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Today, Internet has been part of our daily routines. It has been a
necessity. Most Internet Service Providers offer fast high-speed connections to
sustain the demands of the users. And with that, end users want to make the
most out of what they pay for. Thus, slow Internet is a frustration.
How to maximize your speed?
1. Verify the bandwidth/speed of
your Internet Service Plan.
2. Test your connection. One
way to know if you are getting the correct Internet plan speed is to do a speed
test. There are a lot of speed test programs available online that you can use.
I recommend Speedtest. In doing this test, you can hook up one of
your computer directly to your Cable or DSL box. In that way, you will know the
numbers you are getting from your Internet Service Provider. Depending on your
needs, you can increase the bandwidth by calling your Internet Service
Provider.
Once you have the speed test result from your Cable/ DSL box, perform a
speed test when the router is connected. As expected, you will not be getting
the same speed behind a router. In theory, you will lose 20 percent of the
speed behind a router due to packet loss. Test the speed on each computer and
compare it.
If all devices are having the same speed problems, you may proceed in
checking your router settings else, it maybe a computer problem.
3. Check your router settings.
There are a lot of factors that may affect slow connection among wired and
wireless computers. In most cases, wireless connection is more susceptible to
connectivity problems. Things that can mainly affect a wired connection are
faulty Ethernet cable, outdated drivers, and malfunctioned network adapter. With
the wireless connection, you have to consider the signal versus the distance as
the two affect each other. If you are having signal problems, you may consider
installing a network extender. Wireless Interference with other home appliances
will also cause problem. I would recommend you to adjust some settings on the
router (e.g. wireless channel, advanced wireless settings, etc.) or relocate
the router to fix signal issues. Another thing, make sure to update the router’s
firmware and the wireless adapter driver.
You may refer to the manufacturer’s website for available updates or
call tech support for a walkthrough.
4. Check the browser settings.
If you encounter connections issues with only one computer in the network, it
would probably be a computer problem. Other than updating the wireless adapter
drivers, check your browser’s settings. Whatever browser you are using, make
sure it’s updated. Clearing the cache, history, and cookies may help. Also,
disabling add-ons or plugins will speed up your browsing experience. You may
also try using a different browser to further isolate the problem. Optimizing
your computer can help, too.
Hope this helps!
