Internet connectivity has become an essential service in recent times, be it going through the internet, streaming a video, downloading an app, or working with apps that rely on a stable connection, a slow network connection on your phone is more of a frustration. There are a number of reasons network speeds can be extremely slow on your phone, including software glitches, network traffic or hardware issues. This guide will provide many practical techniques that will help you with addressing network speed issues faced on your smartphone.
Tips To Solve Network Speed Issues and Internet Connectivity Issues on Smartphones
Here are some practical tips and troubleshooting techniques to resolve network problem issues on your smartphone:
1. Check Your Signal Strength
When examining network performance issues, the first thing that should be checked is the signal levels given to the device, if one or two bars of signal are detected then it suggests that the internet speed is likely to be negatively affected. To determine if redirecting to the network will improve this condition you must potentially move from the current location to a different location where conditions are known to be better.
2. Restart Your Smartphone
A simple device restart can clear any small software glitches that cause minor slowdowns in network speeds. Restarting your device clears temporary files and refreshes the network connection allowing it to function at its fastest speed.
3. Turn Airplane Mode On and Off
Enabling Airplane mode disconnects your phone from all wireless connections which includes GSM networks, WiMAX, WiFi, 3G, 4G etc. When you switch the device off you will be able to reconnect to the network connection which may improve the speed of your mobile communication.
4. Reset Network Settings
If your network problems are not alleviating an additional route can be to reset the network settings, and this will erase all saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth connections and cellular settings, returning everything to default. To reset network settings:
➤ On Android:
- Navigate to Settings and tap on System Reset
- Tap on Reset Network Settings
➤ On iPhone:
- Go to Settings, scroll down to the General section
- Tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone
- Tap on Reset and then Reset Network Settings
Also See: 10 Best 5G Wifi Routers For Long-Range
5. Check for Network Outages
Sometimes network failures may originate from a problem with the coverage of your services being provided by the service provider. Check the websites or social sites of your telecommunication carrier to hunt for problems that have been reported for coverage in your area. You can also utilise third-party websites such as “Downdetector” to check for outages.
6. Switch Between Mobile Data and Wi-Fi
Try switching between a Wi-Fi network and mobile data or vice versa, if you encounter slow internet speed. Further, in some cases switching networks may improve the internet connection.
7. Forget and Reconnect to Wi-Fi Networks
If you are using Wi-Fi and are encountering slow internet speeds then, you should restart the network settings by forgetting the network and reconnecting to it again. To achieve this:
- Go to the Settings menu under Wi-Fi then select the network that you would like to get rid of and select the Forget Network option.
- Reconnect by entering the password again.
8. Update Your Phone’s Software
Software updates usually contain bug fixes along with network improvements. Keeping your phone at the latest software update ensures you are going to be benefitting from the new network enhancements that are made in the latest version.
➤ On Android:
- Go into the Settings option
- Next, tap on the Software Update then Download and Install
➤ On iPhone:
- Go to Settings on your phone
- Tap on the General and then on the Software Update
9. Disable VPN Services
If you are using a VPN your internet speed may slow down, disconnect your connection and check if your network connection is above baseline speed.
➤ On Android:
- Open “Settings”.
- Tap on “Network & Internet” (or “Connections” on some devices).
- Tap “VPN”.
- Locate the active VPN connection and click on “Disconnect” or “Forget” to turn it off.
- If the VPN is enabled through an app (e.g. NordVPN or ExpressVPN), launch the app and disable it.
➤ On iPhone:
- Open Settings.
- Tap on “General” then “VPN & Device Management”.
- Tap “VPN”.
- Turn off any VPNs you may have turned on
- If you are using a third-party VPN app, open the app and turn it off from there.
10. Clear Cache and Data
Gradually over time caches for apps and browsers will block the performance of a user’s network connection. Clearing caches and data will make the network connection run faster.
➤ On Android:
- Go to “settings” apps.
- Select the “app storage” and clear the cache.
➤ On iPhone:
- Go to “Settings Safari”.
- Select “Clear History and Website Data”.
11. Check Background Apps Consuming Data
Some apps continue to use data in the background causing your connection to slow down. To check the type of data that is being used and limit background data usage, follow these steps:
➤ On Android:
- Go to “Settings”
- Then tap on “Data Usage”
- Finally, tap on the “Restrict Background Data”
➤ On iPhone:
- Go to “Settings”
- Tap on the Cellular”
- Turn off “Background App Refresh”
12. Use a Different Web Browser
Most web browsers have been programmed to run quicker than others. If you find that one browser is sluggish then you could utilize either a light browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Opera Mini to see if this will make the difference.
13. Change DNS Settings
Changing the DNS settings can help resolve network problems as well as increase the speed of your device’s internet connections. Here are the steps needed to perform that task successfully:
➤ On Android:
- Go to “Settings” and tap on the “Wi-Fi & Network”.
- Next, tap “Wi-Fi” and then a connected network.
- Tap “Advanced options” (or Modify Network).
- Then change your “IP Settings” to Static from “DHCP”.
- Scroll down and enter a preferred DNS server (e.g., Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4).
- Save changes and reconnect to the network.
➤ For iPhone (iOS):
- Go to “Settings” and then tap on “Wi-Fi”.
- Then tap on the “i” icon next to your Wi-Fi network.
- You need to scroll down to “Configure DNS” and choose “Manual”.
- Clear current DNS entries and then enter new ones like “Google DNS: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4” or “Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1”.
- Then save the changes and reconnect to check if it works.
14. Use a Signal Booster
Frequent weak network signals may be improved by using a signal booster device, which amplifies any signal present in the area thereby helping to provide better network connectivity typical of a network amplifier.
15. Contact Your Network Provider
If none of these options can resolve the relevant issue, contact the provider of your network to check for problem areas regarding SIM card issues, network settings etc.
Conclusion
In conclusion, network problems encountered on smartphones can be extremely frustrating but can be easily resolved with the correct troubleshooting steps chosen. By inspecting your connectivity signal power, restarting your mobile device, updating the software on your phone and correcting all of the parameters for your network setup it is possible to remedy many of the most common network problems that people run into. If you still have unsatisfactory network conditions or poor connection speeds you can resort to contacting your network provider for additional help, or switching to a more reliable network.
