Imagine competing in a fierce game of Dota 2 with your ultimate nemesis and losing just because your internet connection suffered a lag or perhaps watching the most iconic movie of all time, The Godfather, and right before climax, your movie stops because Netflix has to buffer or the interview for a great role at your ideal company gets jinxed due to low internet speed. All these situations are chilling and we do not want anyone to suffer because of internet problems.
Is your ISP ‘right’ for you?
The first thing you need to consider when experiencing internet problems is whether your current internet service provider is the right choice. You need to make sure that your data cap is sufficient and in line with your usage. Many ISPs do not advertise data caps and it has a significant impact especially if you are a heavy user or your connection supports multiple devices. For this matter, you should talk to your provider and find out about other packages that might be better for you. Worst comes to worst, change your internet service provider immediately.
Nowadays, internet service providers are working on foot for customer satisfaction and if your provider does not meet your requirements, it is time to say goodbye. Providers like Spectrum offer blazing-fast internet speeds without any contract or data caps; furthermore, Spectrum promotions are regularly updated to match customer needs which makes it an ideal choice.
Nonetheless, if you are satisfied with your internet provider and face internet tweaks only sometimes, we have focused on tips and tricks to increase your internet speed in this article.
Let your router breathe!
Like any other device, your router gets overworked as well especially when connected with multiple devices. You should reset your router at least once a month and refresh your internet connection. If you have a modem in addition to a router, make sure to reset it as well.
Certainly, this trick would not transform a snail into a cheetah but it will help, so give it a try.
Is your router positioned right?
Check if your router is placed in some remote corner of the house. If yes, move it right now! The Wi-Fi signal might not be able to reach you from the router because of the distance. You should position your router somewhere in the middle of the house so that every room gets a smooth internet connection. While repositioning, consider on which floor of the house you hang out the most, and place it on that very floor.
Ethernet is the better way
Unlike the popular belief of wireless connection being the best, the reality is quite opposite. Wi-Fi networks are convenient but they are not generally fast. Wired connections like Ethernet are always more reliable and faster in comparison.
If you want an easy and quick fix, plug your good old-fashioned Ethernet cable into your PC and experience a better connection right this instance.
Moreover, Ethernet is more secure than a wireless connection. You can connect your TV, gaming consoles, and PCs with Ethernet especially when consuming heavy data.
Change your browser
Everyone I know has at least five tabs opened on the browser all the time and if you are anything like these people, you are in for a big surprise: opened media tabs can slow down your internet connection. For such times, you should move on to browsers like Opera that streamlines web pages giving you a faster net-surfing experience.
Keep up with your DNS
Domain Name System, also known as DNS, is a system that records and stores track of all the websites you visit in an attempt to improve your future visits. But this function is dependent on you and the website to stay on each other’s respective servers. If and when the servers change, DNS slows down your connection as it is unable to recognize new server data. To protect yourself from this, it is better to flush your DNS occasionally.
We have mapped out this procedure for you.
Step 1: Search for Command Prompt in the Windows search bar by putting in cmd or simply Command Prompt.
Step 2: Type ipconfig/flushdns in the command line.
Step 3: Press Enter.
Invest in an anti-virus scanner
Like all other businesses, illicit businesses are also working to fulfill whatever goals they have set and it is of utmost importance to have a strong anti-virus software programmed in your devices, especially in today’s climate. Aside from a security perspective, malware and viruses can also be responsible for your slow internet speed.
If you have a good scanner already installed, run it for scans on regular basis or enable automatic scanning. If the scanner finds a virus per se, remove it yourself or get a computer technician to do it as soon as possible.
Check your Cable Length
You might find this funny but the longer the cable, the more kinks it can have, subsequently losing connection. For Ethernet users, it is convenient to work with a long cable so that they can move around with their portable device easily but you lose speed every time your cable has a kink or bends irregularly.
If you can work without a long cable, switch to a shorter cable right away. It is a very easy trick to improve your internet connection.
Are you using a good VPN?
Virtual Private Network, better known as VPN, has a great influence on the performance of your internet connection. Therefore, when you sign up with a VPN, you must first ensure that it suits your device. In addition to this, you have to update your settings according to the VPN as well.
Clear your Cache and Cookies
Your internet browser stores information of sites you visit in the form of caches and cookies for future reference. As the cache and cookies fill up, they start affecting your internet speed. You can clear your cache manually or install a plugin to automatically clear out all your cache and cookies.
Steps for manually clearing up cache and cookies are detailed below:
Step 1: Go to the Chrome menu and select More Tools. Further select Clear Browsing Data
Step 2: Check boxes for Browsing History, Cookies, and Cache.
Step 3: Press Clear data.
Bottom Line
Slow internet can be physically and emotionally painful although we hope that the discussed easy and quick tips to speed up your internet can help you sufficiently. For permanent issues, we recommend contacting the technical support of your internet service provider.
Keep surfing!