[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":28},["ShallowReactive",2],{"page-content:en:guides\u002Fwhy-is-my-internet-so-slow":3},{"home":4,"toolExplainer":4,"guide":5,"guideTitles":27,"legal":4},null,{"title":6,"description":7,"h1":8,"answer":9,"sections":10,"faqs":20},"Why Is My Internet So Slow? — SpeedTestLab","Slow internet is often Wi‑Fi contention, a weak node, VPN, or a plan that is actually delivering. Isolate wired vs wireless before calling the ISP.","Why Is My Internet So Slow?","Most “slow Wi‑Fi” reports mix several layers: the access point, the device radio, the ISP path, and the site you are using. A speed test tells you throughput to one node. It cannot name a single root cause.",[11,14,17],{"h":12,"p":13},"Split Wi‑Fi from the plan","Repeat the test near the router and, if possible, on Ethernet. If Ethernet is fine, the bottleneck is local radio, interference, or a weak client—not necessarily the WAN.",{"h":15,"p":16},"Check competing traffic","Cloud backups, OS updates, smart TVs, and other people on the same SSID share airtime. Pause heavy uploads and test again.",{"h":18,"p":19},"VPN and DNS","A VPN adds a detour. It can cut throughput and raise HTTP ping. Test once with it off, on a network you trust.",[21,24],{"q":22,"a":23},"Why is Wi‑Fi slower than the plan?","Plans describe the WAN. Wi‑Fi adds shared airtime, walls, and client limits.",{"q":25,"a":26},"Can a speed test fix slowness?","No. It only measures. Use Ethernet, reboot the AP, and compare peak vs busy hours.",[],1793775154409]