Why Is My Internet Slow?

By Wahaj us Siraj – CEO/Cofounder Nayatel

Many users complain of slow Internet at homes terming it biggest tech headache in pandemic. Historically, peak Internet hours at home were 6 to 11 pm when most of family members got together but lockdowns have brought everybody at homes day and night. Corona’s new lifestyle has expanded 5 hours per day of Internet peak time to 24×7.

Families stream lot more HD/4K videos to pass the time as they’re stuck in homes. Entertainment can turn into torture when buffering or freezing starts at climax. Schools have moved to online classes and kids need good speed on their laptops or phones. Video calls require stable connections at both ends.

If connection at far end is freezing, you would get a frustratingly bad video. You would say that no one is using Internet at my home and still I can’t make a good video call. In reality, this isn’t true. When devices are connected with WiFi, many background applications (software upgrades, file transfers, etc.) choke the connection.

On average, 6-7 family members use Internet and more than 10 devices connect to Internet at the same time. Kids in their free time play Internet games and require lag free gaming experience. You call your ISP, complain about speed and get this frustrating answer “nothing wrong at the backend, everything is fine”.

To diagnose the problem, you can test Internet speed by using free apps like Speedtest, Fast.com, etc. Download the app on your phone, stand near your WiFi router or ONT and run speed test. If speed is as per 90% of your package then it’s not ISP problem. If not, then it’s ISP problem, so contact provider and lodge a complaint. If speed is as per package, then move to a room farther away from router and run test again. If you get slow speed, then it is your router problem.

If your router is more than 3 years old, it’s time to replace it. Like new phones, new routers are much more powerful than old ones. If you open your WiFi setting on phone, you would see many WiFis operating in neighbourhood. New routers have better capability to automatically adjust to channels with least interference.

Users change their smartphones in 2 years and laptops in 3 years’ time. WiFi technology also changes fast. While smartphones and laptops may have latest WiFi and other new features, the home router might still be on old technology, thus giving less speed. A Ferrari can work on normal petrol but you won’t get desired speed till you use high octane.

A home at any point in time spends around Rs. 250,000 on 4-5 smartphones and 2-3 laptops every 3rd year. New dual band 5 Ghz WiFi router would cost ~ Rs. 5,000 and this is a onetime investment, good for 2-3 years. It’s better to ask your ISP to install these routers so that you get better service and support. ISPs usually don’t make money in hardware sales.

You can also buy these routers from any computer shop if you think your ISP is selling them at higher price. A small investment will definitely bring more speed to your home Internet. More devices can be connected simultaneously and your tech headache and frustration would be minimised, if not eliminated.

Install the router in a central location of home so that signals cover as many rooms as possible. Router should be out in open, not in a cabinet or under a desk to beam a clear signal. One router is good for 2-3 rooms. If you’ve more rooms, you need to install another router.

Whatever you do, be patient. In these trying times, everything takes longer. Techs working at ISPs are humans. Like medics, they’re working at front lines to make sure new connections are installed, kept working 24 x7 and phone calls and emails answered with minimum wait time. They deserve empathy and respect because they’re keeping you safe and happy within your homes.

The writer is CEO/Co-founder of Nayatel and founding member of ISPAK


  • Changing an adequately working router in 3 years time just for the sake of it? No, thank you!

    Still have a 15+ year old Linksys WRT54GL working ok even if a bit slow at 54Mbps. Plenty of old TPLinks and others also working along fine till now.

    • That is one tough router also have it for 15 year still works better than ptcl’s

    • Then you dont know anything about routers. It is just like saying I have Suzuki FX and it still runs on road

  • “A Ferrari can work on normal petrol but you won’t get desired speed till you use high octane.”
    LoL. Best line in the article.

    • Seriously! I got lost at that line. Person moderating that article must be high to look over it.

  • Mr. Wahajus Siraj glad to your approach which is G-Pon the one and only platform for Digitization. The PTCL slogn for Digitisation has nothing for eligibility. Please tell if you’ve reached Bahadurabad Area, Karachi and your promo offer?

  • Lol, change router worth 13k after 3 years? I was ripped off by nayatel folks for this, will surely buy it from outside again.

    • Only ignorant people get ripped off. Dont be stupid. First google before you go purchase 13k worth of router.

  • what’s the use of dual band when you’ve only got 8mbps to work with that too ADSL not GPON!? hum minority ka kia phr? hain?

  • Wahaj Sb, invest in better hardware instead of giving this lolipop of ONT to both corporate and home customers.

  • I have colleagues there who have told me that so called R&D is being done by guys who know nothing. It would be better for Nayatel to invest in right people. That case, CEO might be busy doing something worthwhile instead of writing those articles.

  • A Ferrari can work on normal petrol but you won’t get desired speed till you use high octane………..Seriously? Who vets those articles????

  • “nothing wrong at the backend, everything is fine”

    Definitely frustrating to hear that from your support guys. Poor communication on top of hilariously stupid tech skills, you make me pull my hair out.

  • Good effort to right some wrongs. But wouldnt it have been worthy if you focus that much on your sales or installation techs to guide potential customer? I am your customer and encounter was nothing but hilarious when sales guy made bold claims regarding hardware capacity and package when it wasnt even technically possible. The best part, installation technician was just there to make cables look neat while unable to solve a simple issue during routine setup. But, we have to endure it as you were the only guys available in that locality :(

  • Very healthy use of “2-3” to make everything sound trivial when it isnt. Good attempt in shoving everything down consumer throat while selling your underpower chines equipment to us.

  • Pathetic attempt. If you had educated people sitting on your helpline, you wouldn’t have to do such theatrics.


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