A slow upload speed can make it difficult for you to perform various everyday online activities. That is why you should do everything you can do to improve your situation. Luckily, we are here to make things a bit easier for you with a few special tips on speeding up your upload speed!
CONTENTS
What is an Upload Speed and How Vital Is It for Your Everyday Online Activities?
To put it simply, the upload speed is responsible for uploading and sending data to the internet from your device. It is relevant to almost anything, from posting a photo on your social media account to streaming and online gaming. That is why it’s really important to have a good upload speed, which will allow for uninterrupted internet activities.
The general opinion is that a good upload speed is anything higher than 5 Mbps. On the other hand, if you’re regularly doing things that don’t take up much of the broadband, you won’t need an upload speed higher than 3 Mpbs. Still, most experts would recommend you to aim at 5 Mbps, just to be sure that you’ll be able to finish all of your online activities.
Possible Reasons Why Your Upload Speed is Too Slow
If you’ve performed a speed test and realized that your upload speed is too slow, you’ll need to work on speeding it up. Just like with anything else, the first step in fixing your issue is finding its culprit. Let’s go over some of the most common reasons your upload speed is too slow.
1. Your Internet Service Provider is To Blame
There are a few different service provider issues that could be a reason for your slow upload speed. Firstly, your provider might be performing regular maintenance in the area where you live. Alternatively, there may be a failure somewhere around you which can cause the internet to slow down.
The upside to both of these culprits is that they will be fixed within a few hours or days. You can contact your internet service provider or visit its official website to check what is happening in the area where you live.
Recommended reading:
- How to Increase Internet Speed in Windows 10? – Make it Faster in a Few Clicks
- How to Increase Internet Speed on PS4? Get Faster Internet in a Few Minutes
- How to Increase Internet Speed on Xbox One?
On the other hand, it’s possible that your internet provider is not able to deliver the promised speeds. That often happens when too many new customers from a specific join a particular internet service, and a provider doesn’t upgrade the equipment in that area.
As a result, everybody faces connection issues and slow speeds. In case you have this issue, there is nothing you can do except switch to a different service provider.
Changing the Internet Plan
Another thing that is connected to the internet service provider is a poorly chosen internet plan. Thankfully, this one is in your hands, and you can fix it by changing your plan. There’s a chance that the package you chose is too small for the needs of your household. Thus, you should upgrade it as soon as possible.
The easiest way to find out whether you have this kind of issue is to check the upload speeds when nobody is at home. Moreover, you should be close to the router when you’re checking that. If the speeds are better, it’s time to switch to a larger internet plan!
2. There are Too Many People in Your Household
When too many people are using up the bandwidth, many things can slow down, including the upload speed. That is why it’s wise to use the method we mentioned in the previous tip to check whether the situation improves when nobody is at home. In case it does, there are a few things you can do.
You could, for instance, agree with your family members or roommates on the timetable. The point is for each of you to have a specific time when you can do things that require more bandwidth, and the rest of the members will try to stay off the internet. If that doesn’t work, opting for a larger plan is always a good idea.
3. Your Router is Slowing Down the Speed
Many different things can cause your router to not be able to reach its optimal performance. For example, your driver might be outdated, or the router is too old. Moreover, you might have poked around the settings and set up something that is slowing down your connection. In any case, we’ll present you with a few possible solutions to your problem.
Update the Firmware of Your Router
Most problems you have with the router should be fixed by updating its firmware. To do that, you’ll have to take the Ethernet cable that came with the device. Then, connect one end to the router and the other to your computer. Your next step will be going to the official website of your router’s manufacturer and downloading the latest firmware update.
When the download is complete, you should go to the admin page of the router and enter your credentials. Lastly, find the downloaded firmware and choose the update your router option. Your router should be ready for use in a couple of minutes.
Perform a Factory Reset on the Router
A factory reset will revert the router back to its original settings. This procedure should remove any of your improperly configured settings. You can find the reset button at the back of the device. You’ll need something sharp such as a pen, pin, or a paperclip to press it. You should keep pushing the button until the router lights start flashing.
You’ll need to give the router a few minutes to reboot before you start using it again. Since you’ll be erasing all of its settings, you’ll have to go to the router configuration page to reconfigure the device once again. In addition, you’ll need to reconnect every device to the Wi-Fi using your password.
Use the Ethernet Cable
The Ethernet cable will provide you with a stable and strong connection to the internet. Your upload speed should also increase. This one is a great temporary solution as you won’t be able to connect more than one cable to the router.
Therefore, any other household members or devices you want to have the access to the internet won’t be able to use it. To connect everything properly, you should plug one end of the Ethernet cable into the router and another one into your computer. Then, you should test out the upload speed.
In Conclusion
There you have it – all of the possible reasons why your upload speed is so slow. What’s more, we added a few tips after every cause to ensure that you fix your speed issue quickly! We hope you found our article helpful! If you didn’t, you might want to explore other possible causes of your problem.
For instance, too many devices may be connected to one Wi-Fi, or there might be viruses in your computer. Moreover, you should consider getting a Wi-Fi extender for a stronger connection and a higher upload speed.
Hey, I’m Jeremy Clifford. I hold a bachelor’s degree in information systems, and I’m a certified network specialist. I worked for several internet providers in LA, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Seattle over the past 21 years.
I worked as a customer service operator, field technician, network engineer, and network specialist. During my career in networking, I’ve come across numerous modems, gateways, routers, and other networking hardware. I’ve installed network equipment, fixed it, designed and administrated networks, etc.
Networking is my passion, and I’m eager to share everything I know with you. On this website, you can read my modem and router reviews, as well as various how-to guides designed to help you solve your network problems. I want to liberate you from the fear that most users feel when they have to deal with modem and router settings.
My favorite free-time activities are gaming, movie-watching, and cooking. I also enjoy fishing, although I’m not good at it. What I’m good at is annoying David when we are fishing together. Apparently, you’re not supposed to talk or laugh while fishing – it scares the fishes.
