9 Methods I Use to Speed Up My Internet
Article by Patrick Dell
Many people have slow internet connections and one of the greatest ways I have found to speed up my internet is to check my internet connection. Below, I have documented my 9 top ways to speed up my internet by checking how I am connected.
Lets hope that some of them work for you as well.
1. Check Your Internet Connection in your Area. Many times ISP’s upgrade their service and have faster connections available then the one that you are on. I recently upgraded my Qwest connection from 12 Mbps to 20 Mbps and at the same time dropped my monthly cost by nearly 40%. Just call them up every couple months and see what deals and promotions they have and you may be excited to be in the market for a free upgrade.
2. Optimize Your Temporary Internet Files and Cache. The purpose of the temporary internet files and cache is to speed up your internet browsing experience through storing local copies of internet files (images or graphics for example) on the hard drive of your computer so that next time you visit the website you do not have to download it again. To optimize the use of these folders, do the following: With Internet Explorer, click on the “Tools” menu near the top and select “Internet Options”. Go to the General tab, then click the “Settings” button next to Temporary Internet Files. Place a check mark for newer versions to handle downloading new versions “Automatically”. Set the amount of disk space to use to 2% of your total harddisk size or 512 MB, which ever is smaller. OnIf you are using Firefox, click “Tools” then “Options,” then select the privacy tab. Look for the tab that says cache and then set it to automatic.
3. Check Potential Conflicts Between Your Wireless Router and Cordless Phone. There are 3 types of wireless routers, 802.11 b, g, and n (2.4Ghz) or 802.11 a (5.8Ghz). Check the connection of the cordless phone and if you have a 2.4Ghz Cordless phone and 2.4Ghz Wireless router then you will experience a slow down, especially when using the cordless phone or wireless security camera gear. The easiest way to check the phone and camera is to simply look at the spec sticker on the side or back. You want it to say 900Mhz. If it says 2.4Ghz or 5.8Ghz then you have most likely found the culprit of the slow connection and internet connection.
4. Reset Your Network. Many people are surprised that all it takes to speed up your internet is to reset the router and modem that you are connected to at home. The best way to do that is to unplug the router and modem, wait 10 seconds and then simply plug them back in. You will likely see an increase in your speed. Compare the difference in your speed by performing a quick (free) ISP test at http://www.speedtest.net.
5. Look Into Upgrading Your Equipment Like The Firmware and Router. The newer routers are more capable then older routers to be able to handle the speed of modern networks. Alot of the older routers are not able to handle speeds more than about 10Mbps. Plus they are probably too weak to be able to handle the network at full capacity. It is wise practice to purchase a new router every 1-2 years.
6. Upgrade Your Router Firmware. It is always helpful to check the status of the most recent software updates to your router. Nearly All routers have automatic updates, but it also doesn’t hurt to monitor it again.
7. Swap Out Your Old Cable Modem. There are any number of reasons to replace the old cable modem. As with all electronics, they deteriorate and wear out over time and the modems and routers simply wear out. As your modem gets older, it will have to use more resources to keep up with increased connections. Your broadband modem will have a harder and harder time ‘concentrating’ on maintaining a good connection as it gets older (signal to noise ratios will go down, and the number of resend requests for the same packet will go up). An after-market cable modem as opposed to a cable-company modem will frequently offer a better connection.
8. Shut Down Any Programs That You Are Not Using. Just hit the “ctrl”, “alt” and “del” keys simultaneously and your “Task Manager” will show up. Under the “Applications” tab, feel free to close any programs that are running that do not need to be. You can also close down any processes that are running under the “processes menu that are running unnecessarily. Most likely there are a number of processes that you need running so educate yourself on those used processes before closing everyone of them down.
9. Keep Your Network Connection Secure. Your connection should always stay secure. Each network is a little different so it makes no sense that I go through what you need to do to secure your internet other than to say – read the owners manual on the router. This one strategy will help you speed up your internet.
