Everyone experiences laggy internet. Whether you can’t log into Zoom or you lag out of a Fifa match, bad internet is dreadful.  With parents and students alike still working and learning at home, many people are experiencing internet-related issues. Here are a few tips and tricks on how to test your internet speed and fix some problems you might run into.

Luckily there are ways to fix your internet. First you’re going to want to find out what the problem is, whether it’s your computer, phone or wifi router. One way to do this is go to measurementlab, which will run an internet diagnostic test for free. To complete the test, go to measurementlab on any device that’s connected to the wifi server you want to test, then on the right-hand side click the blue button that says “Run an NDT Test.”This test will tell you your internet to upload and download speed. If your wifi’s upload speed is slower than 6 mb/s (megabytes per second) and the download speed is slower than 25 mb/s then the problem might lie within the wifi router.

One quick and easy solution to fix your router is to reset it. Resetting the router will turn your wifi off completely until you turn it back on. To reset the router, all you need to do is unplug it, wait 30 second and plug it back in.

Another way to improve internet speed is by using a LAN cable. LAN stands for Local Area Network and helps deliver internet directly to a computer or gaming system by connecting a cable directly from your wifi router into your computer. LAN cables come in all different lengths, from three feet to 100 feet and can be purchased on Amazon for as low as $7 These cables bypass the wifi server surrounding your house and take internet directly from the router. This can increase speeds by up to 100 mb/s.

In addition to these quick and easy solutions make sure to turn off and close internet-hogging apps like FaceTime, Instagram and Tik Tok, which are constantly streaming/ being connected to your WiFi. It’s also possible that streaming services like Netflix or You Tube can be playing in the background and can be using up a lot of internet. On an iPhone you can simply close the apps by sliding up on your home screen and swiping the apps up, on a computer you can just close the tab.

If none of these tips have worked or you don’t have internet at home LAUSD has worked with multiple companies to make it easy for students to access free internet through companies like Spectrum and Comcast. To access any of these go to the Spectrum or Comcast websites or call this toll free number (844) 488-8395. On top of working with Spectrum and Comcast LAUSD has also purchased a mass amount of WiFi hotspots and Chromebooks to pass out to students to assist them in connecting to their education.

No matter what the problem is, everyone has to deal with slow internet and it’s awful. Thankfully there are resources available to fix or upgrade your internet connection.