How to make the Internet speed maximum. How to increase the speed of Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi) connection - practical tips and tricks

What gets on your nerves more than? Perhaps only the “turtle” Internet! Tired of watching your cursor spin endlessly while waiting for a website to open? Or wait forever for a file to load? If yes, it's time to act.

This article is for those who value their time and protect their peace of mind. Read how to increase Internet speed by everyone possible ways. Spend half an hour once and this problem will never bother you again. And if it happens again, you will know how to solve it.

How to increase Internet speed

Is your plan right for you?

The first limiter on your Internet connection bandwidth is your ISP. It is he who sets the upper speed limit, which you cannot bypass. More precisely, you can, but for an additional amount.

To find out if the actual Internet speed matches what you're paying for, go to any testing site, such as Speedtest.net or, and take measurements. To get the most reliable indicator, close VPN applications and proxy browser extensions (if you use them) before doing this, and also disconnect other traffic consumers (computers, phones, TV, etc.) from the network.

If the result is not much different from what was stated, it means that the Internet is slowing down due to the fact that the line bandwidth is too low for your needs. The solution is to change the tariff to a faster one. Don't want to overpay? Take a closer look at the offers of other providers.

If the speed is 30-50% lower than specified in the contract, then the reason is not in the tariff plan. Short-term slowdowns during the daytime are normal, but constant slowdowns, especially at night when the line is not loaded, are a reason to call technical support.

In some cases, the speed decreases when a certain traffic threshold is reached (this should be stated in the description of the tariff plan), in others - due to problems (both on the part of the provider and on yours) and other reasons.

If the provider's technical support did not help, move on.

We are looking for traffic eaters

Slow Internet operation may be due to the fact that a traffic “eater” has settled on your computer - a program that clogs up a significant part of the Internet channel with its data. Such a “devourer” can be:

• Torrent clients. Especially those running on several computers at the same time.
• Viruses – worms, spam senders, etc.
• Operating system and applications while downloading updates. Especially when there are many such applications and the connection is not very fast.
• Cloud service clients during data synchronization (Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, Evernote, Yandex Drive, Google Drive, etc.).
• A browser minimized to the taskbar with many open tabs.

To find out which processes are actively using the network, run Task Manager, go to the tab " Performance" and click on the link " Open Resource Monitor».

IN Resource Monitor open the tab " Net" and expand the list of processes. To see what share of traffic is consumed by any process, check the box next to it.

The presence of unknown objects in this list, as well as high network activity of operating system processes, is a reason to scan your computer for viruses.

Checking if there are any “left” connections

If you use a wireless access point to access the Internet, .

After this, open the section “ Traffic monitoring"(if any) and see how traffic is distributed between devices. If there is a clear consumption leader among them, you need to look for the source of the problem first of all.

We identify and strengthen equipment bottlenecks

Network cables

Let's start with something simple - by checking the cables between computers and the router, as well as between the router and the provider's equipment. Poor contacts, creases, close proximity to sources of electromagnetic interference (for example, power lines) significantly impair signal transmission. If you find a problem, fix it if possible.

Router (router)

The router is the second most common culprit for slowing down Internet speeds. In the home segment, budget models with low speed characteristics are common. A device purchased for 2-3 thousand rubles is unlikely to give you the feeling of flying, especially if you connect more than 3-4 consumers to it. The maximum speeds indicated in the characteristics of inexpensive devices are almost never achieved in reality. IN best case scenario this will be half. If the quality of the Internet connection decreases when using a router, but increases when connecting the cable directly to the PC, it is obvious that this is exactly your case.

To get the most out of a weak router, update its firmware to the latest version and place it in a point in the apartment where each connected device will receive a good Wi-Fi signal. Do not place the router close to heat sources, as overheating is another reason for its slowdown.

