Draggin Down the Network

Many people notice that streaming or video calls suddenly buffer and aren’t sure why. A speed test looks great, but things still feel slow, jumpy, or unreliable. In many cases, the problem isn’t your Internet connection at all. It’s what’s happening inside your home network.

Your Wi-Fi is a shared space. Think of it like a group of friends sitting around chatting. Everyone takes turns talking. When everyone speaks clearly and at the same pace, the conversation flows. But if one person falls behind, everyone else has to wait. Your devices work the same way. Phones, TVs, laptops, cameras, and other smart gadgets all take turns communicating with the router. When most devices use modern Wi-Fi, things move quickly, but even one device can slow down the entire network, making everyday Internet use feel frustrating and unpredictable.

Old Gear

One common culprit is smart home gear like light bulbs, plugs, and other low-cost connected devices. Some of these devices are brand new but still rely on very old Wi-Fi standards, like 802.11g, which dates back to 2003. They don’t use much data, but they stay connected all the time and communicate slowly. That means your router has to spend extra time talking to them, which can quietly slow everything else on the network.

That’s why the problem can feel unpredictable. Speed tests may look fine, but everyday use feels sluggish. Streaming buffers, calls stutter, and things seem better or worse depending on the moment. In some homes, performance improves almost immediately when certain smart devices are unplugged. This is a good sign that it was older technology that was quietly dragging the whole network down.

Testing Your Devices

The good news is you usually don’t need to replace everything at once. You can try moving certain smart devices to a separate network or the guest network. You can also try unplugging devices one at a time and see if streaming or calls improve. Restarting your router after making changes can also help reset the network. Testing this way helps you identify which gadgets are slowing things down. These devices aren’t “bad,” and your Internet probably isn’t broken. Being selective about what you add and upgrading the biggest offenders over time can make a noticeable difference. Even small changes, like moving your devices a few feet to avoid interference, can improve how everything feels.

If slowdowns don’t seem to have a clear cause, looking at the mix of devices on your network is a great place to start. Our Help Desk can help identify whether older equipment may be part of the issue and suggest practical steps to get things running more smoothly.