Internet Slow on One Computer and Fast on Another: Reasons and Fixes

Having the internet very slow on one computer and fast on another is a major hurdle. Since the pandemic’s start, the usage of digital gadgets has risen to a considerable level.

People need Wi-Fi and a connection wherever they go. Would you compromise on internet speed? Keep reading to find out issues and fixes to connection and slow speed.

Why Is the Internet Slow on One Computer and Fast on Another?

One of the common reasons for slow internet speed is the router’s location. The gadgets are mostly linked to Wi-Fi, and if the router is not placed properly. As a result, the connection can be slow and unsteady on one computer and fast on another.

Why Does the Internet Speed Vary Across Devices?

Below are listed some of the common reasons why your service might be poor and unsatisfactory.

– Location of the Computer

Having a weak Wi-Fi connection or signal is one of the primary reasons for slow bandwidth. It is essential to set the router or modem provided by your provider (ISP) so that the signal can be reached throughout the environment. As the distance increases, the speed can decrease, leading to difficulties in connection.

Particular objects can also reduce the bandwidth by obstructing the signal. Gadgets like microwaves, televisions, remotes, phones, monitors, etc. may operate on the same frequency and emit signals that can interfere with the connection as well. 

In the case of connection through an Ethernet cable, the chance of having a sluggish connection is reduced because of wiring but it is still not altogether avoidable. It is always possible to run into faulty wiring, cables, drivers, and ports on the machine to which the connection is being attempted. 

– Solution: Moving Computer Location

Moving the position of the computer closer to the router or moving the router towards the computer can reduce the distance that the signal has to travel between the two devices. It is also advised to keep the router away from clutter, closed spaces, and other objects of obstruction. It is good to place it somewhere on the top where the signals can reach freely.

The best solution is to always get a high-quality extender for Wi-Fi to boost signal strength, and make sure it covers a larger area. An example would be the TP-Link AC1200 Wi-Fi Extender, which can amplify signals to cover up to 1,500 square feet, and almost 25 devices can connect to it at the same time.

Another solution would be to install a mesh network. This is a modern internet solution where we create a web of nodes and put them around the house. This way, each device can get connected to the closest node, hence maintaining a more stable connection.

– The Health of the Computer

Problems like viruses, spyware, and unnecessary browser add-ons can affect the speed and be one of the reasons why the internet is slow on one computer but fast on another. 

Viruses spread by sending copies of themselves through emails that install codes on the computer. Sometimes these emails can be in thousands, hence leaving no space for network bandwidth in other activities and messing with your connection.

Spyware can monitor your internet use, take advantage of your bandwidth and dominate your browser and connection. This can cause delays in the speed, therefore affecting your work. Having multiple of them working together can significantly impact your experience on the browser and effectively shut down the internet altogether.

Lastly, unnecessary browsers from third parties can effectively slow down the speed and must be uninstalled when not used.

– Solution: Removing Viruses, Spyware and Browser Add-ons 

In order to remove the virus, we can run a trustworthy antivirus program on our device at all times that is capable of detecting any issues as viruses don’t give any obvious indications.

It is always good to run anti-spyware programs to reduce the risk of infestations.

For the third-party browser add-ons, we can disable the unnecessary ones, especially the adblockers, and then check for speed improvement. This is how we can disable extensions on various browsers.

• Chrome: Click on the puzzle piece icon in the upper right-hand corner of the window and select Manage Extensions from the menu. Then disable those extensions that you don’t need and remove the unrecognizable ones. 
• Firefox: Click on the three-line icon on the top right-hand corner of the window and select Add-ons from the menu. Select the Extensions or Plugins that you like and Disable or Remove them.
• Microsoft Edge: Click on the three dots icon in the upper right-hand corner and select Extensions from the menu. Then toggle off the switch next to the unnecessary extensions in order to disable them or select remove.
• Safari: Click on Safari and move to Preferences. Click the Extensions icon on the upper part of the screen. Uncheck the Enable box next to the extensions that you don’t use or Uninstall them.

– Inconvenient Apps

When apps and programs run in the background, they can take up a lot of space and adversely affect your connection, causing it to look slow. Hence it’s always good to be aware of what programs are running in the background.

The device always needs a certain amount of memory space, computing power, and disk space for it to function smoothly. Running such troublesome apps can take up a lot of space and processing powers that can compete with your web browser, therefore, giving off a slow speed. 

Moreover, certain apps are designed in such a way that they prioritize gaming and streaming videos over web browsing and downloading. This can affect download and upload speed as well. An example of this would be AMD’s Quick Stream app which is made in a way to direct the flow of your internet traffic more towards some apps than others. It is possible for users to have this app if they have an AMD processor or graphics card. It’s always better to look for these apps and disable or uninstall them. 

Some other similar apps include:

• XFast LAN
• LAN Optimizer
• ASUS GameFirst
• AVG Web Tuneup

Solution: In the Windows search bar, search for “Background apps”. Then open the Settings menu, which contains their list. Go through the list and disable those that you don’t want running in the background. 

Select Task Manager by right-clicking on the Windows logo and open the app. Notice the Processes tab. Here are displayed the apps that are currently running, and under the Network heading, we will be able to see how much internet they are consuming. This is a way to find faulty apps.