In the point parameters Wi-Fi access make the following settings:

• Wireless mode– 802.11n standard. If possible, disconnect all devices operating under 802.11b/g standards from the access point so that the speed is not limited by the level of their capabilities (802.11b mode operates at 11 Mbit/s, 802.11g - at 54 Mbit/s, 802.11n - at 600 Mbit /s). If you have such devices and they need the Internet, connect them via cable.
• To maintain speeds above 54 Mbit/s, activate the “ Wi-Fi Multimedia» ( WMM).
• Experiment with broadcast channel width. Choose between 40 MHz and 20 MHz. When the signal level is low and unstable, a 20 MHz channel often provides better throughput than a 40 MHz channel. The “auto 20/40” mode also does not always work optimally.
• Use authentication method"WPA2-PSK", encryption algorithm - "AES". Disabling encryption completely will improve the performance of the router, but it will make your network open to everyone, and this is unsafe.
• Using the brute force method, find the optimal broadcast channel (option " Channel» in the wireless network settings).
• Select the optimal power of the wireless signal transmitter (option " TX power"). Sometimes lowering it significantly improves transmission quality.

Network card

Outdated drivers and some network adapter settings can reduce communication speed. Start by updating your drivers to the latest version - download them from the computer motherboard or laptop manufacturer's website and install them like a regular application.

After that, launch Windows Device Manager, open the list " Network adapters" And " Properties» the one you are using.

If you are connecting via cable, go to the " Additionally" and set the value of the parameter " Speed ​​& Duplex» to the possible maximum for the device. Choose from two options " Full Duplex"(in this mode, the adapter receives and transmits information simultaneously).

On a similar tab of the wireless adapter properties, set the priority of working in 802.11n mode (the option may be called “ 802.11nmode», « 802.11npreamble» « 802.11n direct connection mode", etc.) and just like on the router, enable support WMM (« Wi-FIMultimedia" or " Multimedia and gaming environment»).

Choosing the fastest DNS server

DNS servers - nodes that map domain names of devices and websites to IP addresses - are essential components of any Internet connection and also affect its speed. Some of them work faster, others slower, some are geographically located closer to you, others further away. Some are heavily loaded, others are lightly loaded.

To determine the fastest and closest DNS server to you, we will use the free Namebench utility from Google.

Namebench runs on Windows, OS X and Linux platforms and is available in graphical and console versions. You can choose any one, and I will tell you how to use it, using a graphic example.

Namebench will search for the optimal DNS server based on the opening time of web pages in browsers, data from network traffic analyzer utilities (tcpdump and winpcap) and some other information.

Once launched, Namebench will automatically detect your location and current DNS addresses. You only need to select from the list " Querydatasource» maximum points for calculation (number in brackets). Over dotted line This list shows a selection from your browsers, below are standard test sets of the program itself.

To start the scan, click " Start Benchmark».

Upon completion of testing, the result will open in Internet Explorer in the form of a table. The top right shows the recommended DNS servers - the fastest and closest to you. On the left, where I say “Fastest” - how many percent is the best DNS faster than the current one.

;

• Go to the folder " Network connections"(via the context menu of the Start button or "Network and Sharing Center").
• Open the context menu of your connection and select " Properties».

• In the list of components on the tab " Net» check « IPv4" Click " again" Properties».
• Set the switch to " Use the following addressesDNS servers" and indicate there what the program advised.

Also change DNS in the router settings:

Choosing the best browser

Open the same website in several browsers and see that they have different loading speeds. According to the results of comparative tests, the maximum performance is shown by Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Yandex.Browser. In addition, the latter two have a “Turbo Mode” option, which speeds up the opening of pages on a slow connection.

Also, to improve browser performance, do not forget to close unnecessary tabs and disable unused extensions.

Using the TCP Optimizer program to speed up the Internet

There are a lot of programs that promise to speed up the Internet by 100-200-500%, but most of them are paid and are not nearly as omnipotent as they are written about. I will tell you about one of the free ones that does not make empty promises, but simply works - the TCP Optimizer utility. It can increase network throughput by approximately 15-20% while supporting all types of connections.

Despite the many options, using the program is not difficult. The optimal parameters are selected automatically. To do this, you only need to perform a few operations:

• Run the utility with administrator rights (it does not require installation).
• On the scale " ConnectionSpeed» specify the maximum speed of your connection.
• From the list " Networkadapterselection» select the current network adapter.
• In the list " Choose settings» check « Optimal».
• Click " Applychanges" and restart your computer to apply the settings.

In automatic mode, TCP Optimizer automatically sets the optimal TCP (main network protocol) window parameters for a given connection speed. And if you want to understand the program in more detail in order to change its settings manually, there is a link on the developer’s website.

That's all I wanted to say on today's topic. Of course, on the vastness of the global network you can find a lot of other tips on how to speed up the Internet by 1000%, but some of them have long been irrelevant, and some are downright harmful (like suggestions to abandon the antivirus and disable Windows updates). And the main advice is this: speed up, but maintain a reasonable balance between online comfort and data security on your PC. After all, the second, whatever one may say, is more important than the first.

Good day, dear readers.

A fast and high-quality connection to the Internet is the dream of every user of the World Wide Web. But not always the provider in your region can provide high-speed Internet to your home, and for some such Internet will be quite expensive. Therefore, many users have to be content with the low speed of the Internet. Not all users with low Internet speed know how to increase it. Let's consider the most effective ways increasing Internet speed on your computer.

First, let's check your Internet connection speed; for this we will use the most popular service in the world called. For those who will be testing their Internet connection speed for the first time using the speedtest service, just click BEGIN TEST(start the test) and wait for the testing to finish. After completion, you can see the speed of your boarding school both for receiving and transmitting data. So, let's start increasing the speed of our Internet.

Increasing bits

The first thing you can do to speed up the Internet is to configure hidden system parameters that control the network connection bandwidth.
To do this you need to run device Manager, this can be done in the following way, we find My computer(This computer) right-click on it and select Properties All that remains is to launch the Device Manager section itself.

The manager will display a list of all devices installed on the computer. We are looking for a section in the list Ports (COM and LPT), in which we right-click on Serial port (COM1) and go into it properties.

In the properties window, go to the tab Port Settings and set the parameter Bits per second to the maximum number available. Then save the changes by clicking OK.

You should also set the maximum speed of the modem in the connection itself, which is used to access the Internet. Open Control Panel further Network and Internet and go to the section Network and Sharing Center. Find your Internet connection under Changing adapter settings and right-click to open it properties. On the tab General click the button Tune next to the line with the communication modem. Select the maximum value of the Highest speed (bit/s) parameter from the drop-down list, then save the changes by clicking the button OK.

Setting up reserved bandwidth

To increase the connection throughput, you should also disable its redundancy. By default, the system reserves a communication channel at 20% of its capacity. To disable this feature, open the item Execute start menu. Enter the following in the Open line: gpedit.msc
and press Enter.

The Local Group Policy Editor utility will open. Next you should open the folder Administrative Templates in subsection Computer configuration and go to the folder Net,

after which we find the section Package Scheduler QoS(or QoS Packet Manager, on different versions of Windows the folder name may differ). Now the QoS parameters will be displayed on the right side of the window; we will be interested in the parameter Limit reserved bandwidth.

Double-click on it to go to edit it, and set the reservation percentage to 0% thereby disabling the reservation itself. Save the changes made by clicking the button OK.

Execution correct settings connections can already lead to an increase in Internet speed, but they cannot always help if the reason for the poor connection speed lies elsewhere. Very often, low Internet speed occurs due to a low Wi-Fi signal or if someone else is using your Internet.

Checking for unauthorized connections to your router

To check whether someone else is connected to your Internet via Wi-Fi, you should pay attention to the router indication. If you turn off all your devices connecting to the wireless network (laptop, tablet, etc.) then WAN indicator the router will blink very rarely. If the blinking frequency of the indicator remains high, then someone else is using your Wi-Fi. You can also easily view the connection to the router through its menu. To do this, enter the IP address of the router in the address bar (by default it is 192.168.1.1). In the menu you can go to the section Connections and monitor all current connections to the router, and if necessary, limit the number of connections. But it’s still better to change the password for accessing the wireless network to a more complex one and set the maximum WPA2 communication security level.

