My internet sometimes slows down at my FSU apartment, what can I do?

Photo of Campus West Apartments See More From:
Campus West
On your tour, try asking your leasing agent for information on what type of internet access is available at the community.

Internet has become an essential part of being a student. That is why many of the apartments near FSU offer high speed internet access, as well as additional ways to connect which are available through amenities such as computer labs or business centers. A lot of class work these days involves the internet, and some colleges at universities such as FSU have gone so far as too put many classes online.

If you are pursuing a degree that really relies heavily on the internet, than having a steady connection and fast speed are definitely at the forefront of your priorities. However, even with all the precautions we take, sometimes the internet just seems sluggish. This can be extremely frustrating, especially since many of us can only do certain work at specific times.

Luckily for you, it should have nothing to do with where you live. None of the FSU apartments forego the internet as a major priority for their residents. The problem is most likely closer, in your apartment I would imagine.

The first thing you should do is plug your computer directly into the modem and then test the speed. This will determine whether it is a problem with the modem, or the router. If your speed is much better when you are directly connected, then it is a router issue, and vice versa.

If it is a modem issue, the first thing you should do is reset it. Disconnect the router from the modem, and then power it off for one minute before turning it on. Then when all of the lights are solid green, reattach the modem to your router and wait. Test the modem speed to see if it is fixed, if it is not then it may be an issue with the company. Different FSU apartments may use different cable providers, so make sure you know which one to contact.

If it is an issue with the router, than different steps are necessary. The first thing you should do is to try disconnecting all the random devices in the apartment that are connected to the router. This includes phones, laptops, tablets, some television devices, gaming devices, etc. Certain routers can only handle so many devices before everything slows down, more expensive routers will be able to handle more.

If your internet speeds increase drastically with just having one device connected, then you need to find the threshold that your router can handle. If you want to connect more devices and maintain speed, then you will need to look into getting a new router. Now if the speed does not increase when you disconnect all the devices, it is a more deliberate problem with the router.

To try and fix such an issue, look up how to check and update your router's software. Yes, a router does actually have software, with updates that can make a major difference. There are also more specific things you can do to the router settings such as changing the channel, but you will need to research a bit if you new to all this. All in all, if no matter what you do, your speed does not increase, then you simply just need to get a newer and more advanced router.

FSU apartments can be different, with some providing direct links to an apartment modem while others may tell you to bring your own. Therefore, these instructions may vary a bit depending on where you live. Taking the time to learn a little bit about how the internet works in your unit, may save you in the future. Especially if the internet goes down during a quiz.

These are the opinions of writers and not the opinions of RentTally.com or any of our advertising partners.