I have had several instances where my (or my students) computer or internet connection run slow. Here is a list of things you can try.
You have been on a page for a while and the connection to eCampus has timed out . Simply refreshing the page is not enough. You can so a full refresh by holding the [Shift] Key and clicking refresh. *** THIS IS REALLY COMMON and I use [Shift]+[Refresh] a lot! **
Your Browser cache needs emptying
You have a lot of 429 Errors (Too many requests). This means that your computer (the client) is sending too many requests to a Server. The Server responds by slowing or blocking your access. This happens as lots of requests to a server can indicate a DDoS attack. I am still looking into this one. One solution (though not a fix) is to go into incognito mode (in chrome). My suspicion is that you have a router problem but hoping to get some feedback from the students when they get it sorted.
Antivirus issues: Another thing that can really affect a PC is the antivirus software. Remember that every time a file is accessed particularly on the web your antivirus will scan it, so an older computer this will also cause your computer to run slowly. If you have a slow computer removing one of the commercial antivirus programs and enabling windows defender could speed up your machine. If you are worried about removing your commercial antivirus program it is hard to get a good comparison as many reviews are done with publishers who gather advertising revenue (so can be biased) however the article from cnet (following) highlights that if you practice good techniques Windows defender will do the job. Be aware that if your subscription for a commercial one runs out most likely your protection will stop at that point also. Many new computers come pre installed with a limited subscription so keep this in mind. Personally I de-install the (bloatware!) antivirus that is preinstalled and enable Windows defender. https://www.cnet.com/how-to/best-antivirus-protection-for-windows-10-in-2020/
.. and a really weird one .. Microsoft is updating your software. I have found that while downloading in the background this can cause: Very slow browser performance, inability to drag and drop between applications (e.g. Mail to web browser), inability to open links in email, etc. In most cases I have had to restart the computer, which then installed the updates and everything worked ok after.
You have poor coverage (if using the Wi-Fi). Check the number of bars on your signal, and if you are only getting 1 or 2 this could be the problem. Moving your computer or installing a Wi-Fi extender could fix the problem.
Run a speed test. Search for "Internet Speed Test" in your browser then run the test. Do the same on a mobile device (like your phone) and compare (for me in one test the download was quite different)
You are working on a laptop.
A. If you are using it on battery - plug it in (Laptops have power management running when on battery)
B. Connect it to the router via a cable (Apart from Wi-Fi being slower, if you are using wi-fi and other devices in the house are sharing the connection you will (approximately) divide the wi-fi connection speed by the number of devices)
You have other devices sharing the Wi-Fi. If you have a lot of devices sharing one Wi-Fi connection (e.g. phones, tablets, other laptops, IOT devices) they will share the channel, so for example if you have a TV and are streaming movies this will effect your speed (see my note below).
Cable issues. (thanks Alex!) If you are connected by cable to your router change the cable. It is possible that it has a bad/broken connection in the plug and/or cable itself.
Router issues
A. If you are wired to the router - check all the cables
B. Switch off your computer and router. Disconnect the router from the power supply and wait for 5 minutes (not sure why but ever time I have rung a technician they tell me to do this!!). Switch it all on again - note the router will take a few minutes to boot up.
C. You have a faulty router or line. You will need to contact your provider (This is also not uncommon).
Your drive is getting full (You should have around 10-20% of the drive free)
Your computer is underpowered (some students have old computers or slow CPUs and a small amount of RAM)
1. You have capped internet and they have throttled back your speed.
1. eCampus
A. Is having problems (this did happen recently so keep an eye on the home page or http://www.tanzecampus.com)
If you have a mobile device, can you access the site ok? Do the videos etc., run as they should? This could indicate you have a connection or computer problem.
If the site runs ok on your mobile device, you can hotspot it to your laptop (you need a wi-fi connection so probably isn't possible on a wired desktop unless you add a wi-fi dongle!) . Does it run ok now? If so the connection would be the issue, otherwise it is probably your computer!
You can install some software from piriform called ccleaner ( https://www.ccleaner.com/ ) , BUT, if you are not careful you can install unwanted software. So READ THE PROMPTS CAREFULLY. You should do this with all software you download and install particularly FREE versions.
We had an instance of an Apple laptop wanting to do a backup into the iCloud. This managed to chew through 10-20GB data in an evening which on capped internet blew the cap. Disabling the wifi connection made no difference as the user's account was also in the iCloud and it was smart enough to recognise the wifi was available and automatically reconnect. We did get round this by actually banning the computer in the router itself.
If you have someone watching TV using an online service like Netflix, Disney+, Neon etc, many services will default to the BEST resolution that it can. So if you have a modern TV it could be at Ultra HD (4K). Unless your TV is bigger than 65 inch it's probably not going to make much difference to your viewing and do you really need to watch at such a high resolution? Netflix does allow you to set the resolution BUT when I did it you need to do this in the PC version. The bright marketers at these services all no doubt have high speed broadband, and care little about the overall speed and performance of the internet.
I run ccleaner ( https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/download )on my computers as this will automatically clear browser cache and does things like remove installation files that are no longer needed. I use the free copy but be very careful on the download that you read the instructions as it tries to make you download some software you don't need. Strongly suggest you do not let it install these other applications.
Hope this helps
Michael