For all the good things that the internet can bring us, such as education and entertainment, it still comes with certain challenges. Tech-savvy people know how to take care of problems that they face online, but those with less experience are often lost and uncertain what they should do.
If you are still relatively new to using the World Wide Web, this article should come in quite handy. Below, you will find information on six common challenges on the internet and details on how to counter these challenges.
Various Errors
The most common error you can expect to encounter when trying to connect to a website comes in the form of three digits—404. When a server was able to communicate with a web browser, but the latter could not access the website, it is when you see the 404 error.
In such a case, your options are quite limited. You can try waiting for a website to come back and even get in touch with the owner (if you have the contact details) and inform them about a problem.
In a similar vein, you might also see 504, which is another type of website error. According to https://setapp.com/how-to/fix-504-gateway-timeout, site owners should check DNS settings, restart network devices, and tweak their Firewall settings to get rid of the 504 error.
As you can see, while such errors can be pretty annoying, there are still ways to solve and avoid them.
Fishy Emails and Spam
Do not let your email inbox get out of hand as far as unwanted messages go. For one, do not subscribe to random newsletters so that it is easier to maintain the order in the inbox.
Next, if you are getting bombarded with spam messages from the same account, report it to the email service provider or tag it as a spammer so that their messages end up in the Spam folder.
You also want to pay attention to shady emails and ignore them. Even if you receive a questionable email from someone you know, it is better not to download attachments or click on a URL if they look suspicious.
Slow Website Loading Speed
A slow loading speed can happen for multiple reasons. For starters, instead of finding a reliable hosting provider, a website owner decided to pick the cheapest option they could find without considering a slow loading website and even downtime.
Poor optimization is also common. Some website owners go over the top with themes and various extensions or plugins on their pages and clutter the site with redundant junk.
Of course, the fault could be on your side. If you have a poor internet connection, you should not expect that websites will load at a decent speed. Try getting in touch with your internet service provider and ask if they can help you solve the problem. The issue might lie on their end.
Optimizing your internet browser could be another solution. You might have installed too many browser extensions or did not bother clearing the browser cache in a long time.
Finally, switching to a different internet browser is worth a shout as well. Perhaps your current browser is not up to par because it lacks current updates.
Annoying Advertisements
These days, aggressive online advertisements are not as common as they were back in the early days of the internet. Website owners are looking for other ways to monetize their content because ads are disruptive to one’s browsing experience.
Having said that, you are still likely to end up on a website that will force you to look at their ads. Thankfully, there are ways to counter this issue.
Install an adblocker extension on your internet browser, and you should notice significant improvements to the overall browsing experience.
It is also worth mentioning that clicking on some online ads may take you to shady landing pages that could infect your device with malware.
Geo-Restricted Content
Geo-restricted content is quite annoying. For example, you might want to watch Netflix or another streaming platform but cannot access it because of your location.
Playing a video game on a particular online server might also be out of the question if you are not living in the right region.
In such instances, you should use a virtual private network. Even though the service is primarily used for security and privacy online, it also works as a means to access geo-restricted content.
A VPN changes your location and IP address. Most services provide a plethora of options as far as IP and locations go, so you should find a suitable one as well.
Lack of Wi-Fi Signal
A poor Wi-Fi signal can be due to poor router performance. At the same time, third-party peripherals could also be jamming the signal. Check for peripherals, such as microwave ovens and wireless printers, in your home and find out if they are causing the problem.
