LAYER 3 KNOWLEDGE CENTRE
Slow Internet is not one single problem. Capacity, latency, packet loss, Wi-Fi, congestion, DNS, a device or an upstream network issue can all create a similar experience.
Use this guide to separate Wi-Fi, device and Internet problems before changing a package or replacing equipment.
A faster package does not automatically fix a bad connection. First identify whether the limitation is line capacity, delay, lost data, local Wi-Fi, congestion, DNS, one device or the wider service.
Speed describes how much data can move. Browsing, calls and gaming also depend on response time, stability and whether data arrives correctly.
A busy household can use available capacity, but unused speed cannot compensate for high latency or packet loss.
Different applications react differently: downloads favour capacity, while calls and gaming need consistency.
Your Internet service connects the premises to the wider network. Wi-Fi is the local wireless link between a device and the router or access point.
Look at distance, walls, interference, placement and local signal quality.
The service, router, upstream path or general utilisation may need investigation.
Latency is the time data takes to travel. Packet loss means some data does not arrive correctly. Either can make a fast line feel poor.
Clicks respond slowly, games lag and conversations feel delayed.
Calls break up, streams buffer and applications retry missing data.
Heavy use, crowded Wi-Fi, slow name lookups or a struggling device can all look like an Internet-speed problem.
Compare quiet and busy periods and check whether uploads, backups or streaming are saturating the connection.
Try another device and compare whether websites start slowly while already-open streams remain stable.
Use comparisons that change one condition at a time. Record what was tested so the evidence is useful.
Compare another device in the same place. The device or its Wi-Fi connection is the stronger lead.
Test by cable if possible and compare different times. The Internet service or shared network may be involved.
Investigate latency, packet loss, DNS, Wi-Fi quality and application-specific paths.
Restart only the affected device or router when safe, then retest.
Test close to the router and, where possible, with a wired device.
Pause large uploads, backups and downloads during comparison tests.
Record the time, affected devices, test method and whether the issue is constant or intermittent.
Layer 3 should investigate when several devices are affected, wired performance is poor, instability repeats, results change sharply by time, or the service remains degraded after basic local checks.
Continue with a closely related explanation.
Continue with another useful route.
Use the Support Centre for account-specific checks, service diagnosis and escalation.