How to boost your internet speed. The complete guide

Transcription

1 How to boost your internet speed The complete guide

2 Contents Chapter 1: Why is my internet so slow? 10 things that can affect your broadband speed Broadband jargon buster Chapter 2: Equipment Your router Chapter 3: First steps Chapter 4: How to boost your speed Problems with your device Problems with your Wi-Fi Problems with your router Problems with your broadband connection Chapter 5: What to do when your internet isn t working Immediate actions to take Provider service checkers and support pages Chapter 6: Switching When should you switch? When should you not switch? What should you consider when choosing a broadband package? How to switch broadband FAQs

3 Chapter 1: Why is my internet so slow? 3 We ve all been there. That irritating little buffering icon. A page that takes what feels like several decades to load. Or, worst of all, a file download that your browser estimates will take 2 days, 5 hours, and 12 minutes. All of us have been plagued by the slow internet bug at some point, and boy is it annoying. But the good news is that most of the time, there are things you can do to get your broadband literally up to speed. Broadband itself is far from simple - all kinds of things could be slowing your connection down. 10 things that can affect your broadband speed Here are just a few things that can affect your broadband speed: 1 What you re using the internet for. Some activities are more data-heavy than others. 2 Your device. Different computers, smartphones, and tablets can all have different specs and software that affect speeds. 3 How many devices are connected. Lots of gadgets mean more bandwidth is being hogged. 4 What kind of router you have. Routers come in all shapes and forms, and some are better than others. 5 Where your router is. Its location might mean it s getting interference. 6 The building you live in. Wi-Fi struggles with old, thick walls, for example. 7 Where you are in your neighbourhood. The distance from your local exchange, your street cabinet, and the wires in your area can make a difference. 8 Where you are in the country. Different areas get varying broadband speeds. 9 Your provider. They offer different download speeds, and some manage web traffic, which slows your connection down at peak time. 10 What time it is. At peak times, more people are using the internet, and that can slow yours down. Some factors, like what your neighbours are doing, are out of your control but most of the others are things you can fix. Keep reading, and we ll tell you everything you need to know to find where the problem is and speed up your internet once and for all!

4 Chapter 1: Broadband jargon buster 4 Although we ve kept this guide as jargon-free as possible, sometimes it s unavoidable. If you re confused about what something means, hopefully this will clarify things. #!? 4G: The latest generation of mobile internet, and much faster than 3G 3G: Refers to mobile internet. Better coverage than 4G, but slower ADSL: Widely available broadband, delivered through copper telephone wires Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be transferred to and from your broadband, usually measured per second Cookies: A small file that s sent to your computer to store information about a website you visit Download: Transfer data from one device onto another, often via the internet Download speed: How quickly data will be transferred onto your device Exchange: Where all the broadband and phone connections in a local area meet Fibre optic: Superfast broadband, far faster than ADSL Megabit (Mb): A unit of measurement for the transfer of digital information - i.e. Megabits per second (Mbps) Modem: A device that converts data sent over a telephone line, allowing you to use the internet Ofcom: UK s telecoms industry regulator Streaming: Using data while it downloads - for example with video services like iplayer Upload: Transfer data from your computer to another Upload speed: How quickly you can send data from your computer over the internet Wi-Fi: Allows gadgets to connect to the internet wirelessly

5 Chapter 2: Equipment 4 Let s start by looking at all your internet paraphernalia and understanding what everything does. When you signed up with your broadband provider, they should have sent you everything you need. The exact equipment will vary, but here s what you should have to hand: Wireless router A device that lets you connect to the internet and set up Wi-Fi networks Microfilters These plug into your wall-mounted phone socket, and allow your broadband and home phone to work at the same time. Without one, you could encounter connection issues or other problems. Ethernet cables Let you connect computers, set top boxes, and other devices to the router. Your router Your wireless router is one of the most important pieces of equipment you get. It s what lets you use the internet, and broadcasts a Wi-Fi signal so you can connect other devices. In the past, you received separate modems and wireless routers, and some of you on older packages might still have this setup. But these days most providers provide an all-in-one device that does it all. A lot of tips and tricks about boosting your internet speed require you to adjust your router, so good to be familiar with what you re looking at. If you have slow broadband, try turning your router off and on again and see if that helps. In many cases, you ll find that the hardware was the router your problem!

