Many people have experienced that even though fiber can be used without problems during the day, its speed drops suddenly at night. Many people use the internet after get off work or when they get home from school, so slowing down at night can be very inconvenient.
fiber optic line
So, this time, we summarize the reasons for slow light lines at night, effective solutions, and what to do if the speed drops outside of the night.
Reasons for slow fiber optic lines at night
Compared with ADSL, optical lines are characterized by large capacity and fast communication speed, but depending on the situation, the speed may be greatly reduced. These are the two main reasons for fiber slowdowns at night.
1. Providers are busy
For fiber, up to 32 households share a single fiber. Many optical line operators offer 1 Gbps (1000 Mbps) optical lines, so if divided by 32 homes, the communication speed per home is at least about 31 Mbps.
Generally, if your speed is around 20 Mbps, you can enjoy high-resolution video and play online games comfortably, so there is no problem with the minimum communication speed for each of the above households.
The problem is that the provider provides internet service to users, and if the connection between the optical line and the internet goes down, there will be delays due to congestion.
2. Server overload
Most websites are stored on specific servers designed to send information in response to user requests.
However, when access is concentrated and the server is under heavy load, the response is delayed, the site is displayed slowly, and errors are displayed on the screen. In this case, other sites can be used without any problems, which is the criterion for determining whether it is due to provider congestion or server load.
Solutions for fiber optic lines in the middle of the night
Here are some reasons to fix slow light lines at night.
How to Fix Provider Congestion
The most effective way to deal with slowdowns caused by provider congestion is to switch providers. There are many points to choose a transfer destination, but if you want to eliminate dissatisfaction with the communication speed, it is important to choose a provider that supports IPv6 (IPoE) connections.
IPoE is a connection method that performs IP communication over Ethernet.
Unlike the PPPoE method, which uses a provider-provided ID and password when connecting, you can connect directly to your carrier's network, so there will be no congestion when connecting. IPoE supports IPv6, which allows you to create almost unlimited IP addresses instead of IPv4 worrying about running out of IP addresses. However, with IPv4 being the vast majority, most websites and content are IPv4 compatible, and there are many services that don't work with IPoE.
Therefore, it is currently best to communicate with IPv4 over IPv6, which can support IPv4 over an IPoE connection. If you want to solve nighttime problems, choose a provider that supports IPv4 over IPv6. A compatible router is required to connect using IPv4 over IPv6.
Even if the provider offers IPv6-based IPv4 service, you cannot connect using the IPv6-based IPv4 method without using a compatible router, so be careful.
How to fix server congestion
Regarding server congestion, if the management side increases or increases the number of servers, it is unlikely to slow down even if access is concentrated. However, since this is a problem of infrastructure development, the user side cannot handle it, so it is necessary to take measures such as changing the time zone of site content that is accessed centrally at night.
What if fiber speeds slow down even when it's not at night?
If fiber is slow not only at night but also during the day, there could be three reasons.
1. Low PC specifications
Older models of personal computers have lower specifications, such as CPU and memory, and require a lot of time to process data. In particular, the latest website and video content has high resolution and high definition, so it may not be possible to process it in a short period of time on a low-spec computer. In this case, even if you change the line or provider, you cannot expect to increase the communication speed, so it is recommended to replace it with a new computer.
The amount of memory is proportional to the processing speed, so choose at least 4GB of memory.
2. The router is old
Since routers are basically in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, heat tends to build up and its deterioration can cause problems if used for a long time. If you've used it before and it's suddenly slow, try shutting down the router and restarting it after a while.
If this method doesn't work, I suggest you consider replacing your router with a new one.
3. Deterioration/failure of LAN cable
LAN cables used to connect line terminals (ONUs), routers and terminals are susceptible to UV rays and electric shock, and depending on the environment of use, LAN cables may deteriorate or malfunction.
When the LAN cable is degraded, optical transmission loss is likely to occur, and the communication environment may become unstable. Even if it looks fine, in some cases the wires can break within the coating, so if you don't have a problem with your computer or router, suspect a faulty LAN cable.
Reasons for slow light lines at night include provider congestion and server load. If the speed is not increasing not only at night but also during the day, there may be a problem with your computer, router or LAN cable.
In either case, as long as you take the appropriate action depending on the cause, you can enjoy a comfortable internet.
