Why is my Internet slow and sites & pages won't load?

Question

Why is my Internet slow and sites & pages won't load?

Diane C 0

For the past couple of days, my Internet is slow and links to pages on frequently visited websites don't load. I've also had a frequently visited site fail to be able to verify me. I've cleared my browser and cookies, checked for Windows and driver updates. I've run a full system scan and can't find any reason why I'm unable to access these sites and pages. Any suggestions?

R Templeman 0 Reputation points

2026-06-06T15:56:00.4633333+00:00

I have had the same problem. I have also tried multiple web browsers (uninstalling and re-installing those as well), and the problem persists in each of them. The ability to access regular websites,(e.g. my online student account with my university, or websites where you login to order products, or social media/streaming services, is either painfully slow or fails entirely, and even if you get in the 'front door' the same problem occurs whenever you try to proceed deeper into the site, and whether refreshing the page, or restarting the computer entirely, works or not is entirely random and subject to change. I've run a test on my internet connection and it is perfectly fine, done the deepest possible scans for malware (nothing).

I've also tried disabling things like tracking blockers. Whether that works is also entirely random, and subject to change (again at random), so it really has the same effect on balance as refreshing the webpage (i.e. usually useless, occasionally works for a short while).

I have tried a family member's laptop, and they were able to access these sites perfectly fine on my home network, so it isn't an issue with my router per se. My relative's laptop is a machine from their work, so it is maintained by their employer. Whether that matters I don;t know, but it is a Windows using computer.

3 answers

Your answer

R Templeman 0 Reputation points

2026-06-06T15:56:00.4633333+00:00

I have had the same problem. I have also tried multiple web browsers (uninstalling and re-installing those as well), and the problem persists in each of them. The ability to access regular websites,(e.g. my online student account with my university, or websites where you login to order products, or social media/streaming services, is either painfully slow or fails entirely, and even if you get in the 'front door' the same problem occurs whenever you try to proceed deeper into the site, and whether refreshing the page, or restarting the computer entirely, works or not is entirely random and subject to change. I've run a test on my internet connection and it is perfectly fine, done the deepest possible scans for malware (nothing).

I've also tried disabling things like tracking blockers. Whether that works is also entirely random, and subject to change (again at random), so it really has the same effect on balance as refreshing the webpage (i.e. usually useless, occasionally works for a short while).

I have tried a family member's laptop, and they were able to access these sites perfectly fine on my home network, so it isn't an issue with my router per se. My relative's laptop is a machine from their work, so it is maintained by their employer. Whether that matters I don;t know, but it is a Windows using computer.

Answer 1

Hello, my name is Jan. Here are other things you can try.

-Check the network adapter's power management settings.

Open Device Manager.

Expand Network adapters.

Select your Wi-Fi adapter.

Right-click and select Properties.

Click the Power Management tab. Uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power."

-Try disabling or removing browser extensions in the browser settings; in some cases, this can cause blocking issues while browsing.

-Perform a clean boot to disable unecessary background applications.

Clean boot

-Perform a Network reset. Search "network reset" from the list, click and open "network reset (system settings)"

Then click reset now and restart the computer and reconnect to the network router.

-Restart or power cycle the network router. Uplug the router for 20-30 seconds. Then plug the power adapter back in.

However ,If the problem also happen on other devices (phones or other computer) this is most likely a problem with the ISP.

Answer 2

Okay, so to add to the comment I left above under the OP, I changed my DNS settings to cloudfare to see if that helped and it didn't, but then I tried deactivating my AVG anti-virus web shield function (but kept the rest of the antivirus suite active) and that did the trick. Obviously I don't want to have a part of my antivirus software permanently disabled just to order books online or access my university student pages, so hopefully another solution exists. Are you using AVG yourself may I ask? [I should probably add that it was CopIilot that came up with the workaround, I didn't think of it myself]. Edit - all my pages seem to be working now despite reactivating the webshield. I don't know why the problem has not restarted, but I'll take what I can get. 2nd Edit - I spoke too soon, the problem eventually comes back unless I deactivate the webshield again, which makes the problem go away again.

Answer 3

Based on the scenario and tags (Microsoft Edge on Windows 11), focus on two main areas: Edge/browser issues and general network/PC issues.

Try these steps in order:

Check Wi‑Fi and network quality

If on Wi‑Fi, move closer to the router and remove obstructions to improve signal strength.
Connect another device (phone, tablet, another PC) to the same network and visit the same sites:
- If all devices are slow or failing to load, the issue is likely with the router/ISP.
- If only this PC is affected, continue with the PC/Edge steps below.

Close background apps using bandwidth

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
On the Processes tab, sort by Network and end processes that are consuming high network bandwidth but are not needed.
Retry loading the problematic sites in Edge.

Fix common Microsoft Edge issues

Make sure Edge is up to date:
- In Edge, select Settings and more (… ) > Settings > About Microsoft Edge and apply any available updates.
Clear cache and cookies again, but ensure the full range is cleared:
- Settings and more > History > Open history page > Delete browsing data.
- Set Time range to All time.
- Select at least Browsing history and Cached images and files and select Clear now.
If issues persist, clear all browsing data:
- Same menu, choose All time and select all boxes, then Clear now.

Check security software and malware

Third‑party security software (antivirus, internet security suites) can interfere with downloads, site verification, or page loading.
- Open the security app and ensure it is up to date.
- Temporarily disable web filtering or protection features and test the problematic sites.
- If everything works only when the security suite is disabled, adjust its settings or contact its support.
Run a malware scan using Windows Security or the installed security suite to ensure no spyware/virus is consuming bandwidth or interfering with the browser.

Repair Microsoft Edge If Edge is still slow or failing to load pages:
Close Edge completely for all users on the PC.
Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
Find Microsoft Edge, select it, then choose Modify.
Approve the UAC prompt and select Repair.
- This reinstalls Edge while keeping browsing data and settings.
Check for Wi‑Fi “slow speed” issues on Windows If the PC is connected but everything is slow:
Verify signal strength (again, move closer to the router).
Test another device on the same Wi‑Fi:
- If both are slow, restart the modem/router and, if needed, contact the ISP.
If only this PC is slow, repeat the background‑apps and Edge steps above.

If after these steps only specific sites still fail to verify or load, test them in another browser (e.g., a different browser already installed). If they work elsewhere but not in Edge, the issue is almost certainly Edge configuration, cache/cookies, or interaction with security software.

References: