When we connect via Wi-Fi, whether from a mobile device or a computer, there are many problems that can arise. Although it is an increasingly used technology, the truth is that it does not have as much stability and sometimes not as much speed as the cable. In this article we are going to talk about why Wi-Fi is slow on mobile . A problem that occurs to many users on the network. The causes can be several, so it is convenient to know them to try to find a solution.
Wi-Fi is slow on mobile
If we think about how we used to connect to the Internet , a few years ago, it was normal to browse through a computer connected by cable. Wireless networks were not as widespread and the equipment that could be connected in this way did not have a great capacity. However, this has gradually changed and today we can even say that the vast majority of devices connect to the Internet without using cables.
But of course, this also has its negative points. One of them is coverage, which is not always the best. This also affects the speed and can cause problems when accessing the Internet, opening a page or using an application. Especially this can happen in mobile devices, which usually have a more limited network card compared to a computer.
When we connect to the Internet from the mobile , the Wi-Fi is often slow . We see that from a computer or any other device this does not happen and we wonder why it does happen on the phone. This can be caused by a bad configuration, failure with the connection itself, malware…
Normally this can be solved if we take into account certain tips and small changes that we make in the software and configuration of the device. In this way we will achieve greater stability, a lower risk of problems arising and, ultimately, we will make it work as well as possible.
Why is the internet slow on my mobile?
We are going to see what are the main causes why Wi-Fi works slowly on the mobile. This way we will know how to solve the problem and get the connection to go as well as possible. This could happen on mobile, but also on other devices such as tablets.
Using the wrong band
One of the most common reasons why the Wi-Fi connection is slow on the mobile is due to using the wrong band. As we know, today most devices allow us to connect through the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band . Each of them is better for certain situations.
Basically we can say that if we connect far from the router, it is best that we are using the 2.4 GHz band, which is less sensitive to distance and possible obstacles. On the other hand, if we are connecting near the device and we want the maximum speed, the best is the 5 GHz band.
We are too far from the access point
Of course another reason is that we are connected too far from the access point . Perhaps we are not connected directly to the router, but through a Wi-Fi repeater or PLC device. We may have several available and we may not be connected to the most optimal one. We can always make use of additional equipment that will help optimize the network, to have greater coverage in our home and thus be able to avoid dead zones.
We have some malware on the system
Malware is often behind Internet speed problems and poor system performance . There are many varieties of attacks that we can suffer when surfing the net. Many types of Trojans, viruses and others that can hamper its proper functioning.
To avoid problems of this type we must always have security tools . A good antivirus can help us ensure that our computer is free of threats and works as well as possible, making the most of the available resources. There are also additional programs, such as a firewall or even browser extensions. All this will improve security and prevent the entry of malicious software that can also put at risk the speed of the network, outages and instability.
We are browsing with a VPN
VPN tools are very useful and also widely used on mobile devices. But if the Wi-Fi is slow on the mobile and we are using a program of this type, it could be causing problems that make the connection not work well.
We can always try to switch to another server, in case the VPN has several. Sometimes we can improve the speed that way. However, if this is a frequent problem, we could choose to choose a different VPN.
We could also apply this if we are browsing through a proxy. Sometimes we have no choice but to use it to connect to a server in a certain country and thus bypass geo-blocking. However, it could be causing conflicts and causing instability in the wireless network.
Some program causes conflict
Another common problem is that we have a program that is causing connection problems. Very common if we connect via Wi-Fi on the mobile and we have speed problems is that we have an antivirus or firewall that interferes with the connection. In this case, we could try to disable it momentarily and perform a speed test to see if this solves the problem.
We have the outdated device
On the other hand, it is essential that we always have our devices updated . Otherwise we would not be taking full advantage of the available resources and we could have problems that affect the speed of the Internet.
Therefore, we must always update the device. This must also be applied to the network card and to any software that we are using. This way we will always have it protected and we will not be affected by possible vulnerabilities.
