How to Stop ISP Throttling (Full Guide)
What is ISP Throttling?
ISP or bandwidth throttling is a strategy internet service providers use to limit the internet speed. The process targets users who access specific websites, stream videos, play online games, or use certain services.
In ISP throttling, an ISP separates and filters the internet traffic according to usage. For instance, unthrottled traffic allows web browsing and social media use at full speed. In contrast, throttled bandwidth when accessing streaming services may cause video lag and buffer.
Why does ISP Limit your Speed?
ISPs limit your bandwidth through data throttling to cut costs and save money. Providers like Cox Communications, Charter, and Comcast use diverse applications to throttle their clients’ internet connections. The limited bandwidth usage for specific websites and internet users enables ISPs to cut their networks’ data usage.
Data throttling enables ISPs to provide data services to more customers without increasing their network capacity. Ultimately, the strategy raises the ISP’s profit margins.
Also, some service providers claim that a few heavy bandwidth consumers negatively affect other users. Such heavy bandwidth use includes:
- Streaming videos from sites like Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, and Twitch
- Gaming Platforms
- File-sharing services like BitTorrent and Usenet
Another reason for ISP throttling is to manage data traffic during peak hours. Low bandwidth users are severely affected when several users use excess network traffic. ISPs, therefore, throttle the traffic of those heavy bandwidth users to lower the impact on users that have lower bandwidth.
Is ISP Throttling Legal?
Is ISP Throttling Legal?
ISP throttling is legal in most places. But, it’s not fair because it can make your internet slower.
Many people don’t like it because ISPs can slow down sites they don’t like. They can also limit sites that compete with them.
Bandwidth throttling can also hurt important services. For example, when companies use video sites for training or services.
How do Internet Providers Control Speed?
Internet providers control speed in a few ways. These include:
- A Bandwidth Cap: ISPs can limit your bandwidth. This means they can control how much you can download or upload. Companies like T-Mobile, Spectrum, or EE have used this method for years. It’s a big debate because it affects everyone, not just heavy users.
- Pay-Per Gigabyte: Some ISPs let you pay for extra bandwidth. If you use more than your limit, your speed will slow down.
- Traffic Shaping: ISPs also control speed by filtering certain types of traffic. They let some traffic go through but slow down others.
ISPs can block traffic to specific websites or applications. They check the port numbers of data packets. If they match those used by P2P applications like BitTorrent, they slow down that traffic.
But, some users use a VPN to avoid this. A VPN encrypts data, making it hard for ISPs to slow it down.
How to Tell if Your Internet is Being Throttled
How can you tell if your Internet is being throttled?
It’s hard to know because ISPs have advanced ways to control speed. For example, it took many users to figure out Comcast was slowing down internet with Sandvine software.
ISPs can slow down your speed at certain times or when you access certain sites. It’s hard to notice because it doesn’t happen all the time. But, there are a few things you can try.
Here’s how to tell if your Internet is being throttled:
- Do a speed test
- Do a YouTube test
- Use a VPN
- Use Internet Throttling Detection Tools
Doing a Speed Test
Simple Speed Test
One easy way to check if your internet speed is being throttled is by doing a simple speed test. You can use the SpeedTest website to monitor your internet speeds. By doing speed tests often, you can see if your ISP is slowing down your connection.
But, a simple test might not always show if your ISP is throttling. Some ISPs can tell when you’re doing speed tests. They might make their speeds look better to hide throttling.
Also, ISPs can slow down your internet at the protocol level. This is hard to spot with a speed test. For example, you might only be able to stream videos in lower quality, even if your overall bandwidth is fine.
To really know if your ISP is throttling, you need to do many speed tests over time.
Measure speed at the end of the billing period
Many ISPs slow down your internet towards the end of the month. This is when most people have used a lot of their data. You might find your internet is slow at the end of the month but fast at the start of the next.
Some ISPs slow down your connection if you use too much data. They can tell if you’re using a lot of data and slow you down if you hit a certain limit.
By doing speed tests throughout the month, you can see if your internet is slower at the end. Start with a speed test at the beginning of the month. If your speeds are consistently lower at the end, it means your ISP is throttling.
Measure speed at peak hours
Doing speed tests during the day can also help you figure out if your ISP is throttling. ISPs often slow down your internet during busy times, like 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
By testing your internet speed throughout the day, you can see if it’s slower during busy times. This could mean your ISP is limiting your bandwidth.
But, slower speeds during busy times might not always mean throttling. It could just be because more people are online, making websites slower.
Using a VPN
A VPN is a good way to check if your internet is being throttled. ISPs often slow down certain types of content that use a lot of bandwidth. A VPN can hide your activities and IP address from your ISP.
This means the ISP can’t tell what websites you’re visiting. They have to treat all content the same. When you’re connected to a VPN, you can do a speed test to see if your speeds improve.
If your speeds get better with a VPN, it means your ISP is throttling your connection.
Do a YouTube test
Another method is the YouTube throttling test. This test helps you see if your ISP is limiting your video bandwidth. Here’s how to do it:
- Open an HD video like one with 4k quality
- Access settings and select the 4k resolution
- Play the video and check if it buffers severally
- If it buffers, choose a lower resolution and try again
- Repeat the process until the videos play without buffering. The video resolution at this point means the network is at the efficient video bandwidth
The following YouTube bitrates chart helps you estimate the video bandwidth:
Standard Frame Rate | Type |
---|---|
1 Mbps | 360p |
2.5 Mbps | 480p |
5 Mbps | 720p |
8 Mbps | 1080p |
16 Mbps | 1140p (2k) |
35-45 Mbps | 2160p (4k) |
How to Detect ISP Throttling
First, check the video bit rate of the resolution the video plays without buffering against an online internet speed test. If the video bandwidth is lower than the tested internet speed, it means the service provider has possibly throttled the internet connection.
