Nobody wants a slower internet speed. It’s the most exhausting experience ever. However, you can improve your internet speed at home by following some quick tricks. Below, I am mentioning seventeen tricks to help you quickly boost up your internet speed in no time. Try to follow these tips and make the most out of your internet connection.
Ways to improve your internet speed at home
1. Reboot your router
Rebooting your router helps you to improve the overall internet speed. It works like a mini-computer that collects cached memory and background processes that eventually slow down the internet speed. When you reboot your router, it connects to the different data channels that are less-crowded and thus, it improves the internet speed. Bear in mind that even if you’re using the best VPN router, still there will be speed issues that you can only resolve by changing your VPN protocol.
2. Lock your wireless network
If you’re using a wireless network at home then it is important to keep your router lock with password protection. When you don’t keep your router password-protected, then anyone can easily access your internet. In other words, it allows other users to steal your bandwidth that eventually slows down your internet speed.
3. Try not to use the internet in busy hours
If you’re using an Internet cable connection that is being used by your entire neighborhood, then you may experience slow internet. It happens because when everyone is consuming the same connection then it consumes more bandwidth and reduces the speed.
If you have any urgent work to do then you can use the internet in the early morning or at any time when not many people are using it. You will see that the less people are using the internet, the more speed you can enjoy.
4. Update your Browser
Sometimes your browser works less efficiently, and you may think that it’s your internet. You can update your browser to boost your browsing speed. To update your browser, first, delete your browsing history. Also, don’t forget to remove temporary files; you can see this option next to the browsing history.
If you want to boost more speed then you can disable the browser’s feature to show images and videos. It will incredibly uplift your internet speed, but it will only show text no videos and images will be shown.
5. Close background applications
Closing all the unnecessary background applications is important to improve your internet speed. Background applications like Skype, software and security scans use a lot of bandwidth that reduce the internet speed.
When you close all the unnecessary apps running in the background then your bandwidth automatically gets safe hence, improved internet speed.
If you don’t have any idea how to check apps running in the background then you can press ALT+CTRL+DEL. It will show a task manager that will show all the apps with their network usage.
6. Keep a Check on your Computer
The internet speed also gets affected by the system which you’re using. It is recommended to use antivirus software because sometimes malware and viruses also slow down the speed. Also, check your modem to find if it’s able to transfer high-speed internet. If your modem is not working properly, try switching it.
Do check your cords and cable and if you’re using anything tattered then replace it with a new cord.
7. Run a virus scan
Running a virus scan on your system is also important. It can determine whether your internet is slow because of the malware or viruses or is there any other technical snag. When a virus resides inside a system, it slowly damages all your resources, and causes your internet speed to be slow. Therefore, it is suggested to download high-quality anti-virus programs, and run a virus scan properly. Keep in mind that the virus protection that you’re using should be of high-quality otherwise it will interfere with your internet speed and may affect it.
8. Frequently flush your DNS
DNS refers to the “Domain name system” and it is used to make a record of website addresses that you mostly visit. DNS does that to enhance your future browsing experience, and keeps all the records between you and the specific website’s server.
The website’s server changes over time, then DNS will compromise your internet speed as it will not be able to identify the new web server. That’s the reason why it is recommended to keep flushing your DNS frequently.
9. Clear browser’s cache
Whatever browser you use, it copies some web content to recognize and reload sites easily. It has been noticed that when browser cache gets full it slows down speed performance. You can clear browser cache, history, cookies and other saved data over time to boost the internet speed.
In case, if you find it daunting to manually delete browser cache, then you can also install any clear cache extension to simply remove and clear your browser’s taskbar.
10. Test your internet speed
Prior to making any connection fixes, it is suggested to test your internet speed to verify both download and upload speed.
You can easily check your internet speed with an online bandwidth test that will enable you to keep a record of the results and make adjustments to the connection accordingly.
11. Consider upgrading data plan
If you’re using a shared internet connection, then your internet speed may get slow. You can ask your ISP to upgrade your plan and tell him that you’re interested in a speed boost. Also, prior to buying a new subscription, ask him to get you a free trial to test connection speed.
Keep in mind that some ISPs impose usage caps. It means that you can enjoy faster internet speed for a certain period, right after that you have to pay more for the upgrade. Don’t forget to ask your ISP if there’s any usage cap for the new service plan.
12. Consider using a VPN
Using a VPN will not increase your internet speed directly, but it can play a crucial role. When you use the internet for specific online activities like streaming Netflix, then your ISP takes some throttling decisions and impose a data cap on streaming services which ultimately lowers your connection speed. The benefit of using a VPN is that it encrypts your connection and hides your browsing activities from ISP. It means that your ISP no longer monitors your online activities, and fails to impose data caps on your visited streaming sites.
13. Switch to omnidirectional antennas
Another good way is to consider switching to an omnidirectional antenna. Such antennas are omnidirectional which means that they have an upright position that elevates your hardware upgrade and you no longer need to keep moving your antenna. Your Wi-Fi signals will automatically get boosted with an omnidirectional antenna.
14. Place your Wi-Fi router on a top spot
If you’re using a wireless router then pay special attention to its position. The position of your router plays a significant role to boost your connection speed. You should place your wireless router on a top position with minimum obstructions that nothing can impact your Wi-Fi signals.
Signals travel in a perpendicular direction and if you place the router on the ground then most of the signals will travel to the horizontal direction therefore, to reduce the signal loss, it is suggested to place it on a top spot.
15. Use an Ethernet connection
If you have tried everything, but your Wi-Fi connection is not working exactly according to your needs then you may try an Ethernet connection. All you need to do is just connect your PC or device to the router using a new Ethernet cable. It will deliver a faster connection speed up to 1 GB per second.
Keep in mind that if you’re using an Ethernet connection then you must take a few factors under consideration. Always buy an Ethernet cable from a highly reputed brand and keep its length short to avoid possible poor connection.
16. Switch off your modem or router
It has been noticed that sometimes the internet connection gets really slow without any reason. Without doing anything one thing that instantly boosts connection speed is switching off your modem or router and then turning it on.
It works as the speed booster and drastically increases your connection speed without taking any technical action.
17. Connect minimum devices to a router
Sometimes you connect a bundle of internet devices to your home router and it ultimately impacts and lowers your network performance. You should limit the devices connected to the home router and then check if there’s any improvement in your connection speed.
In Conclusion
There you have it! Remember lots of factors can impact your internet connection, but first you should understand the root problem. Test your internet speed first and then take the measures accordingly. Changing your ISP will be a wise option if your connection speed is not improving even after implementing all the tricks.