Too many active tabs or open apps
Cellular data plans and Wi-Fi networks can only keep up with so many apps and tabs running in the background.
If your data connection is working on too many demands at once, it can lead to reduced speeds. Consider closing apps and tabs that you’re not currently using.
Many users on the same Wi-Fi connection
There’s limited bandwidth for everyone, and if your roommates are streaming a movie in the other room, your connection will likely slow down.
You just have to be careful not to give your Wi-Fi login to too many people at once.
Your mobile phone may be too old
It is possible that there is no problem with your Wi-Fi connection or wireless signal, rather there is a possibility that your phone is old, as applications are updated over time, the hardware requirements to run them increase. For example, the Amazon app runs much slower on an older phone than it does on a newer one simply because of the hardware specs.
We also have to take into account that, if we have a terminal that is a bit old, even if our Wi-Fi and mobile data connection are perfect, this will negatively affect the way we navigate both on the internet and in applications. The loading times, for example, of a website, as is the case with the example of the Amazon application that we indicated above, will be slower, and this is because, despite having an internet connection of 10 , our terminal simply does not have the physical capacity to process it at the speed we want.
Nowadays, the necessary requirements to run applications such as loading web pages are constantly increasing due to the fact that technology does not stop evolving, and that is why, if we have a mobile phone that is lagging behind in this advance, It’s going to cost you a little, and increasingly, than we’d like to do simple tasks like loading a page because it’s going to cost you to render it if it has features that can be a little heavy on mobile.
It should also be noted that it happens on the opposite side, at the application level, if we have some installed that are old or that are simply not well coded or have some development bugs, they can make our computer go quite slow, without this being fault of the equipment itself, since these applications may be consuming without us knowing, either an excessive bandwidth, or also an excess of hardware resources of our phone, which makes us often think that the fault lies with our terminal or our connection, when the reality is that these applications are to blame, so it would be best to remove them from our system.
Consider upgrading your phone if it is anything over three years old.
You are connected to a slow network
One of the most obvious reasons why Wi-Fi is slow on your phone is that it’s connected to a slow network.
At home, your speeds will suffer when other apps and devices hog your bandwidth. Streaming movies, downloading video games, or installing operating system updates will cause a slowdown in your overall internet usage.
On public Wi-Fi, the speeds you’ll get can vary wildly, and we shouldn’t rely on getting super-fast service from something we’re not paying for, however, even after checking your expectations, you may end up getting a much worse performance than you could get elsewhere.
WiFi congested
Another problem that we can find is that the router that makes your phone’s Internet connection is slow is congestion. Routers transmit their signal on a specific channel, but if your neighbors have their routers configured on the same channel, it can become congested and degrade the performance of the channel, both for them and for us. This problem is especially common in apartment blocks, where there are many routers in a relatively small area.
To solve this, what we must do is use some software that can help us find the best channel for our router. We recommend the Wi-Fi Analyzer app on Android, however it’s harder to do on an iPhone, but there’s an old utility called AirPort for iOS that’s still functional and both apps are free.
WiFi noise
Wi-Fi is also susceptible to noise from other appliances in our home, as devices like microwaves, wireless doorbells, and cordless phones can interfere with the signal from a router running on the 2.4 GHz band. modern routers can run on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands simultaneously, the latter is much less prone to interference, and if you have a fairly recent router that supports that band, you can dig into the router settings to enable 5GHz transmission and minimize these kinds of problems.
However, before doing this, you need to make sure that all of our connected devices support 5GHz, or they will no longer be able to connect. Many modern routers are dual-band, meaning they can transmit on both bands simultaneously. If you don’t have any of these, you’ll have to choose one or the other. If you stick with 2.4 GHz, make sure you don’t have any other devices near your router that could cause interference. And be prepared for a possible interruption if you’re watching Netflix while standing in the kitchen microwaving popcorn.
In short, these are some of the main reasons why Wi-Fi can be slow on mobile. As we can see, we can take into account some simple steps with which to improve the connection as much as possible.
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