There are a few main reasons why your internet is slow, the most common being problems with your router, poor Wi-Fi signal, or too many devices running on a slower broadband connection. This depends on the type of broadband you're using. ADSL broadband is a shared service. Therefore, the more people who are using it, the slower it will be. The amount of people using a broadband connection in an area affects what's known as the contention ratio, which is the number of people using the area's telephone exchange compared to the coping capacity the exchange has for those connections.
Most people using broadband in their homes use their computers in the evening, so connections tend to be a lot slower at these peak hours i. The best time to use broadband at its fastest is between 12am and 8am when most people are sleeping.
Fibre broadband using full fibre or fibre-to-the-premises FTTP technology is unaffected by distance from the exchange since the fibre connection goes directly to your building or home. Not everyone has access to FTTP fibre, though — many users are still on fibre to the cabinet FTTC technology, which is still affected by your location and how far away you are from the "cabinet" on your street, but location affects cable connections less than ADSL connections.
While both cable options are more consistent alternatives to ADSL, they are still impacted by the number of people using the service at peak periods. We use cookies and similar technologies. You can use the settings below to accept all cookies which we recommend to give you the best experience or to enable specific categories of cookies as explained below. Find out more by reading our Cookie Policy. Find the broadband speeds available in your area.
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Take a speed test Can a connection be sped up without changing provider? The speed of broadband that you can get depends mainly on where you live. Do you have access to cable or fibre broadband? But all that open media can slow down your connection, which is why we recommended having a backup browser like Opera. Opera streamlines all the data on web pages to give you a faster browsing experience. Plus, you should have protection software installed as a general rule anyway. Once you have some good software on board, set it to scan for viruses and malware automatically on a regular basis.
If the software does find existing viruses or malware hence your slow internet speeds , get it removed by a computer technician and get back to easy browsing. As you visit websites and enter information, browsers collect little bits of information about you, often in the form of cookies. Marketers use your data to send you relevant ads for stuff you might want to buy based on your browsing behavior.
Call your provider and ask about alternative plans, or do some research online to find out what other users are paying for similar plans.
We've got your back. Try these three tips for calling your internet customer service. They'll help you keep your cool and might even give you an edge when it comes to negotiating. Sometimes your internet provider is the biggest problem. If your internet provider is going to give you a slow connection no matter how many other tips you try, consider a swap. Most areas have only a couple Internet Service Providers ISPs available, so it should be a pretty quick check to see if the other provider that serves your area has better prices for faster speeds.
You can skim this roundup of best ISPs and check this month's internet deals to figure out if an alternative provider might give you a better price. Switching providers should be a last resort, but if you try the other tips on our list and your speed is still sluggish, it might be time to make a change.
DSL or cable will most likely get you faster speeds and more data than satellite internet. Check out our top recommended internet providers or use our zip finder below to see what your options are in your area. We know slow internet speeds can feel physically painful, especially if you deal with a slow connection and high priorities every day. Vivint Smart Home Security Review. By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Disclaimer : The information featured in this article is based on our best estimates of pricing, package details, contract stipulations, and service available at the time of writing. This is not a guarantee. All information is subject to change. For the most accurate information, please ask your customer service representative. Clarify all fees and contract details before signing a contract or finalizing your purchase. Each individual's unique needs should be considered when deciding on chosen products.
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Compare Providers. By Catherine McNally. Published on June 21, Share Article. Check your data cap. Reset your router. Move your router. Use Ethernet cables. Use an ad blocker. Smaller homes and apartments can generally get by with a simpler system. Read our router buying guide for more details. For larger homes, we recommend a mesh network, where you install multiple router nodes around your house.
The downside is there's no support for Wi-Fi 6. If you have a lot of brand-new devices that support Wi-Fi 6, that might be a deal breaker. We also found that some devices needed to be closer to the Vilo routers than on other systems. Still, if you're on a tight budget, the Vilo might be the answer.
If messing around with your router settings seems too daunting, and you have a few dollars to spare, invest in a Wi-Fi extender or repeater. These devices plug into a spare wall socket, connect to the wireless internet getting beamed out by your router, and then extend it. They're usually simple to set up, easy to use, and can instantly get rid of Wi-Fi dead zones in your house.
The extended or repeated wireless signals won't be as strong as the ones coming straight from your router, so again, positioning is important. Try to use these devices to connect gadgets that don't need a huge amount of bandwidth. Make sure the maximum supported Wi-Fi standard e.
An alternative to extenders is a powerline kit. Digital signals can pass through electrical wiring, and powerline devices are designed to take advantage of this. It works like this: You connect a powerline plug to your router, then put the plug into a wall socket. Add another powerline plug in any other room in your house, and it can provide a wired or wireless connection to that room. There will be some drop in speed, but it's a simple and effective option. Unless your home is particularly old, it should have electrical wiring that supports this, but it's best to buy your kit from a retailer with a robust return policy just in case.
We probably don't have to tell you this, but you need a password on your Wi-Fi network. It's good for keeping hackers away and keeping neighbors from Netflixing off of your bandwidth, which will definitely slow you down. Make sure you use AES encryption, which is both the most secure and most speed-friendly security option. Having dozens of things tapping into the Wi-Fi at once can be problematic. Plug anything you can into Ethernet, and unplug anything you have connected but don't need like that "smart" tea kettle you never once got to work.
Make sure only the things that need internet get internet. Good routers all of the routers listed above, for example offer controls to prioritize a particular device or service. It's a handy way to make sure your games never get interrupted by someone else streaming videos on Facebook. This tip is specific to computers: If the internet on your PC or laptop is perpetually slow, but other devices seem fine, open your Task Manager or Activity Monitor and see which programs are running in the background.
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