To say Aussies have an insatiable hunger for high-speed broadband internet would be an understatement. According to the Bureau of Communications, in 2018, 95% of Australian households had a peak bandwidth demand of 24 Mbps or less. However, this will increase to 56 Mbps by 2028. That’s more than double.
While more and more Aussie households want high-speed connectivity, network congestion remains a challenge. Network congestion occurs when you see the dreadful ‘LOADING’ icon on your mobile, laptop, or other devices. It usually happens when your network has to handle more data than its capacity.
The question is, what causes network congestion, and how do you fix it?
Let’s find out.
What Causes Network Congestion?
As mentioned, network congestion is common throughout the land down under. There are typically four reasons behind network congestion. They include:
1. High Traffic Volume
High traffic volume is the most common cause of network congestion. Many times, the sheer traffic volume exceeds the network’s capacity. It causes slowdowns across Australia. NBN, the largest wholesale internet provider in Australia, is no exception to this. If you have an NBN plan, you might have experienced a slowdown during peak hours.
2. Limited Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data you can transfer in a given time. It’s measured in megabits per second or Mbps. If the available bandwidth is insufficient, it can cause network congestion.
For instance, typically, you require 25 Mbps for two devices to stream, browse the web, and check email simultaneously. If you use four devices on this network, the overall speed will go down. In other words, you need a better bandwidth or fewer connected devices.
3. Network Mismanagement
Network mismanagement is another reason for congestion. You require a well-configured network for seamless browsing or streaming. If your router settings are incorrect or your Quality of Service (QoS) settings are suboptimal, your connection will slow down. Besides, outdated firmware or improper network layout might contribute to network congestion.
4. External Factors
Sometimes, external factors can affect your network. These factors are often beyond the control of your NBN provider. Usually, extreme weather conditions, such as storms or heavy rainfall, can damage the NBN network, which slows or even shuts down your network.
Construction work can damage internet cables or power supplies. This might interrupt your internet connection or slow it down. Power outages can also cause network congestion or even failure.
How Does Network Congestion Affect Your Internet Experience
Network congestion can affect your internet experience in many ways. Think of these as the signs of congestion. You might need to check for network congestion if you see any of the following signs.
1. Slow Internet Speed
One of the first signs is a noticeable decrease in your internet speed. When the network is overloaded with traffic, websites load slowly, and downloads take longer. It could take forever to check your email.
2. Video Buffering
Another annoying consequence of network congestion is video buffering. Whether you are watching Netflix or YouTube, video streaming relies on a steady data flow. However, when the network is congested, data packets can’t keep up with the required streaming rate. This leads to video buffering, which is very frustrating.
3. Say Goodbye to Online Gaming
Online gaming requires high and consistent network speed. Congestion delays data transmission, which can cause your game to lag or become unresponsive. It’s often impossible to play video games on a congested network.
4. VoIP Call Drops
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls, whether video or audio calls, are sensitive to network quality. VoIP calls may suffer from audio or video lag or even a sudden call drop during network congestion. If you use your home network for business or work, congestion can cause major problems.
5. Reduced Productivity
As mentioned, network congestion will affect productivity if you work from home. Even the smallest tasks, like checking your email, could take minutes, if not hours, on a congested network. Your communication platforms and collaborative tools might also fail to work. This can bring your productivity down significantly.
How to Check Network Congestion
Once you know something is wrong with your network, you need to check if it is due to congestion. Here’s how to check network congestion for your home internet connection.
1. Monitor Internet Speed
First, start monitoring your connection for speed. It helps you understand how the performance of your connection varies throughout the day. Slow speeds may indicate network congestion. Use online tools like Speedtest by Ookla or Fast.com to check your connection speed. Check the speed at different times, especially peak hours and off-peak hours.
2. Examine Traffic
Check your network traffic. It helps identify which devices or applications are using the most bandwidth. You can use network monitoring tools such as Wireshark to check the traffic. It can help you identify high-traffic activities like streaming videos, large file downloads, or constant data backups.
3. Check Router Logs
Router logs provide a history of your network’s activity. Check these spikes for unusual activity, like a sudden spike or drop. To check network congestion through router logs, open your browser and go to your router’s admin interface. Look for Logs, History, or Analytics.
How to Fix Network Congestion?
How to fix network congestion, you ask?
You can take a few simple steps to fix network congestion. This includes:
1. Increase Bandwidth:
If your bandwidth is low but usage is high, your network will clog more frequently. The only solution is to upgrade your NBN plan to a higher bandwidth. For instance, if your current plant is 25 Mbps, consider upgrading it to 50 Mbps.
2. Optimize Network Configuration
Another option is to optimize your network configuration. You can adjust Quality of Service (QoS) settings to prioritize critical data and limit less important traffic. Your ISP can help you update these settings if you aren’t tech-savvy.
3. Schedule Usage
Schedule your usage. For example, you can download large files during off-peak hours. It will minimize the chances of congestion during busy times.
4. Use Wired Connections
While Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi extenders are convenient, Ethernet cables provide a more stable connection. We recommend using Ethernet connections for your fixed devices like TVs or desktops. This can help reduce the lag and improve your internet experience. You can also add a mesh network to ensure better connectivity.
5. Replace Outdated Equipment
This is a must if you want a congestion-free network. Replace old routers, modems, and switches with new ones. Outdated equipment may struggle to keep up with modern data speeds.
Conclusion
Network congestion is an unavoidable challenge in an increasingly connected world. However, knowing what causes network congestion can help you improve your internet experience. You can take several steps to minimize congestion, including upgrading your plan and equipment, monitoring your traffic, scheduling your usage, and adjusting Quality of Service (QoS) settings. It’s perhaps the only way to boost your productivity and entertainment.
Struggling with network congestion? An NBN plan upgrade might help. At RBE Internet, we offer NBN plans specifically for heavy usage. Contact us to find your perfect NBN plan.