Use Internet Throttling Detection Tools
Several tools can detect when service providers manipulate the bandwidth allocated to consumers. The Internet Health Test software is one of the solutions. You can use the tool to identify if there are any network bottlenecks.
Internet Health Test can’t measure some protocols, like P2P and video. But, it checks a connection’s performance across a vast backbone network. This includes where services like YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix host their data.
The tool dashboard displays the results of various hosting services. Users can compare the upload and download speeds of different services. Those that register a drastic reduction in the connection speeds offer possible evidence that the ISP is engaging in internet throttling.
Why it is Hard to Detect ISP Throttling
Bandwidth throttling is more challenging to detect than other occurrences, such as social media shutdown or internet blackout. It’s hard to tell if a slow internet speed is accidental or intentional. This is even more challenging in nations with fragile digital and IT infrastructure prone to frequent internet disruptions.
Also, throttling usually impacts specific platforms or parts of some platforms. For some users, the internet speeds may seem normal, while the same platforms are unusable on parts of the web.
Further, due to the challenges involved in documenting the practice, it is challenging to tell the actual number of ISPs that throttle their internet connections.
Will a VPN Prevent Throttling?
Using a VPN is an effective way of stopping ISP throttling.
ISPs throttle internet speeds by separating the traffic into various lanes and restricting some of the connections. Ideally, the law prohibits service providers from throttling your traffic as long as a consumer pays for a specified internet speed, say 100 Mbps.
Using a VPN also prevents the ISP from viewing a user’s network activities. If a service provider cannot view the visited websites or the data from the user’s applications, it becomes impossible to separate the traffic.
A VPN wraps a consumer’s internet traffic in a robust and inaccessible encryption layer. This accomplishes several things. It prevents the ISP from viewing the protocols, websites, and services a client uses. It also encrypts the network traffic to prevent the ISP from separating and throttling it.
How to Stop ISP Throttling
There are various ways to avoid ISP throttling:
Use a VPN
A VPN is the best solution for preventing ISP throttling.
The solution remains to be the most viable way to prevent ISP throttling. Here’s how to stop internet throttling when using a VPN:
- Sign up for a VPN (NordVPN recommended)
- Connect to any of the servers
- Enjoy fast speeds
With the VPN hiding the user activities, ISPs can no longer throttle the internet connection. Consumers can, therefor, enjoy faster speeds devoid of network delays.
Increase Your Data Plan
You can avoid the resulting bandwidth throttling by switching to a data plan with higher bandwidth. This method is not the best as it may cause additional expenses in data usage. Sometimes it’s more costly than using a VPN which would just do as good.
Switch ISPs
Different ISPs have various approaches for capping data usage depending on their respective terms and service level agreements. Some ISPs prove to be more notorious when throttling their clients’ internet connections than others. They cause slower speeds than usual.
It is always recommended to sign up with a new service provider with a higher data cap. The move may not wholly resolve ISP throttling. But, it addresses concerns where ISPs throttle internet connections to extremely slow speeds.
Can ISPs Throttle a Connection Protected by a VPN?
A VPN encrypts and hides your data from your ISP. But, the ISP can tell you’re using a VPN. So, they might slow down all traffic, not just the VPN.
Or, they might slow down all traffic from VPN IP addresses. But this doesn’t happen often.
Blocking VPNs can hurt businesses a lot. Real businesses use VPNs for important tasks. They need VPNs to keep data safe and work smoothly. Blocking all VPNs would really hurt them.
While ISPs can slow down VPNs, it’s not common. It would mess up the internet a lot. ISPs might lose customers and make less money, so they usually don’t do it.
Other Benefits of a VPN
VPNs are good for more than just avoiding ISP throttling. Businesses get many benefits from using them.
Enhanced Security
VPNs make your data safer. They create a secure tunnel for sharing information. This is great for remote work.
Businesses use VPNs to send sensitive info. The encryption keeps this data safe from hackers.
Improved performance
VPNs hide your data from ISPs. This stops them from slowing you down. You get faster internet and better performance.
Fast internet means you can share and research better. This makes you more productive.
Bypass filters and blockers
VPNs let you get past internet filters. Some places block important websites. VPNs encrypt your traffic, so you can access these sites.
Anonymity
Many people value their online privacy. VPNs help you stay anonymous. They’re better than using web proxies or incognito mode. Using a VPN keeps your identity hidden.
Affordability
VPNs are important for many reasons, including avoiding ISP throttling. Luckily, they’re affordable. Most VPNs offer great features at low prices. They improve your internet speed and security.
Conclusion
The best way to avoid ISP throttling is with a VPN. It encrypts your traffic, so ISPs can’t slow you down. If you want fast internet and smooth connections, get a good VPN.
Here are some of the best VPNs to stop ISP throttling:
Rating | VPN | Website |
---|---|---|
4.8/5 | Visit NordVPN! | |
4.6/5 | Visit Surfshark! | |
4.5/5 | Visit AtlasVPN! | |
4.4/5 | Visit PrivateVPN! | |
4.4/5 | Visit ExpressVPN! |
VPN Expert, BEng in Network Engineering