How to Improve Your Broadband Speed
Your Internet (broadband) speed depends on many factors: your
computer, browser, software, ISP, Wi-Fi and hardware. This article
will discuss how you can get the most from your Internet
connection.
I recommend that you try the changes in this article before
considering switching to a faster, more expensive broadband
package.
Computer Settings
Download speeds may be reduced because of incorrect computer
settings of the computer. Microsoft Windows default settings are
not optimized for the fastest Internet connections. We recommend
the free tool TCP Optimizer. It is a small program that takes just
a couple of minutes to install and run and changes all the settings
needed to maximise your speed. When you run the tool just accept
the defaults and it will do the rest. Even Windows 8 comes with
default settings that are slowing you down.
Browsers
You access the Internet by using a browser (Google Chrome,
Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer, etc.). Whichever one you
prefer, it is important that you keep it up to date. This will
ensure that you have the latest (and fastest) version.
Your browser can also be configured to maximise the speed of
your Internet browsing. For example, Chrome automatically
pre-fetches (downloads pages in the background) pages it thinks you
may want to visit next. Opera has an "off-road mode" that
compresses pages before being downloaded (smaller files take less
time and pages will load quicker). You can also install extensions
or 'add-ons' to your browser to increase your speed such as
Firefox's Image Block.
Speed up by talking to the ISP
If you have tried all the advice on this page and you still
need a faster connection then you should look at changing the
broadband package. Not all packages will be available at your
property and the speed you get will vary with distance from the
exchange.
To help you choose the best package from all available
ISPs:
- Enter your postcode in our "speed in my area" page. This will display a map showing the actual speeds recorded in your area including the name of the provider and the package.
- When you know that faster Internet IS available then you need to get the best deal. Enter your postcode in our "compare broadband" page and you will see the best deals available at your address.
- When you have decided on your new package visit maccode.org.uk for a guide to switching.
Wireless Connection
If you are using Wi-Fi then please see our web page on How to
Improve Wireless Speed.
Software Running In the Background
There are many programs that start running in the background
as soon as you log in to the PC. Many of these will need to access
the Internet even if they appear to be switched off. These programs
may continually upload and download data and not only slow you down
but also use up your download allowance. Some applications like
Windows updates and security suite updates are essential and should
be running all the time but others can be stopped. Go to your task
manager by right clicking on the Task bar and look in the
Applications Tab to see which applications are running. You can
prevent most of these from starting automatically by changing the
settings in the program.
To have better and easier control over what programs are
running on your computer then use a tool such as PC Speed Up. The
free version of PC Speed Up allows you to easily control which
programs start when Windows starts PC SpeedUp also optimizes your
computer including everything that TCP Optimizer does.
Router
The router or modem that you use also plays an important role
in the performance. A better modem or router may give better
features such as being able to select ports for gaming etc., and
may also have a better firewall. For wireless connections you
should position the router to minimize obstructions from walls etc.
To see if you are losing speed because of obstructions you should
test the wireless speed and check it against the speed you get when
using a network cable.
Today many people use wireless routers at home for convenient
access to the internet without running cables all over the house.
Most are unaware that wireless connections are much less reliable
than wired connections and slow broadband may be caused by a
problem at home rather than with the ISP service.
If you are using wireless broadband then it's worth trying to
connect your PC to the router by network cable and run the speed
test. If you find that your connection is faster on wire than on
wireless then you have a problem that you should be able to fix
without switching broadband.
Problem with Interference from Other Users
Wireless connections work on frequency bands called channels.
One of the reasons that Wi-Fi is slow could be that the channel you
are using is also being used by your neighbour's wireless router
and causing interference. To find out what channel you and your
neighbours are using download Netstumbler. {link to open in new
tab}Use this simple free utility to see whether you are sharing the
channel with other people. One thing to note is that channels are
overlapping so it isn't good enough to simply use another channel.
You should try to use a channel that has no overlap with your
neighbours.
The graphic below shows that a channel can interfere with up
to 8 other channels. For example, channel 6 interferes with
channels 2 to 10. If your neighbour is using channel 6 you should
choose 1 or 11.
Problems with Windows Configuration
Other problem with your wireless broadband might be that your
wireless card on your PC may not be optimized for high speeds. The
default settings in Microsoft Windows are not configured for higher
network speeds (even Windows 8 default settings are not optimized
for speed). To test and fix this use TCPOptimizer. Move the speed
slider to your desired speed (the speed you expect to get from your
ISP), change the radio button to optimal speed and press Apply.
After the computer restarts you will notice the speed
improvement.
Check that Your Wi-Fi is Not Being Used by Other People
It is very easy for people to use an insecure wireless
Internet service without the knowledge of the owner. Apart from the
obvious security risk (these users are now trusted members of your
network) this usage will slow down the connection speed. An
unprotected connection may lead to hacking that allows other users
to find out your personal information, such as bank details.
Check your Wi-Fi network by visiting 'My Network Places'.
There should be a picture of a padlock next to the name of your
network. If this is absent then you need security. We recommend
that you install Wi-Fi Protector. This is a free program that has
many features that we recommend to keep you secure. The significant
feature here is the easy to use analysis of your Wi-Fi security and
also any other Wi-Fi connections that you use (coffee shops,
airports etc.).
If you discover that your Wi-Fi is insecure then you should
configure your router to use a secure password. A wireless
encryption key is normally used to make hacking (the term used for
someone gaining illegal access to a network) more difficult. Use
WPA2-AES because this offers the best security.
Speedup Wireless Connection by Using a Better Aerial
If you are using Wi-Fi at home and experience speed problems
then you should consider getting a better aerial. This is normally
a few inches tall and is connected to your router. A longer aerial
will improve the signal and increase the range of your Wi-Fi.
Buying a longer aerial can increase the signal strength by
30-50%.
You can also think of using a wireless access point. This is
an additional router that acts as a repeater to extend the reach of
your wireless signal.
