25 Mar Is Your Website Experiencing a Slowdown?

We’ve received a few emails from clients lately concerning the speed of their websites. We can assure you it’s most likely not the site itself, but rather the internet as a whole that’s currently experiencing a slowdown. As more people go online to work at home, stream movies and play videogames during the COVID-19 pandemic, internet service providers are struggling to keep up with the demand and address the increased congestion. The good news, nearly every major internet provider is taking steps to ensure continued access to the web worldwide. Plus, there are a few things each of us can do to help mitigate the issue.

If your site—or internet connection as a whole—is experiencing a slowdown, here are some steps you can take to improve your experience.

If possible, decrease the number of users. The more people using your connection at once, the slower it will be. For instance, if one person is streaming movies while another is playing a multi-player videogame, everyone’s connection will be more sluggish.

When streaming content, switch to Standard rather than viewing in HD. Standard uses far less data and bandwidth, freeing up valuable resources. In fact, Netflix and other streaming services are recommending users make the switch to standard for the time being.

Use ethernet if possible. Wifi networks rarely get the most from internet connections, nor do wireless network adaptors. Plugging your devices directly into your router will ensure you’re optimizing your connection speed and devices’ capabilities.

Check your router’s location and settings. The farther you are from your wifi router, the worse your connection will be. If there are walls or other obstructions between you and the router signal, the effects will be worse. It also wouldn’t hurt to make sure your router’s firmware has been updated to the latest version.

As always, if you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to give us a call or email us. We’re here to help however we can!