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Why is my internet speed vary so greatly from day to night?

James2418
James2418 Posts: 5 Spectator
edited August 5 in Connectivity

I checked my download Wifi speed earlier this afternoon, and on my phone and computers, was getting over 200 Mbps. However, this evening, 9pm, it was only showing 20 -29 Mbps. I can understand it varying some throughout the day, but by as much as 10 Times? That seems a bit. What's the point of having a 300 Mbps service, when half the time it's only working at 1/10 the speed?

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Answers

  • Renee_T
    Renee_T Posts: 845 ✅ Verified Employee Moderator
    edited June 24

    Hello @James2418

    I apologize for any speed issues. There are a number of things that can cause WiFi drop off from distance to the router, wireless interference, bandwidth usage on the other devices on the network at the same time, which network the device is connected to, etc. Are all of the devices using a wireless connection or do you have wired devices as well?

  • RAIST515O
    RAIST515O Posts: 213 Contributor

    Sounds like you may have been connecting on the 2.4ghz band instead of the 5ghz?

    Can make a huge difference.

    The lower frequency can reach further and stands a better chance of getting through walls and such... but there is a price to pay for that.

    Less bandwidth (slower transfers)

    Many more devices that can interfere with signal (microwaves, telephones, Bluetooth... among other things)

  • James2418
    James2418 Posts: 5 Spectator

    I don't think it can be too many devices, obstacles between me and the router, or connecting to 2.4 vs 5ghz band, because I'm using the same devices, in the same location, just at different times of the day.
    We recently had a new modem, as the Spectrum service guy said it wasn't working right. Now I wonder if the router itself is presenting issues?

    I also wonder why I am not able to change my username, as it's James 2418, but keeps showing up as Names2418, when I go to the profile page, hit edit, then click on the pen icon, nothing happens, it won't let me change it, isn't that odd?

  • James2418
    James2418 Posts: 5 Spectator

    @RAIST515O I noticed just now, that I was getting just a 40Mbps download on my Android phone, and it was showing that I had a 2.4ghz connection. So I turned Wifi off, and then on again, and now it's showing a 330Mbps download, and that I do have a 5ghz connection. What would cause my connection to change on its own like this? If it finds some obstacles, will my devices, phone, laptop, etc, automatically shift to 2.4? It could that my bedroom, which is actually closer to the router, has more interference, and why my phone and laptop may be showing the 2.4 connection?

  • RAIST515O
    RAIST515O Posts: 213 Contributor

    "Smartconnect" behavior has always been screwy. It chooses what it predicts will be the better option... a lot of times it doesn't make much sense.

    I always name each network separately... like sticking 5G at the end of that network. That way I can pick specifically which network to connect and set only one of them to always connect to automatically.

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