– Fraudulent TCP Stack

Having a corrupt TCP/IP stack can indeed affect your bandwidth and make you overwhelmed with the connection. It is possible to remove and reinstall the stack in order to address this concern. This will be explained further down in the article.

Solution: It is possible to remove or reinstall the TCP/IP and reset it by using the steps given below:

1. Open the “Command Prompt” utility by typing it in the Windows search bar.
2. Type in “netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt” into the field and press the Enter key on the keyboard.
3. The above command will overwrite the given keys:
   1. SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
   2. SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DHCP\Parameters

– Incorrect Settings

It is often reported by people that having a Wi-Fi standard that is slower in the settings can make the internet connection faster. Although this seems a bit absurd, it’s worth giving a try, and if it does not work, it’s always possible to turn the connection back around. Keep reading further to know-how.
Solution:

1. Choose Device Manager by right-clicking on the Windows logo and opening the menu.
2. Search for Network Adapters in the list and double click on it.
3. Find the adapter that you use to connect to the internet and right-click on it. Select Properties.
4. Find the Advanced tab, and in it, check for the option which allows you to choose the speed or Wi-Fi standard from the list.
5. Change the values from 802.11b/g/n to 802.11b/g.

– Outdated Drivers

Using a wrong or outdated driver can significantly impact internet performance and bring it down. This can be fixed by updating the drivers in your operating system. If you consider the possibility that the Ethernet connection is supplying a significant amount of signal to your computer and still the programs and applications within your computer cannot use the signal productively, it can be very well due to out of date drivers.
Solution: We can update network drivers through the following methods:

1. Choose Device Manager by right-clicking on the Windows logo and opening the menu.
2. Search for Network Adapters in the list and double click on it.
3. Find your Adapter, right-click on it and select Update Driver.

It is possible to update drivers manually, but Windows has too many drivers to do so. Therefore it is much easier to install a third-party tool that detects any out of date drivers and installs their updated versions automatically.

– Peer to Peer Update

This is an update in Windows 10 that allows users across multiple PCs to share Windows updates and features peer-to-peer across the internet. Having this turned on can use up much of the bandwidth and bring down the connection. Therefore, it is advised to disable it.

Solution: This is how we can disable the feature:

1. From the Settings app select Update and Security.
2. From the left menu bar, select Windows Update and click on Advanced options.
3. Click on the Delivery Optimization link.
4. Next, to allow downloads from other PCs or Update from more than one place, toggle off the switch.
5. Then restart your PC.

– Windows Auto-tuning

This is an update to Windows 10, which aims at making data transfer more efficient. But this feature can reduce the speed a lot as well. It’s possible to disable this feature which will be further explained later on in the article.

Solution: This is how we can disable the feature:

1. Open the Command Prompt app and type “netsh interface tcp show global” onto the field. 
2. Check for Receive Window Auto-Tuning Level to see if it reads normal/enabled. If so, type “netsh int tcp set global” and hit Enter.
3. Then restart your PC.

– Large Send Offload

This is yet another update to Windows 10, which is also meant to increase efficiency but makes background apps consume a huge amount of the network bandwidth, therefore indirectly affecting the speed. It is possible to disable the large send offload feature.

– Defective VPN

VPN or virtual private networks are used to make your connections secure by adding an extra layer of encryption between your device (client) and the remote servers. This protects your IP address. Therefore this can decrease the speed of the internet. But this might not be the same for all VPNs, as some can offer different speeds. Especially when the VPN is free, it can cause many connection issues, as this software can put the connection at stake for free access. 

It is always advised to connect to your closest server while using a VPN so that the time required for transmitting and receiving the messages back and forth is short. Using a paid VPN can also improve the connection, although it can become slow during peak times.

– Bandwidth Settings

Windows always take up almost 20% of the bandwidth for Windows updates and its system apps by default. If this feature is not being used, it is always advised to turn off the Windows Update.

– Hardware Related Issues

If none of the software-related problems given above match your scenario, then it might be issues pertaining to the device hardware that is causing the connection issues.

Solution: For issues related to hardware, it is always better to boot your PC into Safe Mode and then check the internet connection there. There is also a Microsoft guide for this with detailed instructions.  

FAQ

1. How Can I Test the Internet Speed?

Users can check their speed using any of the authentic tools online. The most recommended ones are:

• speedtest.net: Used for speed test.
• fast.com
• speedcheck.org

These give you the best and most accurate results. They provide information regarding upload and download speeds as well as your internet service provider and location.

Conclusion

All users know that different devices show different internet speeds but when asked why everyone has to research and dig the roots. From this article, it is evident why this happens and how we can fix it.

Given below are some of the main points to keep in mind:

• Some of the main reasons for slow speed can be malware infection, corrupt TCP, faulty applications, out of date drivers, and Windows updates.
• We can use various online tools that are authenticated to check our speed.
• We can change device position, update the drivers, uninstall/remove unnecessary applications, restart adapters and check bandwidth functions to address these concerns.

The methods documented in this article are unlikely to fail. Still, if your device fails to get the same speed, then it’s better to get it checked out by a trained professional. Following the above methods can bring your computer back on track with the internet and avoid your frustrations with devices having varying speeds!