Plain-language guides to the network basics behind our tools: DNS, IP addresses, speed tests, and what to do when the internet feels slow.
Slow internet has many possible causes, from a crowded Wi-Fi channel to a failing resolver. Work through this checklist in order and you will usually find the culprit, or at least have solid evidence for your provider.
Read articleA speed test gives you four numbers in a few seconds. Here is what each one measures, which ones matter for what you do online, and why two tests a minute apart rarely agree.
Read articleYour devices have more than one IP address, and only one of them is visible to the websites you visit. A clear explanation of public and private addresses, IPv4 and IPv6, and what an IP lookup actually shows.
Read articleEvery time you type a web address, a quiet lookup turns the name into an IP address. Here is how that lookup works, which records matter, and how to check it when something seems off.
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