6 Chapter 2: Equipment 5 Here s an example of what your router may look like. Bear in mind that routers from different manufacturers or providers can look quite different - this is just a general idea of what to expect Power light: Indicates that the router is switched on WPS: This is a quick way to connect to a wireless network. If you want to connect a device that supports WPS - mainly newer gadgets - simply press the button on top of the router to automatically get online. Wireless network password If you re using a router from a provider, the wireless security password will be printed somewhere on the device - typically the back or bottom. You ll also find your router access password, which you ll need to sign in and change the settings. Restart button: Press this button to restart your router. If you lose your internet connection, this is the first thing you should try. Some routers don t have a reset button - in those cases, just unplug, wait a minute, and plug it back in. DSL port: Where you plug in the phone line from your wall socket. Virgin Media routers have a cable port instead. Ethernet ports: Let you connect computers directly to the router with ethernet cables. WAN port: This is used to connect other modems to a router. Some old or low cost fibre packages may require you to connect a special fibre-compatible modem via this port. USB Socket: You can plug a USB memory stick into these and access the contents from devices connected to your network. It can be a faff though. Reset button: This is the factory reset option Power socket: Where you attach the power cable. Power on/off: Turns your router on and off. If you re having internet trouble, this is your best friend.

7 Chapter 3: First steps 6 Now you understand a bit more about your home internet, let s get to work fixing its sluggishness. The good news here is that most slower-than-usual internet speeds are quickly fixed. So before you do anything drastic, follow this First Steps Flowchart to see if there s an easy solution Do a speed test Go to tools/speed-test and see what your download and upload speeds are. Now you ve got an idea of exactly how fast your internet is right now. Restart your router Here comes that old IT adage: turn it off and on again. Some routers have a reset button, while others need to be switched off and on with the power button. Once it s back up and running, give it a minute or two to connect before seeing what your speed is like now. Is it faster? No Check your speed on other devices Grab another computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone connected to your home Wi-Fi, and run a speed test on that as well. Yes Hooray! Your slow speeds have been fixed. How do speeds on this device compare? It s way faster The problem is with your device If speeds are fine on other devices, the problem lies with the one you re using. That s where you need to focus. Close down programs and tabs that might be hogging bandwidth - like videos buffering on Netflix, upgrades downloading, or files sharing. Still no luck? Switch it off and on again. It s pretty much the same Connect with an ethernet cable Slow on every device you try? Time to plug in. Connections are faster when they re wired, so grab an ethernet cable and a device with an ethernet port - like a laptop or a PC - and connect it directly to your router. Now do another speed test. If the issues continue, go to the Problems with your device section of the next chapter. Did you see much improvement with it plugged in? Yes The problem is with your Wi-Fi Go to the Problems with your Wi-Fi section of the next chapter. Not really The problem s coming from your router - or could lie with your broadband itself Do more speed tests It s normal for broadband speeds to fluctuate, especially at peak times when a lot of people are online. Perform speed tests at different times of the day to see if it changes - and move on to some of the steps in the next chapter. Start off with Problems with your router, and if you still have no luck, head to Problems with your broadband connection.

8 Chapter 3: First steps 7 Your home network Your router needs to put in a lot of work to deliver quality broadband to all your gadgets. Depending how many things you ve got connected, your home network may look a little something like this. Internet MP3 player Web camera HDD Printer Cable modem Media PPC Desktop PPC Wireless router Digital camera Wireless media centre IP camera Smartphone Laptop Entertainment system

