclusion

If your internet slows down in the nighttime, you can reposition your router, change your router’s password, wait for the weather to change, or upgrade to a new internet plan. Using the above-mentioned solutions, you can resolve most of your speed issues. However, if it doesn’t get better, get in touch with your internet service provider for professional help.