We charge extra but experience remains poor (please pray for better service).
We charge extra but experience remains poor (please pray for better service).
I’m trying to stay quiet but honestly, I’m stuck. My family runs a basic router with simple internet boosters. We live in the countryside and haven’t had any problems so far. But recently our connection has been really slow—we’ve noticed it and upgraded our service hoping for better speeds. Still, the internet is terrible. I’ve been checking Google for the last 30 minutes, and it’s averaging around 719ms, sometimes as low as 172, and even worse at 1960ms. We’re not in a remote area, and I’ve restarted the router and nodes, done everything I could. It’s frustrating, especially with my parents and sister being so upset.
Which router is being used? Which amplifiers are included? How is your connection established with the router? What kind of network service does it provide?
Given that God is all-knowing, shouldn't He be aware of everyone? Let's aim for a more polite approach. Perhaps we should launch a poll to determine the setup preferences of the person sharing this idea. My choice leans toward Starlink service and an ASUS 2.4/5 GHz wireless router.
There are numerous ways to handle slow internet connections, even dial-up. Ensure that pipelining is activated in Chrome or Firefox—it’s particularly important now. Sometimes it wasn’t enabled before, and I’d see pages freeze with “script not responding” messages until I understood the problem. Let's start with the ping test. You can't eliminate latency without your ISP identifying the cause, but caching can bring it down to zero. Every system stores DNS data, so it’s standard practice. When you visit a site, your ISP requests its IP address; this info is cached only for the server’s needs. Typically, it refreshes every 175 seconds, meaning a noticeable delay every three minutes. Worse still, many sites now embed numerous tracking scripts—often 10 to 15 extra pages—adding another 10 to 15 seconds just to fetch their IPs and load content.
A possible fix is to streamline webpages, loading only essential elements. Several extensions can help: Privacy Badger (from EFF.org) lets you control which domains load cookies or run scripts. NoScript offers a similar, though more technical, approach. These tools let you selectively permit or block domains on specific pages.
If you’re comfortable experimenting, you can adjust settings per computer and even export/import configurations. Remember, this process may require some trial and error, but once set up, it improves performance significantly.
For deeper insight, Pi-hole is a useful solution. When installed in a virtual machine on Windows or Linux, it can cache DNS queries and block known tracking domains. It also works with Unbound, which caches responses for faster access. This setup not only speeds up browsing but also helps prevent unwanted tracking by filtering out suspicious domains.
Keep in mind that Pi-hole doesn’t cache itself; it forwards requests to Unbound, which stores data locally. Even on a slow machine, this can dramatically reduce latency and bandwidth use. It’s especially helpful for streaming, online shopping, and general browsing where privacy matters.
I relied on my parents for guidance and their warm nature. They’re not even aware of what we’re dealing with. Our older brother, who’s more familiar with technology, recently upgraded us, but it’s been a while. What I remember is that they use a local provider, though they can’t explain the details. We have a setup on Amazon with a Google Wi-Fi extender, placed around the house—two on opposite sides and one upstairs in my room. They only saw a label on the bottom and thought it was "Ubee," but it’s clearly a used device. I’m sorry for the lack of more information.
Later research showed that our connection relies on ADSL, likely because they noticed faster download speeds compared to upload.
The problem likely lies with your home wiring or the ISP's setup. If no one else in your neighborhood faces the same issue using the same provider, it probably points to the connection point at your street entrance or within your house wiring. If the problem started around the same time as recent rain, you’ve probably hit a water line somewhere. Next, check the location of the water—on your home side or the ISP’s side. Since you’re tech-savvy, you’ve likely already checked basic devices and ruled them out. Try pinging the modem (not the router) to see if there’s high latency, which would help confirm consumer device issues.
This is my final update for today; I’ll check again in about 14 hours.
If you know the type of internet service you have, it would be useful—satellite, fiber, DSL, or coaxial (cable).
Tips: Visit https://www.ipchicken.us/ to learn more about your ISP. Be careful not to share your IP address online.
If you own a cable modem, that suggests cable service; a phone line cable implies DSL; a thin cable with ONT labeling points to fiber; a large dish on the roof indicates satellite internet.
This doesn't indicate anything meaningful. I've noticed many fiber and cable connections offering uneven download and upload speeds.
Ping from a device linked to the main router via a wire, then share the results. This will clarify if delays are caused by weak Wi-Fi signal or your internet connection, and I’ve included the tips you mentioned for speeding up web browsing.