Determining the correct location of your router

It is imperative to deal with low wireless network signal levels, as this greatly affects the connection speed. Move the access point as close as possible to the place where you permanently access the Internet. Also make sure that there are no sources of other radio waves (microwave oven, etc.) on the path between the access point and the laptop, as this will cause interference in the communication channel.

Installing new firmware on your router

Often, a decrease in the speed of routers and access points occurs due to an outdated firmware version. In this case, you should update it promptly software. To do this, you should download to your computer a new version of the firmware for your router, which can be downloaded from the manufacturer’s official website. After that, go to the router settings and click the button Update. After a few minutes, your router (router) will reboot with new version firmware.

Checking your PC for viruses

In order to exclude the influence of other factors on the Internet speed, you should check your computer for malware and viruses, and also check your system firewall settings. In particular, a firewall blocks unauthorized access to the network by other applications, and viruses are able to download all traffic, using it to spread malicious information on the network.

Install additional programs to increase speed

Also, to increase Internet speed, you can use special programs that optimize Internet and browser settings. Recognized as one of the best applications Internet Speed ​​Booster, Proximodo, Speed ​​It Up Free.

And finally, a few rules for comfortable work on the Internet with a slow connection. Close all unnecessary tabs in your browser, as each page is filled with tons of advertisements and flash animations, so most of the traffic is wasted on displaying them. In this regard, you can use extensions or plugins to block ads, which can consume up to 70% of all traffic! Also use your browser's TURBO mode, which will reduce network load in most cases by reducing the quality of displayed images. You can also disable the display of images, sound, animation in the browser, which will increase the loading speed of web pages. Turn off automatic app updates; since you have no way of knowing when they will start updating, it's best to do software updates manually. The same applies to operating system updates. If your Windows torrent client automatically downloads, check that it is not downloading or sharing files. Torrents and downloading files in browsers or special downloaders significantly slow down your work on the Internet.

Video:

Dear friends, I want to wish you good luck, increase the speed of your Internet, bye everyone and see you again.

How to increase internet speed via wifi router, if providers promise users high Internet speed under any conditions and often this promise is not realized?

Internet speed is the amount of data transferred per second of time (measured in kilobits or megabits per second).

In browsers and other programs, the speed of uploading or downloading files is measured in kilobytes or megabytes per second. These two concepts should not be confused.

Possible reasons for low Internet speed

Internet speed may decrease due to the following reasons:

• the device is too far from the router;
• the network is simultaneously used by several devices that consume a large amount of traffic;
• software problems in the router;

Before you start troubleshooting the problem, you should test the speed of the Internet using online services.

During testing, disable third-party browser tabs and programs that may interfere with the speed test. Some popular services:

Updating router drivers

Updating all router drivers can help increase the speed. The installed driver may not be compatible with the operating system version.

Open Device Manager (a system utility that displays all connected devices) and select the Network Adapters tab.

Find your wifi adapter in the list and, by right-clicking, select the “update” menu item.

The drivers will be downloaded and installed in the background in one to two minutes.

Advice! After updating the drivers, be sure to restart your computer and router.

Changing the network operating mode

The router operating modes are responsible for its throughput on a specific device.

There are modes that can increase the speed of the router by improving the QoS level.

To change the operating mode, go to the device manager and right-click on the wifi adapter.

Select the properties item. The “advanced” tab lists all possible operating modes of the router through which you can increase its performance.

WiFi adapter

To ensure the fastest possible internet speed, select WMM, Preamble or Power Output mode.

