Slow Internet browsing can be very frustrating. It is even more frustrating when you know your computer device is capable of performing better than what you experience when connected to the Internet.
On the other hand, fast and reliable Internet access can make all the difference between a good and an excruciating web experience. If you have critical work to do either at home or at the office, fast Internet access is even more important. Here are a few tips to help you get the most from your Internet service.
- Test your current Internet speed
The first thing you will need to do is test your current Internet speed. This will let you know whether or not you are getting a lower rate than you should be. There are a lot of free tools available online that will test your internet speed for you. Search for “speed test” on your favorite search engine and run tests through several different services. You may need to install plugins in order to get the tests to run.
One thing to note is that, just because a speed test reveals your connection is capable of certain data rates does not mean you will always get them.
For example, if your connection provides 25mbps downstream, the server you are connecting to have to provide the same speed upstream just to you. You are not the only one connecting, so that is a lot of bandwidth. Major sites do have large amounts of bandwidth and can match your speeds on numerous occasions, but many will not. This does not mean there is something wrong with your connection, but that the server you are connecting to can not match your speeds.
- Have you tried turning it off and on again?
Another easy thing to do is to turn off your modem for one minute and turn it on again. This often flush out a bunch of problems that affect your speed. Sometimes a simple reset can significantly increase your Internet speed. You can also turn your router on and off to see if that’s helpful. Just make sure that you know your login information in case your computer requires you to enter it after the reset.
- Test a different modem/router
The biggest cause of slowed down Internet is a bad modem. In many cases, Internet users blame Internet Service Providers (ISP) for slow Internet speed. Before pouring all the blames on your ISP, it is best you first try out connecting with another modem, and make sure your modem is suited to the Internet plan that you are on.
- Clear your browser’s cache.
Usually, your browser stores information about the sites you visit as you surf the web to make the loading process quicker when you next visit. Over time, however, this can actually reduce the speed of your browser as more and more information is stored. Because of this, it is recommended you occasionally clear your cache to help boost the performance of a slow browser.
- Scan for viruses
Sometimes, viruses can slow down your Internet speed performance, and in many cases, the computer performance as a whole. You need to make sure that no virus is causing your slow connection. Sometimes viruses can live on your computer and suck resources away from what you are doing thus slowing down your speeds. Use an updated antivirus app to make a periodic scan of your computer device. This can help to speed up your system and your internet connections as well.
- Stop running multiple devices at once.
Turn off smartphones, tablets, Smart TVs, set-top boxes or other devices that you are not currently using. If multiple devices are attempting to retrieve information from the Internet, especially streaming video or gaming, there would be a loss of speed.
- Check for on-system interference
There are times when your virus scanner or other programs interfere with your Internet speeds. This especially happens when your antivirus is expired, or bad. You can figure it out by simply making sure that that the antivirus is updated and working properly. Also, try closing programs that are not in use one at a time and then running a speed test again.
- Shorten and replace cables
If you are not using a wireless modem, try checking your network cables. The length of your cables and their structure can affect speeds. Try replacing old cables, sockets and lines and instead use shorter and newer ones. This can often make a big difference.
After doing all of these suggestions and it still fails, then I advise you contact your ISP and modem company.
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