What to Check Before You Blame Your Laptop for Slow Internet

We’ve all been there. You’re in the middle of a video call, streaming a movie, or trying to upload a file when your laptop starts crawling. Videos buffer endlessly, websites load like it’s 2003, and suddenly you’re clicking around your device wondering what on earth is wrong. Instinctively, you blame the laptop — it must be getting old, right?

But before you start shopping for a new device or resetting your entire system, it’s worth pausing and looking at the bigger picture. While your laptop can be a factor in slow internet speeds, it’s rarely the only one. More often, the issue lies elsewhere — and sometimes it’s not about your device at all.

That’s why it’s smart to take a step back and evaluate everything in the chain. From your Wi-Fi signal to background apps to whether it’s time to compare internet providers, there are several things to check before throwing your laptop under the bus.

Is It Just Your Laptop?

Before you assume the problem is with your device, try using another one on the same network. Is your phone loading pages quickly? Does your tablet stream without issues? If other devices are fine, your laptop might indeed be the culprit — but if they’re also sluggish, the issue probably lies with your internet connection or Wi-Fi setup.

On the other hand, if your laptop is the only one misbehaving, it’s time to dig a bit deeper into what might be causing it.

Check Your Wi-Fi Signal Strength

Your laptop’s connection to the router is one of the most common — and fixable — issues. A weak or unstable Wi-Fi signal can lead to poor speeds, even if you’ve got a decent internet plan.

Try these steps:

• Move closer to the router: Physical distance and walls can interfere with signal strength, especially on 5GHz networks.
• Check for interference: Other devices like microwaves, cordless phones, or even your neighbour’s Wi-Fi can disrupt your signal.
• Use the right band: If your router supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, switching bands might help. 2.4GHz travels further; 5GHz is faster but has shorter range.

If your connection improves when you’re near the router, consider a Wi-Fi extender or mesh system to boost coverage throughout your space.

Restart the Router (Yes, Seriously)

It sounds basic, but sometimes the oldest trick in the book works. Routers can get bogged down, especially if you haven’t restarted them in a while. Power-cycling your router clears memory, resets connections, and gives everything a fresh start. Just unplug it, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in.

Still having issues after the reboot? Time to look under your laptop’s hood.

Look at What’s Running in the Background

Laptops — particularly Windows-based ones — often run a bunch of apps and processes behind the scenes that quietly hog bandwidth. You might not even realise they’re doing it.

Here’s what to check:

• Cloud syncing apps like OneDrive, Dropbox or Google Drive — if they’re syncing large files, your connection will suffer.
• Background updates — your operating system or antivirus software may be downloading updates without asking.
• Streaming apps left open — some media players continue using bandwidth even when idle.

To find out what’s eating your connection, open Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac), and look for processes with high network usage. Pause or quit anything you’re not actively using.

Browser Issues: Extensions, Tabs and Cache

Sometimes, it’s not your internet that’s slow — it’s your browser acting up. Extensions and tabs can drag down performance, especially if they’re running scripts or constantly refreshing content in the background.

Try these fixes:

• Close unused tabs — especially ones with video, auto-refresh, or chat features.
• Disable or remove browser extensions — some extensions hog bandwidth or interfere with site loading.
• Clear your cache — old or corrupted data can slow down page loading.

If in doubt, try a different browser entirely and see if the issue persists. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all handle resources a little differently.

Check for Wi-Fi Driver Updates

Outdated or buggy network drivers can cause patchy performance — even if everything else seems fine. Drivers are the software that tells your laptop how to interact with your Wi-Fi hardware.

To check:

• On Windows, go to Device Manager > Network Adapters > Right-click on your Wi-Fi adapter and select “Update driver.”
• On Mac, updates are usually bundled with system updates — go to System Preferences > Software Update.

Manufacturers occasionally release bug fixes or improvements that can significantly improve connection stability.

Test Internet Speed — With and Without the Laptop

Run a speed test on your laptop using a service like Speedtest.net. Then, run the same test on a phone or another device in the same location. If your laptop results are significantly lower, it’s time to look at how your device is connecting.

Still slow across all devices? Then the problem might not be your gear — it could be your plan or provider. If you’re consistently getting slower speeds than what you’re paying for, especially during peak hours, it might be time to consider your options.

Bandwidth Hogs on Your Network

Sometimes, it’s not your laptop that’s causing the slowdown — it’s someone else in your household. Streaming 4K movies, gaming online, or running large downloads can monopolise bandwidth, leaving little for the rest of the network.

To investigate:

• Log into your router’s admin panel and see which devices are connected and how much data they’re using.
• Pause or prioritise devices — many modern routers allow for “quality of service” settings that let you give your laptop higher priority.

If your household is full of connected devices, it might be time to upgrade your internet plan to accommodate heavier usage.

Time to Test With a Cable

Before you swear off your laptop entirely, try plugging it directly into your router with an Ethernet cable. If your speed instantly improves, it confirms the issue lies with your wireless connection — not the device itself.

A wired connection eliminates signal interference and gives you the most reliable speeds. If the improvement is significant, you might want to use Ethernet for important tasks, or upgrade your Wi-Fi setup for more consistent performance.

Your laptop isn’t always the bad guy when your internet feels sluggish. It’s just one part of a larger puzzle involving Wi-Fi signals, background apps, router settings, and even what everyone else is doing on the network. By checking each piece methodically, you can usually get to the root of the issue without making any rash decisions — and save yourself the cost of an unnecessary upgrade. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple tweak to get your connection running smoothly again.