What is network congestion and how does it affect your connection?

Whether you're settling in for your favourite boxset, jumping on a video call or getting stuck into an online game, a slow internet connection can be a real pain.

Thankfully, your home WiFi is designed to handle lots of connected devices and everyday activities at the same time. But, in some situations, an unusually high demand for data can put extra pressure on a network. This is known as network congestion.

The good news? It’s not something most homes experience very often, and there are a few easy ways to help keep your connection running smoothly. Read on to find out what network congestion is, what causes it and what you can do if you notice your internet slowing down.

Network congestion happens when lots of devices and activities are trying to use the same network at once.

Virgin Media broadband connections are designed to support multiple people streaming, gaming, browsing and working from home at the same time.

But, occasionally, a particularly busy period or a sudden increase in data use can affect how smoothly everything runs.

For example, if one person is streaming a film in 4K, another is downloading a large file, and someone else is gaming online, your home network is managing several data-heavy activities at once.

Your broadband service is built to handle these types of activities. However, if demand increases significantly, you may notice some services slowing down.

Network congestion can also happen outside your home, such as when a wider network experiences an unusually high volume of internet traffic or issues with your equipment or home setup.

The important thing to remember is that a busy home network doesn't automatically mean you'll experience slow internet. Your broadband connection and home network are designed to manage multiple connected devices, even during busy periods.

If your internet occasionally feels slower than usual, there are a few things you can check.

Start by looking for patterns. Does the slowdown happen when lots of people are using the internet at home, or does it happen at other times too? Are several devices affected, or is it just one?

If multiple devices experience problems at the same time, it could be a sign that your home network is under extra pressure. However, slow internet can also be caused by other factors, such as WiFi coverage, device issues or problems with the service you're trying to access.

One of the easiest ways to check your connection is to run a broadband speed test at different times of day. If you notice consistently slower speeds during particular periods, a speed test can help you understand what's happening with your connection.

If your speeds are consistently slower during busy periods, such as evenings when multiple people are online, network congestion may be affecting your broadband connection.

The broadband speed you need depends on how many people are online at once, how many devices are connected and what activities you're doing.

Fast broadband is key for keeping everything running smoothly when you're online, but other factors can affect performance too. WiFi signal strength, router placement and the number of connected devices you've got at home. Making sure your home network is set up correctly can help you get the most from your broadband.

Other than upgrading your broadband, there’s several practical ways you can do to keep on top of network congestion and avoid slowdowns.

Here are some things worth trying:

1. Schedule online heavy tasks

Data-heavy tasks like streaming 4K videos, online gaming, or downloading large files can create short periods of high demand on your network. If convenient, scheduling large downloads or software updates overnight can help free up bandwidth.

2. Optimise your WiFi setup

Optimising your WiFi setup means placing your router in a good location, away from walls or electronic devices that can block signals and adjusting settings to reduce interference.

If you’ve got a Virgin Media hub at home, read out guide to setting up your Hub and improving your internet speed.

3. Keep your router up to date

Older routers and modems can’t handle modern high-speed internet or many devices at once, so it’s important to keep your router updated to make sure it supports the latest speeds, and can handle multiple devices without causing congestion.

Upgrading to a newer model helps make sure your equipment can manage more traffic efficiently.

Look for routers labelled “WiFi 6” or “dual-band” for faster speeds and better device management. We (naturally!) recommend our gigabit broadband, which comes with our WiFi-6 enabled Hub 5 and features download speeds of 1130Mbps and beyond – more than enough to keep network congestion low.

4. Prioritise important activities

Some routers allow “Quality of Service” (QoS) settings, which let you prioritize certain activities, like video calls, work meetings, or online classes. This ensures that critical tasks get enough bandwidth even if other devices are using the network.

Assign higher priority to work, school, or streaming devices during peak hours to prevent any chance of interruptions.

5. Use a wired connection

Using an Ethernet cable for computers, gaming consoles, or smart TVs reduces pressure on the WiFi network and provides a more stable, faster connection for everyone. Plug your console or gaming PC directly into the router whenever possible. You’ll see a big improvement in ping and fewer random disconnects.

If you've worked through the steps above and you're still experiencing buffering, frozen video calls or other connectivity issues, it may be worth checking whether you're getting the WiFi coverage you need throughout your home.

With our WiFi Guarantee with WiFi Max, you’ll enjoy download speeds of at least 30Mbps in every room or get £100 bill credit on your next bill. This goes hand in hand with our self-optimising Intelligent WiFi technology that’s loaded onto our Hubs 3, 4, 5 and 5x and adapts to what’s happening in your home to give you the most reliable WiFi, all the time.

Our WiFi Guarantee comes at no extra cost with our Gigabit Broadband packages. If you're on an eligible M50 to M500 Fibre Broadband package, you can add WiFi Max for £8 a month, with your first WiFi Pod included if you need one.