Changing the router security standard through the settings window

With the introduction of wireless Internet technology, there is no longer a need to connect a bunch of wires to your devices to provide access to the network. A standard wired connection needs to be provided only for a router - a device that distributes IP addresses to client gadgets and covers Wi-Fi in a nearby, small area. However, sometimes it may turn out that even on a modern router the Wi-Fi connection is too slow, web pages load “monstrously” slowly, you have to wait several minutes for this or that site to open, and even when you are in the immediate The situation is no better if you are close to the distribution router. If you connect to a hot spot on the street or in a cafe, there is nothing you can do about it, since you do not have access to a Wi-Fi distribution device. If you set up a network at home, you can probably do something about this problem. Today we will tell you how to increase Wi-Fi speed when organizing a network in an apartment, if current situation you are not satisfied with things regarding Internet access speed, and we will offer several ways to solve the problem.

What explains the slow connection speed?

Regarding the reasons for low connection, there may be several of them:

— first of all, the low quality of the equipment used. If your router is more than 2-3 years old, most likely it will not be able to guarantee you the maximum speed of providing Internet access. As you know, new devices meet completely different speed standards, and your 10 Mbit/s is unlikely to satisfy anyone today. To find out technical specifications your router, refer to the device documentation available on the Internet on the official website of the manufacturer. The number of transmitting antennas that the router is equipped with is also important. For high-quality communication there must be at least 2 of them, and this will ensure greater range signal coverage;

— low signal transmission range. The transmission range of traffic has the same relationship to speed as the first point. The closer you are to the access point, the faster the speed will be, and vice versa. Buying a modern router model can also solve this problem in your favor;

- cheap tariff plan. This point is only important if you live away from major cities, and your ISP is unable to provide high network throughput. If your speed is at least 50 Mbit/s, then you don’t have to worry too much about this parameter;

— excessive loading of the operating system by third-party applications and penetration of malicious code. If your OS is overloaded when exchanging traffic with the server, this can be explained by excessive clutter of the system with third-party software. Remove programs you don't need through the application manager. One more probable cause- this is a worm or botnet hitting your hard drive, completely devouring your traffic. In this case, you have to take care of cleaning your PC from viruses, using one of the appropriate cleaning products (Avast or Dr.Web CureIt);

- damaged equipment. If the router accidentally falls on the floor or hard surface, the device may be damaged and will have to be taken in for repairs. Damage to the distributing antenna is especially critical, since this type of breakdown has a direct impact on the quality of the transmitting signal;

- outdated firmware. Firmware is of no small importance in ensuring high speed Wi-Fi connections. Over time, developers fix major system errors and even completely change the firmware shell. So, if you haven’t updated, it’s time to think about it: the procedure is very simple and does not require any special skills.

How to increase the speed of Wi-Fi connection?

If you are rearranging your apartment, think about the range of signal distribution from the router. Try to install the device as close to the center of the apartment as possible so that the signal is distributed evenly to all rooms. It is worth taking into account the number of transmitting antennas on the gadget. If the router has only one antenna, high quality You can achieve communication this way, after which you will need to buy a new router. It is also important to take into account the thickness of the walls.

The next rather significant nuance is to indicate the appropriate frequency of the router signal. As usual, all devices distributing a Wi-Fi signal operate on the same frequency, and in apartment buildings they simply interrupt each other’s signal. Under such circumstances, it is worth specifying the actual transmission channel number in the router settings, taking into account the network load. By default, all routers have the “Auto” parameter set.

How to increase Wi-Fi speed by specifying the actual channel number in the settings?

Log in by entering the appropriate host IP address of the router, and specifying the login and password on the pop-up form to enter the settings menu. In this manual, I will use the ASUS router control panel as an example; in your device, the sequence of actions may be slightly different.

Let's go to the settings menu in the "Wireless Network" section.

In the active category you can see the “Channel” option. Set one of the values ​​of this key so that the signal does not constantly switch from one channel to another, as was the case when the “Auto” value was set.

If you have a router from D-Link, TP-Link or any other brand, you may have to wander through the settings a little to find the option to configure the communication channel here.

How to increase the speed of Wi-Fi connection by changing other parameters of the router?

