Poor network performance is not only impacting a few users but is also directly influencing the success of the current project and overall business profitability. Performance issues can begin with minimal speed lags during app loading or lag during video calls, and then gradually accumulate to create bigger problems. The great news is that you don’t need to invest huge sums of money into the network improvement or NVMe dedicated server.
Of course, network performance doesn’t stop at your router, and we will show some practical causes for the slowdowns and methods of their prevention so your project can function smoothly.
Common reasons for the poor network performance
The understanding of possible reasons can give a trajectory of where to start from if you have noticed some troubles with the network. Of course, there might be issues with your router and its setup, but usually, performance problems are connected with other factors.
Here are the most standard reasons that should be immediately checked:
- Bandwidth overuse and bottlenecks. If you have lots of tasks and try to complete all of them at once, such as uploading, streaming, and hosting your website for huge traffic volumes at once, you’d better check the available bandwidth or use more reliable hosting plans, such as a dedicated server.
In circumstances with heavy workloads, the most optimal decision will be regular bandwidth audits, planning regular backups, and setting specific policies for huge file transfers. Everything depends on your current project and its requirements, so make a deep evaluation of the bandwidth usage.
- Outdated hardware. The problems might also be hidden in the old switches, routers, or servers that you are using for the hosting of your project. Modern demands require a higher speed of connectivity, and outdated hardware will hardly cover such needs.
To overcome the risks, you should be very attentive when choosing web hosting and make a deep analysis of the used hardware, as well as replace your own routers once every 4-5 years to get the desired speed. Also, don’t forget about the regular updates of the system to get optimal performance.
- High latency. Latency is a delay that is noticed between the sending of data and getting a response. This metric is measured in milliseconds, where 50ms is considered to be a smooth user experience and 150ms a huge delay. Latency issues are directly impacting cloud apps, VoIP, online gaming, trading, and more.
To measure your latency, you can use Ping tests, latency monitoring tools, and traceroute for the actual determination of the delays. In case the latency was noticed, you can try to optimize physical distance with CDN, upgrade aging infrastructure, minimize network hops, or use Ethernet for trading and other intensive workloads.
- Lack of traffic prioritization. Without the quality-of-service settings, all the traffic activity is treated equally. However, the processes should not be equal, especially for random tasks and really important ones.
For this reason, it is necessary to prioritize business-critical apps, VoIP calls, and other processes over others. Such improvement is specifically important when there are bandwidth limitations.
Recommendations for Enhancing Network Performance
Now, let’s proceed to certain strategic decisions that can significantly improve the performance. A couple of them are:
- Upgrade of the network hardware. This means you should try to keep up with the new demands regarding performance. If you start noticing issues with the performance of your current project, maybe you can try to switch to a hosting provider with newer hardware or replace some business-related devices before they cause real failures.
- QoS settings and bandwidth. Try to prioritize critical traffic and segment the network by apps or departments.
- Regular monitoring. When infrastructure monitoring is conducted regularly, it is possible to fix occurring issues more quickly, but also prevent some of them. Real-time monitoring tools and the setting of the alert are crucial for all apps and other online projects.
- Choice of scalable hosting. It is highly important to choose scalable solutions, and if that can be done automatically, it is even better. Proactive strategic planning can give far more benefits for the future of the current project, and minimize possible issues.
Summing up
Network performance can be influenced by a variety of factors and circumstances. That’s why it is recommended to understand all the key factors, and you will surely achieve a faster and more stable network. Regular monitoring, upgrading of the equipment, choice of scalable hosting solutions, and other proactive decisions will surely improve overall performance characteristics.
So, strong network performance depends on numerous diverse factors other than just the router alone. Every part of the network, whether it is connected devices, hosting, cabling, or service quality, is crucial. Quick identification of the possible issues can directly influence stability, speed, and general efficiency.
Somewhere along the way she found herself doing freelance consulting for small businesses and home users, supporting both Linux and Windows users and integrating Linux and Windows on the LAN, primarily Linux servers and Windows clients. She is the author of the Linux Cookbook, Linux Networking Cookbook, and the Linux Cookbook 2nd Edition for O'Reilly, and has written hundreds of Linux howtos for various publications, .