Slow internet checklist

Slow is a feeling, and a test turns it into a number you can describe. Most slowness lives in the last 30 feet of the path: the Wi-Fi inside the house. This checklist separates that from the wireless link outside.

Steps

1. Write down what is slow

   A video that buffers, a page that hangs, a call that stutters. The same symptom on every device points to the connection. One device points to that device.

2. Run a wired speed test

   Plug a laptop into the router with an Ethernet cable, close other programs, and test. The page on testing your speed gives the method, and the guide on how to run a speed test explains why wired comes first.

3. Test three times and at two times of day

   One test can be an outlier. Try a morning and an evening. Note the numbers; do not average away a pattern.

4. Compare with your plan

   Plans are sold as up to: Bronze up to 500 Mbps down, Silver up to 800 Mbps, Gold up to 1 Gig, all with up to 200 Mbps up. A result below the top number is normal; a result very far below it is worth a call.

5. Test over Wi-Fi in the same room

   If the cable test is good and Wi-Fi is poor, the router or its placement is the cause. See Wi-Fi dead spots.

6. Look for a busy network

   Cloud backups, game updates, cameras and several streams share the line. The guide on seeing what is using your bandwidth helps.

7. Restart in order

   Use the restart steps once.

8. Call with your numbers

   Tell the person your wired results, the times and the plan. A person answers at 775-575-9593 from 9 to 5, every day.

What counts as slow for my plan?

Every speed we print is up to. What you see depends on the path from the tower to your roof, how many people are online and your Wi-Fi router. The FCC's measurements program publishes how it tests; the guide on how the FCC measures broadband shows why a single result is rarely the whole story. A video call usually needs far less than the plan top, so choose the activity that fails and read the matching guide on how much speed a household needs.

Is the data transfer limit involved?

Each service level has a data transfer limit, and the service agreement says the size can be had by emailing info@hdiss.net, with a charge per gigabyte over it in a billing cycle. We do not print the size here. If slowness began in the same week as heavy use, ask for your figure. Read data transfer limits and your usage.

Could weather or trees be the cause?

A wireless link needs a clear path between the tower and the antenna, and leaves, snow or rain can matter at the edges. We do not promise how the link behaves in weather. If slowness comes and goes with the wind or a season, tell the person on the phone, since a technician can look at the path. Read weather and a wireless link for background.

Should I climb up to look at the antenna?

No. Leave the antenna, the radio and the cable that feeds it alone. From the ground you may notice a bent mount or a branch leaning on the line. Report what you see by phone and a technician comes.

What if the speed is fine but video still stutters?

Speed is one number; a video call also cares about how steady the connection is. A busy Wi-Fi channel, a device far from the router or a second upload competing with the call can cause stutter even when a test looks healthy. Read why video calls freeze and bufferbloat for the usual causes. We publish no latency figure for our service, so we cannot tell you a number to compare with.