To increase wireless throughput, you need to switch your network settings to the 802.11N standard. This is the fastest standard in the 2.4 MHz band, supported by all devices released since 2010 and later. Thus, in the basic parameters of the Wi-Fi connection, we force the N-mode to be set (or select the standard in the field: 802.11N).

Another important tip is to use the WPA2-PSK security standard with AES encryption. The WPA2 algorithm is the most modern and secure; it is available by default in all new routers. However, if you doubt that you are using this particular standard, it is better to check everything yourself. To do this, go to the wireless network security settings and set the encryption method to WPA2, and the algorithm to AES.

It is also worth enabling the WiFi Multimedia mode (or WMM, as it is called in the settings). This option is required if you want to get speeds above 54 Mbps. According to the QoS quality of service specification, setting this mode is also a prerequisite. You can set this mode in the advanced wireless network settings.

In addition to this, you need to activate this mode in the network adapter settings. Right-click on the network connection in the taskbar and select the “Network and Sharing Center” option from the menu.

A list of network adapters installed on your laptop/computer will appear. Select the adapter for Wi-Fi connection from the list, right-click on it and select the “Properties” option from the context list.

After this, already on the settings form, go to the “Advanced” tab, find the “WMM” option in the list of properties and set the value to “Enabled”.

The last tip related to setting up a router involves using a channel width of 20 MHz. By default, the width is differentiated, i.e. varies between 20 and 40 MHz. The 40 MHz broadband option is not very suitable for apartment buildings, since the signal there is not very strong and stable. So check the 20 MHz option and enjoy the result.

How to increase the speed of your Wi-Fi connection by playing with your computer settings?

If, after all the manipulations with the router, you find that the connection speed has not changed at all, perhaps the reason for the low connection is in the computer, and not in the router. Let's look at the system load in the OS settings. To do this, go to the task manager using the combination Ctrl+Alt+Del. Let's use the second tab called "Performance".

If the diagram shows that the network is overloaded, and you are not currently downloading anything and are not using the Internet, go to the first tab containing a list of services running in the background, called “Processes” and disable here those programs that you need at the moment not needed.

Another useful advice, how to increase Wi-Fi speed on a laptop - disable unused applications from startup. To do this, use the Win+R combination, and in the mini-window that appears, enter the “msconfig” parameter. Go to the “Startup” tab, after which the list you need will open.

If this method does not work, we can recommend updating the W-Fi adapter drivers to the latest version. You can find the required package on the website of the laptop manufacturer, or through driver packs such as DriverPackSolution (just do not select the automatic mode, since in addition to the drivers, a bunch of browsers and other applications will be installed. Work through the expert mode).

In conclusion, we would like to suggest that you adjust the routing configuration on your PC. This can be done without any special effort and without any harm to the system. To reset the settings, run cmd mode as administrator. To do this, right-click on the start button and select the corresponding element in the context menu.

Next, in the prompt that appears, enter the request “route -f”. Don't be alarmed if your web connection goes down briefly. After that, enter the key query “ipconfig /renew” and press Enter again. If the above commands did not help, instead of the second specified key, use the “netsh winsock reset catalog” command.

Results

If you want to know how to increase the speed of your Wi-Fi connection, we hope that our article will help you achieve success in your task. Otherwise, it's time to think about buying a new router, with at least two antennas and higher speed characteristics. By supporting new communication and data standards, the new device can improve Wi-Fi speed at least 2 times. To know this for sure, you need to study the technical parameters of the old and new devices and compare them.

Are web pages taking longer to load than usual, and file download speeds are not as good as advertised by your provider? This may be due to many factors. Fortunately, there are many tricks that can help you improve the quality of your Internet connection. You will notice the difference within minutes.

Steps

Checking equipment, network status and connection speed

Test your connection speed. Before you go to the hardware and computer settings, check the speed of your connection and compare it with that stated by your provider. There are many sites on the Internet that can help you check your connection speed. Just search Google for "connection speed test" and select one of the first results in the list.

