Use Speedify to Join Multiple Connections at Once
To increase upload speed, test your connection, restart the modem and router, switch to Ethernet, update firmware and drivers, pause apps that sync in the background, upgrade your plan, or add a second internet connection and use both at the same time.
Speedify is an app that combines two or more internet connections at once, such as 4G/5G cellular, Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Starlink, so you get faster uploads and downloads and stay online if one connection drops out. With only one internet connection, Speedify works as an encrypted VPN and cannot make that connection faster or stop it from dropping. This guide covers what causes slow uploads and how combining connections fixes them. For the download side, see how to get faster download speeds.
Reasons for Slow Upload Speeds
Slow uploads are a common problem, because most cable and DSL plans give you only a fraction of their download speed for uploading. Before trying fixes, check what is dragging your upload speed down. Common causes include:
- ISP throttling: Some internet providers limit upload speeds based on data usage.
- Poor router performance: Older or low-end routers can’t handle high traffic well.
- Network congestion: Too many devices using the same network can slow everything down.
- Poor Wi-Fi signal: Distance from the router or interference from walls/devices affects speed.
- Outdated hardware: Your computer’s network card or modem might not be up to speed.
Step-by-Step Guide to Troubleshoot Slow Upload Speeds
1. Test Your Upload Speed
Start with a simple speed test using tools like Speedtest.net. Compare the results to the upload speed promised by your ISP. If it’s consistently lower, you may have a problem worth solving.
2. Restart Your Modem and Router
Restarting is a basic fix that often works. A restart clears memory leaks, resets connections, and can temporarily improve upload performance.
3. Use a Wired Connection
Wi-Fi can be unstable, especially during peak usage times. Switch to an Ethernet cable if possible: a wired connection is more stable and often faster.
4. Update Your Firmware and Drivers
Ensure your router firmware and network card drivers are updated. Manufacturers frequently release updates to improve performance and security.
5. Limit Bandwidth-Hungry Applications
Pause streaming, large downloads, and gaming on other devices. Apps like Dropbox or Google Drive may also be syncing in the background, consuming valuable upload bandwidth. When you do need the upload, here is how to upload files faster to Google Drive.
6. Upgrade Your Internet Plan
If your upload needs have outgrown your current plan, consider upgrading. Fiber plans often have symmetrical speeds, meaning uploads are as fast as downloads.
7. Use Speedify to Combine Multiple Internet Connections
If you need a bigger boost to your upload speed, especially on the go or when working remotely, Speedify adds the upload capacity of a second internet connection to the one you already have.
One Speedify feature helps uploads in particular. Peer-to-peer cellular sharing lets nearby phones running Speedify share their 4G/5G cellular connection with your computer over Wi-Fi, adding their upload capacity to yours.
You can also tether one or more smartphones, or plug in a 4G/5G USB modem, and Speedify combines that cellular connection with your Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Speedify splits each upload across all of your connections, so it finishes faster.
Speedify measures each connection continuously and sends more traffic over the stronger ones. If one connection drops, your traffic moves to the others (failover) without stopping your upload or live stream.
When both internet connections are healthy, the combined upload comes close to their sum: Speedify says users get up to 95% of their connections’ combined upload and download speed. The real gain depends on what each connection can sustain on its own, and Speedify cannot create upload capacity that neither connection has; two connections that are already full stay full.
Data sent over 4G/5G cellular counts against the cellular plan, so watch usage during long live streams or big backups. Before an important upload, run the speed test built into Speedify to check the combined upload speed.
Upload Speed Needed for Live Streaming
A live stream needs steady upload for its whole length, so any shortfall shows up as buffering or dropped frames for viewers. Twitch’s guidelines list 6,000 kbps (6 Mbps) for 1080p at 60 fps and 3,000 kbps for 720p at 30 fps, and YouTube recommends 5 to 14 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps with H.264. The upload speed has to stay above the stream’s bitrate the whole time, with room left for everything else on the network.
Speedify’s Streaming Mode is on by default and gives live video and calls priority over other traffic on the same computer, so there is nothing to switch on before going live. For a large one-time file transfer, the default settings already use every connection.
Who Should Combine Internet Connections to Fix Slow Uploads
If your work depends on fast, reliable uploads, you do not have to settle for the upload speed your ISP sells you. Speedify combines all of your internet connections, including nearby phones through Speedify’s cellular sharing feature, so large files and live streams go out faster.
Speedify is especially useful if you need better upload speeds and you:
- Live in an area with limited broadband options
- Travel frequently and rely on mobile hotspots
- Work in media production and upload large files regularly
- Need uninterrupted video calls for work or remote collaboration
- Want a reliable failover option for mission-critical online tasks
Speedify
Get started with Speedify today.
Speedify combines Wi-Fi, 4G/5G cellular, Ethernet, Starlink and satellite into one faster, more reliable internet connection. Free to try: 5 GB a month with a free account. No credit card required.
🚀 Speed
Faster uploads and downloads, because Speedify uses all your internet connections at once.
📶 Stability
If one internet connection drops, Speedify moves your traffic to the others in milliseconds.
🔒 Security
AES-256 encryption on every internet connection, on any network you join.
15M+ downloads worldwide. 75K+ five-star reviews on iOS and Android.