Frequently Asked Question
How can I check if the issue is local or network-wide?
Last Updated about a month ago
When your Internet feels slow or unreliable, the first step is to determine where the problem is coming from. The checks below help you identify whether the issue is limited to your device/location or if it affects the entire network or ISP.
1. Test with a direct wired connection (bypass Wi-Fi)Explanation:
Wi-Fi can suffer from interference, weak signal, and congestion. Testing with a LAN cable removes all wireless variables.
• If wired works fine but Wi-Fi is slow, the problem is local (Wi-Fi issue).
• If wired is also slow, the issue is beyond your local wireless, possibly the network or ISP.
- Why it matters:
This test isolates whether wireless performance is the cause of the problem.
- 2. Ping the default gateway and external sites (e.g., ping 8.8.8.8)
Explanation:
Pinging tells you where packets are being lost or delayed.
What the results mean:
• Gateway ping is slow or unstable:
→ Problem is local, within your LAN or Wi-Fi.
• Gateway ping is fine, but 8.8.8.8 is slow or failing:
→ Problem is outside your local network, likely upstream or ISP-related.
• Both are bad:
→ Local issue that affects all traffic (e.g., CPE, router, Wi-Fi, cabling).
- Why it matters:
This test maps the path of the problem.
- 3. Try multiple devices: Is the issue on all devices or just one?
Explanation:
This checks whether the problem is isolated to a single device configuration.
Results:
• Only one device is affected:
→ Local issue (that device’s Wi-Fi, drivers, malware, settings, VPN, etc.).
• All devices are affected:
→ Problem with the network, router, access point, or ISP.
- Why it matters:
It quickly tells whether the issue is device-specific.
- 4. Speed test using tools like Speedtest.net
Explanation:
A speed test measures:
• Download speed
• Upload speed
• Latency (ping)
If the results are far below your expected bandwidth, there is an issue.
- Interpretation:
• Poor speed only on Wi-Fi:
→ Local wireless issue.
• Poor speed on both wired and wireless:
→ Network-wide problem or ISP issue.
• Normal speed test but slow browsing:
→ Possibly DNS or routing issues (often upstream).
- Why it matters:
A speed test gives quick, quantifiable evidence of whether performance is degraded.
- 5. Check with neighbors or other users on the same network
Explanation:
This helps determine whether the issue affects multiple users or just you.
If others experience the same problem:
• Issue is network-wide—likely on:
o The access point
o The building network
o The campus backbone
o The ISP/provider
If only you experience the issue:
• Problem is local to your location or device.
- Why it matters:
Shared symptoms indicate a shared network fault.