Patchy internet affecting work from home? How to check mobile data speed and boost slow internet (Photo: Getty Images)
Working from home has become the new normal for each one of us amid the coronavirus lockdown since March 14. Staying at home all the time has increased our dependency on the broadband connection drastically. While some of us have a WiFi connection at home there are many others who still depend on mobile data to connect their workstation to the internet.
In most cases, mobile data isn’t as powerful as the broadband connection and hence people face difficulties in working from home due to patchy the network. Are you also struggling to cope with slow mobile data speed and that is highly affecting your work?
Don’t worry, we have some tips ready for you to check the mobile data speed and fix a slow internet connection.
How to check mobile data speed
There are several apps available on the Play store and App store to check the data speed your mobile network is providing. One of the biggest reasons behind a patchy mobile network is the location of your home.
To check the internet speed download the Speedtest App on your Android phone or iPhone from Google Play store and Apple App store, respectively. It isn’t a very big file so you will not need to spend a lot of mobile data to download it. Open the app and click on ‘Go’ in the middle of the phone screen. The app will take a few seconds to show the result. It will display the download and upload speed of the mobile network you’re using.
You can also search speedtest.in on Google in case you don’t wish to add one more app on your phone. Just head over to a web browser and type speedtest.in and search. Similar to the app the download and upload speed of your mobile network will be shown.
How to fix slow mobile internet/data speed
Restart phone
This is the simplest way out to fix a slow mobile internet. In fact, it is also the most common and widely used technique to fix a network issue. So if your mobile data is patchy and affecting your work just restart your device right away.
Turn off and then switch on data
This is another method a lot of people already follow. Restarting the mobile data boosts network speed and offers a better experience than before. On both Android and iPhone head over to the Settings menu to turn off the Mobile data. Keep the data off for a few seconds and then turn it on again.
Turn on Flight Mode
Another method a lot of people apply already to fix the network speed. Just head over to the notification panel on your Android or iPhone and turn on the Flight Mode option. Wait for a few seconds before turning it on again.
Check data usage
Checking data usage is always advisable if mobile data slows down. If you use Airtel, Jio, or Vodafone-Idea mobile network just head over to the MyAitel app, MyJio App, and MyVodafone and MyIdea app respectively. You will need to first create and add your account to the app. You will then be able to check your data usage. If the data usage has exceeded your allotted limit your data speed will automatically slow down. In this case, you must opt for an Add on plan or deal with slow data. You can also check the data usage in the Settings menu under the mobile data usage option.
Change location
It is possible that the mobile internet doesn’t work properly in one corner of the home while in the other it is fast. It is advisable to shift to the corner that catches a good network while you’re working from home.
Disable auto-download updates
Oftentimes we keep the auto-download option for regular app updates enabled. If you’re experiencing data speed issues ensure to disable the auto-download right away and manually update them when the data coverage is good.
Reset phone’s network setting
Resetting the phone’s network speed helps a lot in fixing slow internet speed. Just head over to the phone Setting and turn off the network setting and then turn it on again. This might improve the connection thatn before.