When your internet is slow, hidden apps and background tasks are often the reason.
Devices such as smartphones, laptops, and smart TVs can send or receive data without your knowledge.
You will experience lags and buffering in video calls, streaming, and online games as a result of that quiet traffic.
Below you will find a list of the main things that slows down your connection.
Background Apps and Sync Services
There are many apps that runs in the background to sync messages, contacts, or files with cloud servers. Several of these apps continuously open connections and move data.
It is recommended to disable automatic syncing for large folders, or pause syncs when you needs full speed.
If you want a quick check of your overall connection before and after closing apps, run a Broadband Speed Test to compare speeds and see whether background traffic are the problem.
Automatic Updates and Downloads
Most operating systems, app stores, and game launchers download updates automatically. Patches and updates can take up most of your download speed.
If you want your updates to download at night, set them to only download when you're on WiFi.
Cloud Backups and Photo Uploads
Cloud services back up your photos and files. It can take hours to upload high-quality photos and videos.
If you're on the phone, pause backups or limit backups to only your home Wi-Fi.
Streaming Devices and Smart TVs
Some smart TVs and streaming sticks preload trailers, refresh recommendations, or update apps in the background.
This can make other devices slow down while large files are downloaded. If you're not using these devices, turn off automatic updates.
Multiple Devices and Household Demand
All the devices in your house are connected to the same internet. The available speed per device drops if there are many people streaming, playing, or video chatting at once.
If your router has device priority settings, give important devices more bandwidth, and ask family members to schedule big downloads.
Router Settings and Hardware Limits
You can limit your network with an old router, a bad location, or default settings.
Many devices won't work on routers with outdated firmware or weak WiFi. You can improve performance from updating firmware, router location and Quality of Service (QoS).
If you have a specific router model such as Sky Broadband Hub, check out the manufacturer’s settings page for options such as device prioritization and parental controls.
Malware and Unwanted Apps
Some apps uses your connection for uploads or peer traffic. There is no way to tell whats going on with these programs. Make sure your antivirus is up to date, remove any suspicious app and make sure you has the latest security patches.
This article is paid content. It has been reviewed and edited by the Eastern Eye editorial team to meet our content standards.