9 Chapter 4: How to boost your speed 8 So you ve tried all the first steps and haven t solved your broadband issue - but by now you should have pinpointed where the problem lies. Here are the solutions you can try. We ll start each list with the most basic and easiest things you can do, and work down to some more advanced advice. Problems with your device 1 Close some programs Some browsers are infamous for being slower than others (cough Internet Explorer cough), and RAM-hungry apps running in the background can slow things down. Close anything you re not using and see if it helps. 2 Try a different task Video streaming, online gaming, and downloading large files are all data-heavy tasks that gobble up bandwidth. Pause, give things a chance to buffer, or switch to lower settings. 3 Head into your device s wireless settings On a Windows PC, go to the Control Panel, choose Network and Internet, and open the Network and Sharing Center. On a Mac, click on the Wi-Fi icon in the top corner. For more in-depth settings, go to System Preferences, then Network, then Wi-Fi. On an iphone, go to Settings, then Wi-Fi. On an Android, go to Settings, then Wi-Fi or Wireless and Networks. It may be hidden under another menu, such as Network Connections. Make sure ac, ac, or 5GHz frequency Wi-Fi is enabled, if your device supports it. It s the latest generation of Wi-Fi tech and often has far faster transfer speeds. And check that you re definitely connected to your home network - it s all too easy to click on the wrong one. 4 Turn your device off and on again A quick reset can do wonders. 5 Run a virus check If you don t have security software, get some right away. You may need to shell out for a virus protection package - but it s far cheaper than buying a whole new computer if yours gets infected. 6 Check for updates Outdated processors, drivers, or operating systems could be to blame. On a Windows PC, go into Settings, then Change PC settings, then Update and recovery. Click Check now, and your computer will look for new updates to install. On a Mac, click the Apple icon in the top corner and select Software Update. Running an old version of OS X? Check the Apple website and consider buying the latest upgrade. On an Android, find the software information in the Settings app - often under About phone or General. Select Software update, and check if there are new updates to install. On an iphone or ipad, go to Settings, then General, then Software Update. It ll tell you if there s an update and let you install it.

10 Chapter 4: How to boost your speed 9 Downloading updates can take a while, and will eat up data and bandwidth - but luckily you can schedule them to download whenever you want. 7 Do some computer housekeeping Every now and then, uninstall programs and apps that you don t need, empty your temporary internet files, and run a defrag on your hard disk. Problems with your Wi-Fi 1 Switch the Wi-Fi off and on again Most routers have a dedicated button for toggling the Wi-Fi. See Chapter 2 for more. 2 Switch off or disconnect devices you re not using Smartphones, TV boxes, or games consoles could be hogging precious bandwidth. 3 Up the security Making your router more secure is a good idea whether you re having speed issues or not. Try these: Change your Wi-Fi password, preferably to one that includes upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers, and punctuation. Change the SSID - the name of your Wi-Fi network - to something unique. Set it to the highest level of encryption - WPA2 is the most secure. 4 Move your router somewhere central Or closer to the rooms that need internet. Thick walls can block signals, or it may struggle to connect to devices far away. 5 Beware of interference Shift the router away from electronics like cordless phones, microwaves, and baby monitors which can interfere with Wi-Fi signals. Or, go into your router s settings and change what channel the Wi-Fi is broadcasting on. This will switch it to a cleaner channel with less interference. To change the Wi-Fi channel: On a Windows PC: Run the Command Prompt (either in Start - All Programs - Accessories, or by searching cmd ), and type in netsh wlan show networks bssid. You ll see a numbered list of the wireless networks nearby. Make a note of which channel is furthest away from the ones in use, or the one with the weakest signal. On a Mac: Click the Apple logo at the top, select About this Mac - System Report - Network - Wi-Fi. You ll see a numbered breakdown of the channels being used nearby. Note down which channel it says is the best. Look at the back of your router. There should be a sticker telling you how to log in to its settings - a web address, username, and password. Open a web browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explorer, and type in the web address. Then log on with the username and password. Look for the wireless network settings. Depending on your provider, they might be under Home network or general Wireless settings. You re looking for a prompt that lets you choose a channel from one to 13. Select the number you made a note of earlier. Et voila. In a minute or two, your Wi-Fi should broadcast on the cleanest channel, meaning better signal and faster data transfer. Some modern routers have an auto option when you re selecting a channel. This means it ll automatically broadcast on the best one. Select this if you can.

