Troubleshooting Atlas Communications internet speed problems

Before you begin troubleshooting the speed of your Atlas Communications broadband connection, we suggest that you perform a Atlas Communications Internet Speedtest to measure your current broadband speed.

Also find out the minimum download speed that you are paying for from Atlas Communications.

You can find this information by checking a Atlas Communications broadband bill, your Atlas Communications contract or by contacting Atlas Communications.

Likely causes of Atlas Communications’s slow internet performance

Is it the Atlas Communications internet connection that is slow or could it be your device (laptop/smartphone/PC)?

You may need to consider how many applications are currently running on your device.

The speed problem may be due to the over-utilisation of your device’s resources i.e RAM/CPU Processor and as opposed to a problem with Atlas Communications’s broadband connection.

If you are on a laptop then you may use the task manager to see your Processor and Memory utilisation.

On other device, you could try restarting the device which hopefully will terminate all applications that may have been using up your device resources.

Run the Atlas Communications Speedtest on your computer and your mobile to check how the speed test results compare between the 2 devices.

This should hopefully provide you with more info to work with in terms of whether the issue lies with your PC/Smartphone or the Atlas Communications broadband connection.

• What exactly does the Atlas Communications download and upload speed mean?
• Who is the best Internet Service Provider in the UK?
• 5 tips to speed up your Atlas Communications Internet speed
• DNS tip to speed up internet browsing speed on Atlas Communications

Is your Wifi the reason for the issues?

The root cause of the performance issue could be your wireless network and not the Atlas Communications broadband connection.

You can rule out the Wifi network by connecting your PC directly into the Atlas Communications broadband router with an ethernet cable and then run the Atlas Communications Speedtest again.

If the performance improves when you’re connected via a network cable, this proves that the problem could be with your wireless network.

A number of things to investigate:

• Are the Wireless channels that you’re using for your Wi-Fi network network (SSID) overlapping with your neighbours?
• Is your Wi-Fi network signal from the internet router obstructed?
• Does your speed improve when you’re standing right infront of the Atlas Communications broadband router?

Who’s connected to my wireless network?

Have you checked that your Wi-Fi network password has not been hacked? Do you have an open Wi-Fi network? How complex is your wireless network password? It could be time to update it.

Neighbours could be using your wireless network and eating up all your Atlas Communications bandwidth by downloading, uploading or even streaming music or videos over your Atlas Communications broadband connection! Worse than that, they may be carrying out illegal activities over your Atlas Communications broadband connection.

There are three apps that you can potentially utlise to analyze your wireless network to see who’s connected:

• Windows users can use Wireless network watcher
• MAC users can use whoFi (who is on my Wifi)
• WiFi troubleshooting tool WiFi Analyzer

The above software will scan your wireless network and produce a list of the everything on your wifi.

• How to check who’s on your Atlas Communications Wifi network

Should I get a Wifi network booster for my Atlas Communications broadband?

You may discover that you have Wifi coverage holes at your property, a Wi-Fi network extender also known as a Wi-Fi Booster may be the best fix to strengthen your wireless signal to cover any black spots.

• Best Wifi Signal Extenders

The Wifi extender simply picks up your existing wireless signal just as it is starting to become weaker and re-transmits the Wifi network signal to increase it’s coverage.

Position the wireless booster near the position where your wireless network signal from your Atlas Communications internet router is starting to become weaker.

Place it approximately where your wireless network signal drops down to less than 2 signal bars. Walk around your house with a smartphone to find where this location is.

When was the last time you upgraded the Atlas Communications broadband router?

The Atlas Communications and broadband infrastructure, in general, are constantly updated to provide new features and improve performance as technology evolves.  Ensure that your Atlas Communications broadband internet router is running on the most up-to-date software.

The majority of Atlas Communications broadband routers will allow you to perform the software update by simply logging on the Atlas Communications broadband router and simply clicking on a button to perform the upgrade.

If you cannot do this, contact Atlas Communications and they will be able to do this for you or guide you through performing the upgrade yourself.

As well as updating the software, if you have had hardware for a long period, it’s worth talking to Atlas Communications to request for a hardware upgrade.

Is the fault external to your home (at the exchange)?

This is probably the most likely cause for Atlas Communications broadband performance issues in your property and is more common for broadband connections that are delivered via copper phone lines.

If you are not sure if this is relevant in your case, contact Atlas Communications who will be able to carry out the appropriate line checks to check if there is a problem on the Atlas Communications broadband line.

Is it because of Atlas Communications Internet congestion?

If you’re finding that the Atlas Communications internet connection speed in your area is slow during certain times e.g over weekends or evenings, then it may be because of congestion during peak times.

• What is Broadband Contention Ratio and does Atlas Communications have contention?

You should speak to Atlas Communications to find out your guaranteed speed.

Find Best Alternatives to Atlas Communications Broadband

 

Re-testing your Atlas Communications broadband connection

After the problem has been resolved either by yourself or Atlas Communications, re-test your internet connection using  at least 2 independent Speedtests to ensure the problem is fixed:

• • How to the ookla internet broadband speed checker to test your Atlas Communications broadband
  • Test your Atlas Communications internet speed using Ookla Offical Speed Test
  • Test your Atlas Communications broadbandspeed using fast.com speed test
  • Check My Broadband Speed Checker Atlas Communications internet speed checker
  • • 0845UK Broadband Speedtest and troubleshooting