Two of the most frequently asked computer questions are, ‘Why is my computer running so slow?’ and ‘Why is this website taking so long to load?’ The speed of your computer and the loading speed of a website will depend on 4 different things. Let’s take a look at each one.
1. YOUR LOCAL COMPUTER
2. YOUR EXTERNAL CONNECTION
3. THE HOSTING SERVER YOU ARE ACCESSING
4. THE CODING OF THE WEBSITE DESIGN
1. YOUR LOCAL COMPUTER
BHO – Browser Helper Objects
Browser helper objects or BHO tax the speed of the browser interface. Examples of BHO’s include: Adobe Acrobat (PDF), Bing, Google or Yahoo tool bars, Anti-Virus toolbars, Social sharing buttons (Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter) and so on. They install when you attach, download applications or install plugins to your computer browser. In the snapshot below you see 4 different helper objects installed in an Internet Explorer Browser. We can elect to turn these off by un-checking the boxes.
Browser Cache
Browser cache is a temporary storage area in your computer that holds the most recently downloaded web pages. This is meant to help speed up the loading of websites you visit most often. But this is a Catch 22 feature because the browser cache can actually slow down the loading of websites on your browser when the temporary storage reaches capacity. For this reason I elect to clear my browser cache every other day. Also see: How to clear your browser cache.
Trojans or Viruses
Sometimes there could be Spyware, Malware, Trojans or Viruses running in the background disguised to look like a legitimate program. This slows down your browser as well. Make sure your anti-virus and spam killer software is update.
System Registry and Computer RAM
A computer system registry may contain errors that tax the random access memory (RAM) of your computer thus causing your computer to run slow. There are many different computer registry repair applications available to you to get this corrected.
Old Browsers
If you’re currently using an old browser this could be a big problem. Update your web browser. If you’re feeling really techie, then download and install three different types of browsers. Try all three and then use the one that is fastest or works best for you. I use Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Fire Fox for Windows. Most folks who use a MAC like Safari and Chrome for MAC.
2. YOUR EXTERNAL CONNECTION
In most cases, 90% of the time your browser is slow because of something happening outside of your control.
Traffic over your ISP
Your ISP is your Internet Service Provider. In Hampton Roads, VA, popular ISP’s include Cox Cable, Verizon Broadband, Comcast and others. Sometimes service providers may experience heavy online traffic, service outages or upgrades and maintenance. All of these slow down your connection over the Internet.
Traffic over the Entire Internet
Traffic hubs, routers and switches all over the globe route data packets of information from point A to point B. There are lots of moving parts to sharing, viewing and receiving information over an electronic connection. See: Internet Exchange Points
Wireless Routers
Proximity to the wireless access point or router, as well as physical obstructions, affects the quality of your Internet connection. If possible you should hard-wire your computer or device directly to your router using a LAN. (Local Area Network connection)
3. THE HOSTING SERVER YOU ARE ACCESSING
Not all website hosting servers are the same
Websites you access are hosted somewhere on a computer server or server farm. About 75% of websites hosted in the U.S are on shared resource servers. On average these websites get a very small amount of traffic versus websites hosted on super fast dedicated servers. It is possible for websites on a shared server to hog or consume bandwidth from other websites, causing websites to load slow. In most cases good hosting companies have bells and whistles in place to detect and correct these server resource issues.
4. THE CODING OF THE WEBSITE DESIGN
Some websites have issues with the way they were coded resulting in a very slow loading website. If you suspect the website you are visiting has a coding issue, you can visit GTMetrix.com to confirm. They will run the report in real-time and only takes a few seconds to do.
In Conclusion
Chances are if you are reading this article on VISIONEX you are website owner and depend on your website to help grow your business. Make sure your computer equipment is up to date and your ISP is delivering the Internet speed you are paying for.
Finally take a closer look at your website hosting plan and the quality of your website design. Customers are looking for the services or products you provide right now. Customers are usually in a hurry which means you only a second or more to deliver your message. A slow loading website means lost business and customers. Make sure you keep the wheels greased and stay on the fast side of the track.
