Why is your internet slow? Let’s find out
Answer a few quick questions and we’ll pinpoint the most likely cause of your slow internet — one device or all of them, Wi-Fi or your line, an outage, a recent change, or peak-time congestion — and give you the exact steps to fix it. It all runs in your browser.
Last updated: · Written by The NetSorted team
The most common causes of slow internet
Most slow-internet problems come down to one of these. The tool above works out which is most likely for you.
- Wi-Fi, not your line. A fast wired test but slow Wi-Fi means the fix is router placement, bands or coverage. See fix slow Wi-Fi.
- One device hogging bandwidth. Updates, backups or big downloads can swallow your connection. Pause them and re-test.
- A wider outage. Check your provider’s status page — it may be a known problem in your area, not your kit.
- Peak-time congestion. Slow only in the evenings usually means the network is busy, not faulty.
- A line or router fault. Slow at all times, on everything, even wired, with no outage — restart your router, then test and report a fault.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my internet so slow all of a sudden?
A sudden slowdown usually means a wider outage, peak-time congestion, or a line fault. Check your provider’s status page first, restart your router, then test on a wired connection to rule out Wi-Fi.
How do I find out what’s slowing my internet down?
Work through it in order: is it one device or all of them? Is it still slow when wired? Is there an outage? Did it start after a change? Is it only slow at peak times? Each answer narrows it to a likely cause — which is exactly what this tool does.
Is slow internet my provider’s fault or mine?
If a wired device is fast but Wi-Fi is slow, it’s your home setup. If wired is also slow with no outage, it’s more likely your line or router — worth reporting to your provider.