11 Chapter 4: How to boost your speed Pick the right frequency There are two bands of Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Enable both if your router supports them. Because they behave differently, it can be better to give them different names (which you can do by logging in to your router s settings, as above) and connect your device to a specific one. 2.4GHz has more interference but a greater range. Best to use if you re far away from the router. 5GHz has a smaller range and can struggle to get through walls, but gives you faster speeds. Best to use if you re close to the router. 7 Get a wireless access point These are handy gadgets that connect to your router via portable, and usually have better tech than your router, so they re great to install at key locations to reach where you need internet. 8 Get a signal repeater Another li l gadget. This one bounces the Wi-Fi signal over a longer distance so it can reach further. All you ll need is around 25 and a spare socket halfway between your route and your device. 9 Forget about Wi-Fi entirely For a device that never moves, it makes sense to keep it permanently connected with an ethernet cable for faster speeds and greater reliability. Even for portable devices like laptops, connect with an ethernet for a bit when downloading a big file or buffering high-res video. Problems with your router 1 Restart your router You may be noticing a pattern here. 2 Connect to your home s central telephone port You ll get the clearest and most direct connection. 3 Upgrade your router Is your router more than a couple of years old? There s probably an even better one available. Contact your provider about getting an upgrade. Just beware that the better the router, the more it ll cost. Problems with your broadband connection 1 Check your internet s service status Alas, turn it off and on again can t be followed if your entire internet connection is at fault. Instead, find your provider s relevant page from our list in Chapter 5. There you ll find out whether there are any general issues in the area that the provider is (hopefully) already fixing. 2 Contact your provider If your internet is unusually slow and the bad speeds are getting really out of hand, that is. With any luck it ll be a temporary issue that they re fixing. Somewhere along the line, someone is switching something off and on again. 3 Consider switching provider If all else fails and your internet doesn t improve, there s very little you can do. Head on over to broadbandchoices.co.uk and chuck your postcode into our postcode checker, and we ll show you what broadband packages are available for you. For more tips on switching, see Chapter 6.

12 Chapter 5: What to do when your internet isn t working 11 Slow speeds are irritating, but at some point, your internet might simply stop working. It s sometimes surprising, it s often stressful, but it s always really bloomin annoying. It s easy to get cross and start calling your provider rude names - heck, we ve all done it - but before you do, you should take some quick steps to find out what the issue might be. Immediate actions to take: 1 Check that Wi-Fi is enabled on your device. Check the settings menu of your phone, computer, or whatever gadget you re trying to get online. Make sure Wi-Fi is on and you re connected to your home network. 2 Check your router lights. One of the lights on your router indicates a connection to the internet. If it has turned off, changed colour, or is flashing, that ll give you an indication as to where the problem lies. 3 Restart your router. Unplug your router and wait 60 seconds. Plug it back in, and turn it on. In many cases, this will restore the internet connection. 4 Check your service status. Many providers have service checkers online. These will let you know if there s a fault on their end, and when you can expect it to be fixed. 5 Contact your provider. If you still have no internet, give your provider a call. They can check your service and help identify what the problem is. Provider service checkers and support pages Here s a handy list of available service checkers. If no service status tool is available, we ve linked to the support page. BT >> TalkTalk >> Virgin Media >> Sky >> Plusnet >> John Lewis Broadband >> EE Broadband >> Fuel Broadband >> Post Office >>

