Let's look at some easy ways to increase your internet speed. These are all things you can do on your own, no I.T. experience is required.
1. Move Closer
Is your router in some random spot in your house? Move it. A great way to increase internet speed is to put Wi-Fi in more open areas of the house.
Position your router in the center of your home, or wherever you use the internet the most.
If you can’t move your router, a Wi-Fi extender is a great way to boost your internet speed throughout your home.
Wi-Fi extenders connect to your router’s Wi-Fi signal and repeat the signal to extend the range of your wireless network and eliminate Wi-Fi dead zones and weak spots.
2. Stop Using Wi-Fi
Wireless internet is simple and convenient, but it's not always fast. Wired connections will always be faster and more reliable.
Just bear in mind that cables shouldn't be too long and have kinks.
You can connect most of your devices to the internet with an ethernet cable.
If you tend to do a lot of streaming or gaming, ethernet connections are best. TVs, Xbox, PlayStation, laptops, and desktops have ethernet ports.
Plus, it's more secure because your network is only accessible with a physical connection.
3. Scan for Viruses
Malware can cause high bandwidth usage and slow your internet speed down. Hackers steal speed by looking through your files or downloading malicious code on your computer.
Prevent this by installing a solid anti-virus program.
Even if it’s something temporary like a free trial, put something in place that will actively scan your drives when downloading.
Antivirus clients should have emergency and periodic scans, and updates and be easy to use. And it should be light on resources, so it does not slow down your computer.
Also, both Windows and Mac have built-in antivirus clients too. You can tweak the settings so they can start working immediately.
4. Updates, Updates, Updates!
Check your computer for software or driver updates to address bugs and improve internet speed.
Your router can also be updated. You can update the firmware through its web interface. There are usually instructions on the back of the router.
Once you're logged in, look for the update button - do not power off the router mid-update!
5. What Do You Have Connected?
Your house is full of things connected to Wi-Fi. If so, there are dozens of Wi-Fi signals crossing each other at the same time.
This might cause drops in internet speed.
You can try disconnecting things that don't need Wi-Fi to help improve performance.
Wrapping Up
Consider moving your router closer to you or pushing your signal out with a Wi-Fi extender.
Plug your devices up with an ethernet cable.
Scan for viruses regularly.
Keep your devices and routers up to date, and monitor every connected device. You might not need Wi-Fi for everything.
Also, look at removing any unnecessary apps or programs.
