How to Troubleshoot Slow Internet with Fingbox
There are many things that can slow down your Internet – most of the time you just start angrily unplugging things at random hoping that something eventually will fix it.
With Fingbox though you are no longer blind to your network problems. Fingbox has all the troubleshooting tools you need to get to the bottom of your slow Internet.
Our 4 Quick Steps to Troubleshoot Slow Internet Using Fingbox
Head on over to the Fingbox Dashboard (bottom tab furthest to the right) to access our top 4 network troubleshooting features. Then follow these simple steps:
1. Perform an Internet Speed Test
The Internet Speed Test feature will tell you what service your Internet Provider is delivering and if it matches what you are paying for. If it is lower than what you signed up for then this could be the cause of your slow Internet. Contact your provider for them to perform further diagnosis.
If the Internet Speed is what you expect from your provider then move to the next step! But first, note down from the Internet Speed test whether you have a setup where the upload speed is significantly smaller than the download speed, or where they are equal. Both are normal, but knowing this could help you in step 3.
2. Perform a WiFi Speed Test
The WiFi Speed Test will allow you to test the strength of the WiFi signal around your house. Knowing the WiFi speed in different locations around your home will allow you to see if your router, or perhaps the location of it, is the issue.
Normally the WiFi Speed will be a lot higher than the Internet Speed. This is so routers can be flexible for a wide range of Internet Speeds. If the WiFi Speed is lower than your Internet Speed then your router could be the cause of your slow internet. Considering investing in an upgrade or, if it was provided to you by your ISP, contact them for a further diagnosis.
If you find you have great Wi-Fi in one room and slow WiFi in another, considering re-positioning your router to a more central location. If you are unable to move your router, invest in a WiFi extender for the room that is struggling. You could also consider upgrading to a mesh network for better coverage.
However, if your WiFi Speed is good, and therefore not the cause of your slow internet, move on to the next step!
3. Perform a Bandwidth Analysis
The Bandwidth Analysis feature will give you a snapshot of what bandwidth the devices on your network are using at that exact moment in time. Note: this feature is best used for troubleshooting at the exact moment you are experiencing a slowdown – it is designed to give you a real-time snapshot and is not for long-term analysis.
When the Internet is running slow, open the Bandwidth Analysis feature, select all the devices that are currently online and run the test for a couple of minutes. As it is running you can see what their current download/upload speeds and sizes are.
To access Internet Speed, Wi-fi Performance & Bandwidth Analysis, please click on the ‘Network’ tab.
If you spotted in the Internet Speed test that your network has a low upload speed then it is worth focusing on the upload speed in the Bandwidth Analysis. If you have a small upload speed is can be easier for it to get ‘clogged up’. If you see a device with a high upload speed then it’s very likely this is the cause of your slow Internet. The device’s high upload speed, likely caused by something like a backup to the cloud, is hogging the upload bandwidth and causing your entire network to slow down.
Whether it is a device hogging the upload or download bandwidth, to stop that device slowing down the Internet you can either manually turn off the device or pause its access from the Internet until a more appropriate time for it to have access.
If you have no bandwidth hogs slowing down your Internet, proceed on to the final step!
4. Check Your WiFi Channel using the DigitalFence
The DigitalFence feature scans a 15-meter radius of your Fingbox and shows you any WiFi enabled devices nearby. With this tool, you can check to see if your router is on the same Wi-Fi channel as your neighbors routers. If you are this could result in signals clashing, slowing down your network performance.
If you are on the same channel as your neighbors this could be the cause of your slow Internet. Consider changing your WiFi channel in order to lower the interference – you should be able to find guidance on how to do this from the router manufacturers.
Nothing is more annoying than slow or ‘glitchy’ Internet! We hope these 4 quick steps for using your Fingbox to troubleshoot slow Internet help you get to the bottom of your connection problems.