Why is My Upload Speed So Slow? 9 possible Reasons

It feels frustrating when you are trying to upload new photos or videos in your social media accounts or files in your Google Drive, but are not able to do it because of slow upload speeds. Also, work from home is a trend after covid situation, you must be aware how good internet speed matters to wrap daily assignments and meet the deadline.

While getting a good internet connection; most people are concerned about the download speed, no one really asks about the upload speed. However, it is a crucial factor because you cannot send data via the internet or connect with others via Zoom or Google Meet without a good upload speed.

After taking a top-quality internet connection if you still think “why is my upload speed so slow”, then this article is for you. As here you’ll find the reasons that cause slow upload speed and how you can fix the issues.

Reasons Behind Slow Upload Speed

There can be several reasons behind a slow upload speed. It can demoralize and affect your timely delivery of services. Here’s a list of some of the common causes:

• Bandwidth limit exceeded.
• Malware or corrupted files on your system.
• Too many devices on a single network connection.
• Outdated network adapter drivers.
• Security or firewall blocking the connection.
• Excessive network usage by background applications.
• Old router or modem.
• Network rules are imposed to protect the business asset.
• The Internet service provider is restricting the usage limit.

Why Do you Need Good Upload Speed?

A good upload speed is required for different people for different reasons. Normally, when selecting an internet service provider people only ask about the data and download speed of a certain plan and forget about the upload speed. Users only get concerned when they are facing difficulties while uploading some heavy files or attending any video calls.

Here is a list of people who really get affected by poor upload speed.

Student 

There are many online or e-learning platforms where it is really necessary for the students to have a good upload speed to get the best experiences of the live classes. 

Apart from that, students have to submit projects and presentations online. In that case, if the upload speed is not up to the mark then it will be really a problem for them.

Businessman

Upload speed is really very important for a businessman because he/she might need to be constantly connected with his clients and employees by sending files and attending video calls. 

So, if the upload speed is disturbed then the process will take a lot of time which will be really frustrating.

Gamers

Online gaming and streaming are something that so many people enjoy today. A good data transfer speed is really necessary otherwise the game will lag or as a gamer, you will not get good graphics quality. 

A low gaming experience is the last thing you want while playing online games.

Content Creators

So many content creators and influencers are using the internet to post their content on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc.  Posting high-quality content like 4K or long duration videos, then a good upload speed is a must.

Slow Upload Speed Fix

Hopefully, you’ve already got an idea about the possible causes of your slow upload speed. Apart from that, there’re a few more things that you need to fix to solve the issue. Here we’ve listed some of the methods to improve slow upload speed.

Factory Reset Your Router

One of the primary causes of slow upload speed is a faulty or outdated router. This does not mean that you have to get an expensive one. Try fixing your current router by rebooting it to the default factory setting and check if the performance gets restored or not. 

Note: Before restoring the router’s default factory settings try turning off the router once and then wait for a while. Clear the flash memory and then switch it on again to check if the internet speed is okay or not. If still the problem persists try to boost your internet speed.

Follow the steps to restore factory settings on your router:

• Press the reset button ( it’s generally located at the back panel of the routers) for 10-15 seconds. If required, use a pin or paperclip to press the button.
• Your router will reset and reboot.

Remember, restoring the factory settings means all your personalized network settings and saved data and credentials for login will be removed. That’s why you need to reconfigure the router again.

Use an Ethernet or Wired Connection

No wonder Wi-Fi is really efficient and convenient; however, a traditional RJ-45 connector can provide you faster speed.  So, in case you are not getting a good upload speed while using a wireless connection, switch to ethernet and change the difference. 

However, if you are concerned about connecting your mobile or tablets, then it is a fact that a wired connection cannot solve your problem. For such a scenario, if you possess a dual-band router, you can consider switching to the 5GHz channel from 2.4Ghz. The range might get reduced but the speed can improve as it has lower traffic and higher bandwidth.

Upgrade or Change Your Internet Plan

Apart from hardware and software, the root of the problem can be your ISP or the internet plan you have selected. 

If you are getting a limited bandwidth then you cannot expect to get good performance. You cannot ever get good speed if you are using multiple devices at a 30Mbps speed limit. 

You have to upgrade your internet plan that provides 100Mbps to 1Gbps speed limit. That’s how several devices can work smoothly even when sharing bandwidth at the same time. In case you don’t get the proper internet speed follow this.

Upgrade Your Hardware

An old model router doesn’t support multiple drivers and wireless connections. So, you need to upgrade your router to get the best service. 

New routers like dual-brand routers support multiple devices on both wired and wireless connections. It also allows the transfer of both 5GHz and 2.4GHz. Moreover, it checks the internet traffic and allows you to control the bandwidth of each device. 

Use Different Web Browser

Not every browser can have the same requirement. Google Chrome is undoubtedly one of the top-most preferred web browsers; however, to enhance the performance, it drains the memory of the systems. 

If you feel a low upload speed, then you can always switch from chrome to Firefox or Edge. You should also know that a few programs work well in some specific web browsers. 

Run Malware Scan

If your PC or laptop has a virus or malware, then the system performance will deteriorate. The malware will run in the background and use your CPU and network, and as a result, your computer will slow down. 

This will also cause a slow upload speed. Moreover, your confidential data will be at risk. 

To prevent such issues, it’s better to install third-party antivirus software and do some system cleansing. 

Although viruses cannot corrupt the router, still it’s a good practice to reboot your router once.

Disconnect VPN

VPNs are used to avoid restrictions, video buffering and increase privacy. Additionally, some of the VPN services provide a seamless browser experience by increasing or improving the internet speed. 

However, not every VPN provides the same performance, as some of them can make your browser really slow. So, try uninstalling or disabling the VPN services to check if the upload speed improves. 

Close Background Data

Other reasons for slow upload speed are the data usage of background apps and parallel data transfer. 

If you are experiencing any Windows update or downloading any large software, the internet speed will decrease automatically. 

It will be better if you can monitor the background process and close the unnecessary background apps. Make sure to close any peer-to-peer software such as torrent as it consumes more data. 

Frequently Asked Questions