The internet has become the ultimate necessity for everyone, and having access to a high-speed internet connection is important to browse the websites, check your emails and messages, and scroll through different social media platforms. However, internet lag spike is a real issue, which slows down the internet speed. So, if you are wondering, “why does my internet lag spike?” we are here with the reasons as well as solutions.
Why Does My Internet Lag Spike?
In the majority of cases, the internet lag spike happens when a high bandwidth process is running in the background. When there is an internet lag spike, the games start to disconnect, and the internet speed slows down. So, let’s see how you can fix this spike!
1. Background Process
The first solution is to clear up the background processes. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if your internet speed is high or not; other apps and programs will start suffering when another app is consuming too much bandwidth. For instance, if a heavy app starts updating itself automatically, it will consume all the internet bandwidth, resulting in ping spikes. For this reason, you need to close down the background process.
For this reason, you need to open the task manager on your system, double-click on the Network option, right-click on a process that’s using the most bandwidth, and hit the “end task” button. You can follow the same process for every background app and program that you want to clear.
2. Pause Downloading & Streaming
It is common for people to use the same internet connection for downloading, streaming, and gaming. However, downloading and streaming can consume the internet bandwidth, particularly when you are following them together. So, whenever the lag spike happens, it is suggested that you turn off the downloading and streaming feature, and it will free some bandwidth.
3. VPN
The majority of people use VPNs to improve their internet speed, but the quality of VPN matters a lot. This is because if you use free VPNs, they are highly likely to slow down the internet speed, resulting in lag spikes. So, it’s recommended that you shift to an advanced and paid VPN to create a reliable encryption standard.
4. Update The Network Drivers
Another solution is to update the network drivers because outdated drivers can have a negative influence on the internet speed and overall performance. This is because the drivers work as intermediaries between the network hardware and the computer system to optimize data and information transmission.
However, these drivers are prone to errors and bugs, which is why regular updates are recommended. In the majority of cases, the network drivers are automatically updated, but you can check from the control panel to start the manual update if there is an update available.
The Bottom Line
These are some of the solutions that you can try to optimize the internet connection and fix the lag spikes. However, if you are unable to free up the bandwidth, we suggest that you call your internet service provider or simply reboot the network hardware, including your modem and router.