What makes Wifi Upload speed Slow & How to Increase Upload Speed

Part 1

What is upload speed?

The upload speed refers to the speed at which data is transferred from your computer to your network.

It is measured in megabits per second (Mbps) and is important to a variety of activities such as streaming videos, VOIP calling, online gaming, video conferencing, as well as file or photo sharing in the cloud.

The higher your upload speed, the smoother your online experience.

So, what is a good upload speed for wifi?

Generally, a good wifi upload speed is about  5 Mbps used on a single device.

10 Mbps upload speed or above are generally considered fast internet upload speeds since they can easily accommodate the typical user's activities.

However, to have the most seamless experience, more speeds are expected. 

What is the average upload speed for wifi

Part 2

Wifi upload speed slow. Why?

Whether you’re posting a picture to your social media, sending emails, or trying to upload videos to Youtube, slow wifi upload speeds can be very annoying.

This issue comes down to many factors: your internet service provider, your Internet plan, your router, the devices you’re using, etc.

Internet plan

The major cause of sluggish upload speeds is the internet plan that you sign up for.

The Internet Service Provider offers a wide range of Internet packages from which you can pick the most appropriate one.

If you are already on a low-cost subscription, then the chances you suffer slow internet speeds are high.

Slow upload speed

Be aware that internet providers may have different standards for upload versus download speeds.

Download speeds tend to be higher, so that's what you'll see advertised.

Research both download and upload speeds to figure out your best option.

Solutions:

If you have a limited internet plan, upgrading to a higher one is an excellent option.

This is especially true if multiple people in the same household are utilizing intensive equipment.

Wi-Fi is slower than wired connections

Like it or not, having slower speeds on Wi-Fi is inevitable.

Wi-Fi connections are typically slower than cable ones since wireless technology sends data using Radio Frequency (RF) waves, which are prone to deterioration, interference, signal loss over distance.

When using Wi-Fi, these factors can affect the speeds you can get from your internet provider.

Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet

Wired connections, on the contrary, do not degrade over distance and provide considerably more consistent bandwidth and reliable speeds.

Solutions:

Use a wired connection rather than a wireless connection and see if can help increase your internet and speed up youtube upload.

Multiple upload tasks at the same time

Performing multiple tasks at once like uploading images, playing games, or watching Youtube videos may render wifi upload speed slow. 

Those operations all eat up Internet bandwidth and experiencing slow internet is something easy to understand.

Moreover, too many people and devices connected to your connection at the same time can also lead to slow speeds.  

Solutions:

Limit the number of people and users connected to your network while you’re trying to upload something.

To see which devices are connected, download an app.

Begin by unplugging all of them and reconnecting your most critical device to see if this can fix the wifi upload speed slow.

Wifi signals affected by various factors

Another possible cause of slow connections is weak wifi signals. 

Weak wifi signals

These signals can be interrupted by the long-distance from you to the router, by physical objects in your home (i.e. walls, ceilings, appliances), or by radio waves from other devices such as microwaves or Bluetooth speakers.

Solutions:

Remove your wireless router from close proximity to other routers, appliances, and dense building materials.

When not in use, unplug all equipment and devices.

Security firewall

You may not think that the firewall causes both slow internet download and upload speeds but it actually does.

Because of checking the files as they are uploaded, the firewall can make the transfer speeds a little slower.

This is more likely if you use a third-party firewall rather than the one that was specially built for your computer. 

Solutions:

The simplest method to determine if this is the source of your problem is to temporarily disable your firewall and see if this cures the problem.

If it does, you may be able to find a firewall that is more compatible with your uploading speeds.

Router issues

Slow Starbuck wifi upload speed?

It could be caused by router-related issues.

If you have an outdated or low-quality router, it may not be capable of handling as many devices as modern routers. 

Wifi upload speed slow: Router position

Moreover, the location of your wireless router can have a considerable impact on the quality and stability of your connections.

The further you are to your router, the slower Internet speeds will become.

Check if you’re on a 2.4 GHz connection.

If yes, wifi upload speed slow can be expected. 

Infected system

Malware and viruses can also be the reason for poor upload speeds and decreased overall performance of your system.

Infected computers spread viruses by sending thousands of copies of the infection.

The presence of spyware or a virus could also make wifi download speed slower than upload or wifi download speed slow upload normal.

So, remember to check if your system is infected with malware or not to find out solutions.

Solutions:

Installing antivirus protection is an excellent tip on how to increase wifi upload speed.

If you suspect your router or computer is infected with a virus, perform a factory reset.

Try it out and see if your upload speed improves.

ISP issues

Most internet service providers (ISPs) deliberately slow down your upload speeds to offer faster download speeds. 

Slow Internet speeds 

 

This means that you are most certainly receiving data to your devices far faster than you are sending it.

Besides, the degradation of network or ISP infrastructure could also make youtube upload speed slow. 

Solutions:

Contact your internet service provider to find out the root of the woes.

In most circumstances, they can do something to enhance your upload speeds; whether this implies you need to upgrade your internet is another story.

An upload download speed test will tell you what your upload speeds are and what is a good upload and download speed for wifi.

Of course,

If you've been experiencing considerable lagging and freezing during video chats, you may not need to do a speed test to determine that your upload rates are inadequate for your needs.

Part 3

Conclusion

There is a variety of causes that render wifi upload speed slow. If you've been experiencing considerable lagging and freezing during video chats, you may need to do an upload speed test to determine that your upload rates are inadequate for your needs and then try those solutions above to improve your speed.