9 ways to speed up your internet connection

With so many high-speed broadband offers on the market these days, you’d think that the days of waiting minutes for a page to load would be over. Unfortunately, no matter how fast your internet package is, there are still times when everything will slow to a crawl. This is because there are many factors that can reduce the speed of your web-surfing, most of which will have nothing to do with your ISP. This guide outlines some of these factors and how you can avoid them, ensuring you get the best possible broadband experience for your money.

1. Ditch your dial-up

The biggest factor determining your internet speed will be the type of connection you are using. Broadband offers much greater speeds than dial-up (usually 10-100 times faster), so anyone wanting speedy internet should be using a cable or ADSL connection. Not only does broadband load pages more quickly than dial-up, but it allows for a whole range of activities (video streaming, VOIP etc) that require large amounts of bandwidth. Businesses still using dial-up and looking to switch should see XLN’s businesss broadband packages.

2, Upgrade your browser

When surfing the internet, the speed at which pages load can vary depending on which browser, and which version of the browser you are using. The majority of people are still using Internet Explorer, as this is the browser which comes standard in a Windows PC. The current version of this is Internet Explorer 7, however many users may still be using version 6 , which will take a lot longer to load pages with pictures. To check which version you are using, click ‘Help’ in the browser, and then ‘About Internet Explorer.’ You can then see if this is the latest version by visiting the Windows site, where you can upgrade if need be.

Alternatively, a growing number of people are choosing different browsers, which are generally faster and (many believe) easier to use. Of these, Mozilla Firefox is the most popular browser after IE, but if speed is your number one priority then you may consider using a small and simple browser like Opera or Google’s Chrome.

3. Beware of ‘piggybackers’

A problem with wireless internet, and a common cause of slow speeds, is that without adequate security they can be easily used by those living nearby. This can slow your speeds significantly (especially if they are downloading over your connection), and could cost you money if you have a monthly download limit.
To check whether your internet connection is secure, view your Network Connection – there should be a padlock icon next to the name of the network. If not, then anyone living close enough to pick up on your routers signal could be surfing over your connection.

To ensure your connection is secure, you should have a WPA encryption set up, as well as a WEP password. For help on setting these up, XLN customers can call our customer service team.

4. Get a longer aerial

While you may be inclined to move your PC as close to the router as possible, replacing the aerial can significantly improve speeds. Standard aerials have a length of 2dBi, but 9dBi aerials can be purchased for around £10. Replacing your aerial with a longer one should improve your signal by around 30-50 per cent.
To ensure you are getting the best signal possible from your router, you should try to ensure that there are as few obstructions (doors, furniture, wall etc) between your PC and router as possible.

5. Stop programs from running in the background

There are many applications that may run in the background of your computer, eating up bandwidth even though you are not using them.

Programs like MSN, Spark, Windows updates and many others may be set up to launch automatically when you start your computer, so they may run without you even noticing.

To check which programs are running, open the task manager (ctrl + alt + delete), and view the processes tab to see if anything is running discreetly. From there you can choose to end the task, but if you wish to stop the program from launching automatically in future, you should go into the program and adjust the settings.

6. Get an iPlate

The recently released I-Plate from BT promises to improve broadband speed and connection stability, by cutting out electrical interference.

Televisions, microwaves, lighting and home wiring are just some of the things which can interfere with your broadband connection, slowing speeds and making the connection less stable. The I-Plate works by acting as a conductor for this electricity, which research shows can boost your speed by up to 60%.

The 1-Plate costs around £10, and fits on to your master socket. The device has been tested on 36,000 lines, and BT claim that broadband speeds saw an average increase of 1.5Mbps. BT also claim that the I-Plate can extend the reach of broadband service by around 10dB.

7. Talk to your provider

Although you may have signed up for an 8Mb package, it is quite likely that you will not be experiencing 8Mb speeds. This is because there are a number of variables – such as the distance between you and the exchange, congestion and traffic shaping – which can all slow your connection.

To test your broadband speed, you can use an online broadband speed checker, turning off any programs that may be sapping your bandwidth while running the test. it would be normal to experience speeds of around 3-4Mb on an 8Mb package, but if your connection is much slower than this you should contact your provider and see if there’s anything they can do to help.

8. Protect your PC

There are a number of factors regarding the ‘health’ of your computer that can slow a connection down. Two of the most common causes of a slow connection are spyware and viruses.
Spyware can interfere with your browser and monitor your keystrokes, causing delays, and if several spyware programs are running at once, you may lose connectivity all together. Viruses can also affect internet performance, as they use bandwidth while they send copies of itself to other parts of the internet, sometimes at a rate of hundreds of e-mail messages per minute. To counter spyware and viruses, you should have run antivirus software at all times. AVG anti-virus is highly effective and can be downloaded free online. For more information on PC security, see our Guide to protecting your PC

9. Upgrade your hardware

No matter how fast your broadband package is, if you’re using a really old PC or a poor quality router, these will slow your connection down. If your PC can’t keep up with the speeds offered by your provider, it may be time to upgrade your hardware. Similarly, a low grade router will not perform as effectively as one of higher quality, as a better router will generally offer more features and a better firewall. The cable you use to connect your PC to your router will also play a role in speed, as an Ethernet cable will be faster than a USB cable.

Related articles:

Just browsing? Not with firefox 3.0…
Broadband users open to ‘piggybackers’
I-Plate article
A guide to protecting your PC

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