13 Chapter 6: Switching 12 If your broadband s still painfully slow, or keeps cutting out, you might decide switching to a new package is your best option. Switching broadband is actually really easy - here s everything you need to know. When should you switch? Switching broadband can save you a lot of money, and often result in you getting a better service, but it s not always the right time. If you re out of contract, we suggest switching when: None of the tips in this guide help you. If you ve tried all the advice in this guide, and your connection speed is still dragging along like a three-legged tortoise, it might be time to think about switching to a new provider. You haven t switched packages for two years. Over the last five years, broadband prices have dropped, while line rental prices have risen. So if you haven t switched for years, you re probably paying for both the older, more expensive broadband rates and the more expensive landline fees. Your needs have changed. The broadband package you once had may no longer be the best fit for your lifestyle. For example, in a growing family, the demands on your internet connection will increase as your kids age up. Or perhaps you ve started to use more online services like Netflix and Spotify than before. As your life changes, make sure your internet connection still supports it. When should you not switch? When you can t break your contract. If you re still within contract, it can be difficult to leave without paying exit charges. There are some ways to do it (see the FAQs below) if speeds are consistently slow, prices go up, or your provider isn t providing the service agreed, but if none of them apply to you, you may be stuck. What should you consider when choosing a broadband package? Don t barrel recklessly towards the cheapest option - that s a rookie mistake. First, consider how you ll use your broadband, and what features it must have (for example, unlimited downloads). Then look for the best value option that meets those needs. Here are a few common behaviours we see, and what you should look for in a broadband package.h You live in a shared house of four or more - fibre optic broadband, unlimited downloads You have multiple family members in the same house - fibre optic broadband, unlimited downloads You own loads of connected gadgets - unlimited downloads You watch lot of online video, such as Netflix, BBC iplayer, or Now TV - unlimited downloads You watch lots of sport - broadband and TV bundle with Sky Sport / BT Sport You regularly play console and PC games - fibre optic broadband, unlimited downloads You use the web to check / social media only - low-cost basic broadband

14 Chapter 6: Switching 13 How to switch broadband Switching broadband is really easy. Here s what you need to do: Switching between BT, Sky, TalkTalk, EE, Plusnet 1 Compare packages in your area at broadbandchoices.co.uk. If you have specific requirements - such as fibre, or a certain provider - use the filters to organise your results. 2 When you see a package you like, click through and follow the instructions onscreen to sign up. 3 Your provider will send you all the equipment you need, notify your old provider you have left, and get you up hand running Switching to and from Virgin Media 1 Contact your old provider a month ahead, and tell them you re leaving. Be insistent if they try to upsell you - don t let them pressure you into staying if you don t want to. 2 Compare packages at your postcode with broadbandchoices.co.uk. 3 If you see a package you like, click through and follow the instructions to sign up. For more information on how to switch, visit: FAQs How long will I be without broadband if I switch? Most broadband providers share the same basic infrastructure, so for most people there won t be much downtime - if there s any at all. When switching to a provider like Virgin Media, which has its own cables, there may be a break in service. Nonetheless, you still shouldn t have to wait more than a few days. Can I keep my address? Most bigger companies (like BT, Plusnet, and Sky) let you keep it, though there may be a small fee. Others like Virgin Media and TalkTalk will delete your account after a few months. Find out your providers policy in our guide at Will my broadband definitely be faster? Most providers share the same basic BT Openreach infrastructure, so unless you specifically choose a package with a faster speed, it s entirely possible that switching won t have a significant effect. Your new provider should give you an indication of how fast your broadband should be before you sign up. On the other hand, if you re switching to fibre, then you re extremely likely to get faster speeds than on standard ADSL broadband connections. To be sure it ll be faster, go fibre. Why are some providers or packages not available to me? The packages you can get depend on the broadband infrastructure in your area. For example, large parts of the country can t get fibre optic broadband as it hasn t been rolled out there. That s why providers and comparison sites like broadbandchoices ask you to put in your postcode.

15 Chapter 6: Switching 14 Can I leave my existing contract early? Sometimes. Breaking your contract early typically results in penalties, but there are a few situations where it s possible leave scot-free, such as when: Prices go up.. If your provider puts prices up midway through your contract, they are legally required to inform you of this. You have 30 days from that notice to leave without any exit penalty. Speeds are consistently slower than promised. When you sign up with a broadband provider, they should tell you what speeds you can realistically expect to get - for example, 7Mb -10Mb. If your speeds are consistently below that, and your provider fails to takes steps to remedy it, you re legally entitled to break your contract early (note: this doesn t apply to Virgin Media). Find out more at Speeds are consistently slower than promised. Not getting the service promised in your contract? You can complain to CISAS (Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme) or the communications Ombudsman. Find out more about your rights in our guide at

16 About us We are broadbandchoices, and we re the broadband, home phone, TV, and mobile experts. We ve been about since 2005 and are now the UK s leading broadband price comparison site accredited by communications regulator Ofcom. Website: broadbandchoices.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/broadbandchoices