Why Is My Internet Slow? 5 Things to Check Before You Call

Most "slow internet" calls we get aren't actually about the connection coming into the house — they're about what happens to it after it arrives. Here are the five things our techs check first, in order, so you can try them yourself.

1. Restart your router (yes, really)

It's a cliché because it works. Routers are small computers that run for months without a break, and their memory gets cluttered. Unplug it, count to thirty, plug it back in, and give it two minutes to fully come back. This alone resolves a surprising share of slowdowns.

2. Run a speed test — on a wired connection if you can

Go to a speed test site from a laptop plugged directly into the router, or standing right next to it on WiFi. If the number matches your plan, the connection is healthy and the issue is inside the house. If it's well below your plan even right at the router, that's when you call us — we can run tests from our side too.

3. Look at where your router lives

WiFi hates closets, cabinets, metal shelving, and basement corners. Every wall between the router and your couch costs you signal, and log walls and stone fireplaces are especially brutal. Get the router out in the open, up off the floor, and as central as possible.

4. Check your mesh system or extenders

Mesh WiFi systems are great for big or spread-out homes — but when one node drops off or gets moved, everything downstream of it suffers. One of our customers spent weeks blaming their connection when the culprit was their own mesh setup the whole time. If you use mesh, open its app and make sure every node shows healthy.

5. Count your devices — and your plan

The house you set up internet for three years ago might not be the house you live in now. A couple more TVs, a gaming console, a doorbell camera, two people now working from home — that adds up. If your household outgrew your plan, the fix isn't suffering; it's a two-minute phone call. We can look at your usage and move you to the right tier, and we'll tell you honestly if you don't need to upgrade.

Still slow? Call us — we can fix a lot remotely

This is the part folks don't expect: many issues never need a truck in your driveway. We can run speed tests from our end, reconnect you to the tower, and check whether an older plan is holding you back — all in one call. And if it does need hands-on work, a local tech comes out fast.