Why Does My Internet Speed Drop After Running a Speed Test?

It sounds like you might be experiencing what's known as 'speed test congestion.' During a speed test, your connection is prioritized, which can skew the results. Outside of tests, your speed can be affected by many factors including network congestion, distance from your router, or interference from other devices. To boost your speeds, try connecting directly to your router via Ethernet, minimizing interference by reducing obstacles, and ensuring that fewer devices are using the Wi-Fi at the same time.

Definitely look into the devices you're using. Sometimes outdated hardware can limit speeds even if your service is solid. Also, consider changing your Wi-Fi channel or switching to a 5 GHz band if your router supports it, since this can alleviate interference issues. Monitoring your network for any unusual device activity can also help.