Why downloads are slower than expected

The 5 most common reasons downloads are slow

1. The server is the bottleneck (CDN limits, busy servers, per‑connection caps).
2. Wi‑Fi interference (distance, walls, channel congestion).
3. Peak hour congestion (your area shares capacity).
4. Device limits (old laptop/phone, background apps, storage speed).
5. Protocol overhead (encryption, retransmits, VPNs).

How to quickly find the bottleneck

• Test wired vs Wi‑Fi: if wired is much faster, Wi‑Fi is your issue.
• Try another server/source: if one site is slow and another is fast, it’s the server.
• Check multiple devices: if all devices are slow, it’s network/ISP.
• Pause other traffic: cloud backups, streaming, updates.

Wi‑Fi: small changes that often double speed

• Move closer to the router (or use mesh / extender).
• Prefer 5 GHz/6 GHz bands if available.
• Change channel if you live in a crowded area.
• Use Ethernet for big downloads.

Speed tests vs real downloads

Speed tests are helpful, but they’re not the whole story. They often use very fast nearby servers and run multiple connections. A single file download can be capped by the server or your device. If your speed test is good but downloads are slow, the issue is usually server limits, Wi‑Fi, or device performance.

Use the calculator to set expectations

Once you have a realistic speed (e.g., your wired speed test or a typical download speed from a reliable source), plug it into the calculator to estimate time for a 5GB / 10GB / 50GB file.