5 Surprising Things That Are Slowing Down Your Internet

You've restarted your router and closed all your downloads, but your internet is still slow. The cause might not be what you think. Here are five surprising things that can cripple your connection speed.

1. Microwave Ovens

It sounds strange, but it's true. Most microwave ovens operate on the 2.4 GHz frequency. This is the same frequency used by one of the main Wi-Fi bands. When you're heating up leftovers, the microwave can "leak" radiation that interferes with your Wi-Fi signal, causing slowdowns or disconnects. The Fix: If possible, use the 5 GHz band on your Wi-Fi router, which is not affected.

2. Crowded Wi-Fi Channels

If you live in an apartment, your router is competing with dozens of other networks. If many of them are on the same Wi-Fi channel, they interfere with each other, just like multiple people trying to talk at once. The Fix: Most routers are set to "Auto" channel selection. Log in to your router's settings and manually choose a different channel (1, 6, or 11 are usually best for 2.4 GHz).

3. Old or Damaged Ethernet Cables

If you're using a wired connection but still getting slow speeds, your cable could be the problem. An old, frayed, or poorly made Ethernet cable (like a Cat 5 cable) might not be able to support the gigabit speeds of your internet plan, creating a bottleneck. The Fix: Ensure you are using a modern, high-quality cable labeled Cat 5e, Cat 6, or higher.

4. Your Device's VPN or Firewall

Software designed to protect you can sometimes get in the way. A poorly configured VPN will always slow down your internet by routing your traffic through an extra server. Similarly, some third-party antivirus or firewall software can aggressively scan your network traffic, causing significant speed loss. The Fix: Run a speed test with your VPN and firewall temporarily disabled. If the speed jumps up, you've found your culprit.

5. Your DNS Server

The Domain Name System (DNS) is like the internet's phonebook. When you type "google.com," your DNS server finds the correct IP address. The default DNS server from your ISP is often slow and unreliable. The Fix: Change your device's or router's DNS settings to a free, public provider like Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google (8.8.8.8). This won't increase your download bandwidth, but it can make websites feel much faster to load.