At the start of 2022, the internet penetration in Nigeria was close to 51%, with 109.2 million internet users. There was an increase of 4.6% in internet users between 2021 and 2022. In Nigeria, the median mobile internet connection is 17.38 Mbps. On the other hand, the median fixed internet connection is 10.06 Mbps. Even though the internet speed has increased compared to last year, not all regions of Nigeria enjoy the same internet speed. There are still plenty of areas in Nigeria that have a slow internet connection. If you are staying in one of such regions, here are seven ways to deal with a slow internet connection. 

1. Restart the router

Simply restarting the computer when a computer starts hanging can solve the issue. This solution even works for routers. Before restarting your router, check the internet speed on Speed Test first. Now, unplug the router and wait for a few more seconds and restart it again. This will refresh the router and you can start enjoying a better internet speed. 

2. Place the router close to your laptop 

Unless you have a router supporting mesh networks, we recommend placing the router close to the device. The greater the distance between the router and the device, the slower the internet speed will be. Similarly, the smaller the gap between the router and the device, the higher the internet speed. You can compare the internet speed in both scenarios on Spectrum. In addition to that, do not place your router close to the wall or the ground. Objects around the router can disrupt internet connectivity. 

3. Close the background apps and software 

Sometimes, the apps and software running in the background consume too much of the bandwidth of the internet. This, again, can result in a slow internet connection. When experiencing a slow internet connection, close all the background apps and software to free up some bandwidth for the primary task. 

4. Use ethernet 

The easiest way of getting a faster internet connection is to connect your device and the router with an ethernet cable. In comparison to wireless networks, connection through ethernet cable is more reliable and provides the user with a faster internet connection. With an ethernet connection, you can say goodbye to all the disruption in a wireless internet connection. 

5. Go for an adblocker on the browser 

Almost all the websites run ads to get some monetary value. Auto-played videos and ads can disrupt the browsing experience and it again reduces the internet speed. Ad media again consumes the internet speed and consumes bandwidth. Installing an ad blocker will speed up the internet connection instantly. With a browser like Brave, you can clearly see the bandwidth and time saved. Also, when working on something important on a browser, close all the additional tabs. 

6. Use QoS Setting 

Many modern routers support QoS settings. With this setting, it becomes easier to prioritise the tasks depending upon their level of importance. When you prioritise a certain internet activity on QoS, the internet data is allotted to the activities so that the priority task will receive the maximum bandwidth. You can turn on the QoS from the admin setting of your router. Different routers have different interfaces, but figuring out that is never a problem for many. 

7. Decongest the network 

If all the members of your house use safe Wi-Fi to go online, undoubtedly, everyone will face an issue with the internet speed. If you have an important meeting to attend and you want to enjoy a consistent internet speed for the same, ask the other people to disconnect. This will immediately decongest your network. In addition, you can keep all the media downloads scheduled for the off-peak hours, especially during the nighttime. 

By following the tips mentioned above, you can get a better internet speed even if you are living in a region that supports a low internet connection. However, even if you do not get a good internet speed after following these tips, you can always switch to an upgraded internet plan too. Hopefully, with the expansion of the 4G network in Nigeria, soon everyone will be able to enjoy a better internet connection.