Internet users often complain about application issues, and there can be many possible reasons for the most common ones. This article explains the causes of some of the most common internet problems and how to solve them.
DNS issues
The Domain Name System (DNS) converts domain names to IP addresses, which is how web pages load. Every internet-enabled device has a unique IP address, which other devices use to find it. The DNS corresponds to the common name used to match service or server names with the IPs that route a network request. The DNS search is quick for commonly used names because the cache stores the match. If the name is not common, the match is probably in a more distant cache, like the domain’s root server. The domain is .com, .org, etc.
Before a DNS server sends a request to another server along the path, it checks its cache. The process is repeated by every next server. If the search is slow, that means the server is slow or overloaded or there is a slow link along the path.
This issue can be solved by adjusting local routers to move requests to a speedier server chain.
DNS error
Most internet users have heard of this issue, so what is a DNS error? In this case, the lookup is not merely slow – the DNS is not available, or you don’t have an internet connection.
Possible solutions include a browser update, checking for network issues, and restarting your router or modem.
Slow network
If your network suddenly got slow, you might have an issue with your hosting provider or a new app was added, like for an online training video or video conferencing. A failing link or switch port might be causing web traffic to circumvent the failure and put excessive pressure on another port or link.
Downloading a high-def video will slow the internet down. If you work in an office and a lot of people are doing this, it will inevitably reflect on the speed. A network monitoring tool can help solve this issue.
Finally, the network might be a component of a bigger organizational one. Any change in the bigger network can lead to increased traffic going through the internet connection point, decelerating the response to an app in the cloud.
Using too much CPU
Using too much CPU will reflect on internet speed. Task Manager is the go-to option to check which app or program is using too many resources. In some cases, it will show which app is using too much disk space or memory.
Task Manager doesn’t always work because some applications might interact with hefty databases, receive high-speed video, or perform complicated calculations. Viruses use up a lot of resources as well. Always make sure your antivirus software is updated.
Apps that have been operating for a long time will begin to leak resources. Stopping and restarting the app is the fastest way to improve performance, but you might need to restart the whole system in some cases. The performance will also improve if you update device drivers.
Task Manager can be helpful in that it shows applications you might not know were running. When the system starts, Windows will begin running automatically, assuming you are using that OS, including games. Editing startup files can resolve the issue. Here’s what to do if Task Manager has been disabled.
Weak Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi signals are sensitive things – even rearranging your office space can lead to a weak connection. Large metal objects can block signals. Bluetooth, cell phones, and microwave ovens can interfere with Wi-Fi signals. You can identify the cause of the issue using a Wi-Fi network test tool.
