Modem set up

There are a lot of factors that can make an internet connection less reliable (slow or unstable). In many cases, it’s something quick and easy you can sort with your equipment.
There are a few common causes of slow internet:

• Wireless signal strength
• Other devices using the internet at the same time
• Low powered computers

WiFi issues

The first one that’s easy to eliminate is wireless signal issues. If you notice that your internet gets slow or disconnects on one device, or in a particular room of your house it may be due to a poor wireless signal.
The best way to eliminate wireless signal issues is to connect up to your modem via an Ethernet cable, as this won’t be affected by distance or signal issues at all, and is much more reliable.
If that’s not possible (because you’re using a device without an Ethernet port, for example), check out this guide on how to make the most of the wireless signal in your home:
If you notice that even when you connect via Ethernet that you still have trouble, it’s likely that there’s something else causing trouble.

Congestion

The next thing that you can rule out is other devices using the line at the same time.
Some common things which use lines can include:

• Computers downloading updates
• Uploading photos to Facebook
• Large game downloads
• Syncing files to an online backup provider
• File sharing applications

Please make sure that there’s nothing else running on your network when you’re having trouble with the connection. If you’re not sure which computer or device is using the connection, the best way to check is to disconnect or turn off all of your devices except for one. 
When you have only one device, (preferably a computer) connected to the modem, make sure that there’s nothing running in the background on the device, and check to see if your connection improves. If you notice that performance is better, it’s likely that one of the other devices you had connected before was using the line heavily, slowing down the internet for other devices.

Device issues

Another issue which can show itself, especially on Fibre connections is an old or low-powered computer. You may notice that your connection speed is not reliable on one computer. If you find that speeds are better on another computer, it is likely that there’s something on the slow computer limiting its performance. This could be software running on it, or it could be the hardware in the computer itself not being up to the task of making full use of a Fibre connection.

Other stuff

If after trying all of the above you notice that your connection still drops out, please take a note of what the ONT and modem lights do when you notice the connection drop, and get in touch with our support team on 0800 4 SKINNY so we can help you get it sorted.