• Different tests will show different results. Even the same test can show several different meanings during repeated checks. The test result depends on the location of the servers and the network load.
• Take several tests and find the average.
• To pass the test, you may need to download and install plugins.
• If the site asks you to select a server to test your connection speed, choose the one closest to your actual location. This way you will get the most accurate result.

1. Compare the test result with the data declared by the provider. Check with customer support to determine what your connection speed should be. Remember that the provider will indicate the maximum possible speed, but the actual speed will not always correspond to this figure.

   • If you haven't changed your data plan in a while, you may be able to get faster speeds for less. Typically, companies do not inform existing customers about more advantageous offers, so check to see if they have any new rates since you started using their services. Check out what all providers offer in your area.
   • Remember the difference between megabits and megabytes. There are 8 megabits (MB) in one megabyte (MB), so if you pay for 25 megabits per second (MB/sec), then your maximum speed will be slightly higher than 3 megabytes per second (MB/sec).

2. Reboot your router. Restarting your modem or router can resolve many connection problems. If your modem or router does not have a power button, simply unplug the power cord, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. Read this guide to learn how to restart your home network.

   Check for conflicting signals. If you use a wireless router, check to see if it conflicts with your cordless phone or wireless camera. There are two main types of wireless routers: 802.11 b, g, and n (2.4 GHz) or 802.11 a (5.8 GHz). If your cordless phone and router operate on the 2.4 GHz frequency, the Internet connection speed will be slower when someone is using the phone. The same applies to wireless outdoor cameras. Check the signal frequency of your phone and camera. If it is 900 MHz then there is nothing to worry about. If they operate at 2.4 or 5.8 GHz, then they are likely interfering with your wireless network.

   Check if you have reached your traffic limit. Many providers set limits on Internet traffic, but do not always notify their customers about this. Log in to your provider's website or contact customer support by phone and check if you have reached your monthly limit. Usually, after exceeding the limit, the provider limits the connection speed.

   Call your provider's customer service line. Sometimes only your provider can fix a connection problem. Usually, to establish the causes of problems, a technician does not need to come to your home. You may be prompted to restart your router again.

   Check all devices on your network. If other users on your network frequently download data from the Internet, such as watching videos online or downloading large files, this may take up a significant portion of the network bandwidth.

   

   Reduce the distance between the router and computer. If you are connected to the Internet using Wi-Fi router, the reason for the slow connection speed may be a weak signal. Place your computer and router as close to each other as possible, or place the router on a cabinet to improve signal quality.

   • Clean any dust from your router or modem using a can of compressed air. This will protect it from overheating and increase the stability of its operation.
   • Provide good ventilation to all electronic components to prevent overheating.

3. If you use DSL technology, check your splitter. A splitter is a small box into which your landline phone cable is connected. On the opposite side there are two sockets - one for the phone, the other for the modem. If you are connected to the Internet via a landline telephone line, in order for the connection quality to be good, you must have a high-quality splitter installed.

   Check the weather forecast. If you use satellite Internet, your connection speed may fluctuate due to wind, snow, rain, lightning, static fields and other meteorological phenomena.

   Optimizing your computer and network

   1. Scan your computer with an antivirus at least once a week. Viruses can not only create the threat of leaking valuable information, but also seriously affect the speed of the Internet connection. Protecting your computer from virus threats plays an important role in ensuring good quality Internet connections.

      • Your computer should always be protected by an antivirus program, especially if you use the Internet frequently. It can be installed for free. There is no need to install more than one antivirus program, otherwise they will conflict with each other.

   2. Remove unnecessary toolbars. If you have many toolbars installed in your browser, they can significantly slow down your connection. By getting rid of these panels, you will speed up your browser and protect yourself from leaks of your personal information.

      • Sometimes it can be difficult to remove some toolbars. To do this, you may need the anti-spyware programs listed in the previous step.

   3. Change your browser. If your old browser is overloaded with difficult-to-remove add-ons and is too slow, you may need to start using a different browser. Firefox, Chrome and Opera are faster than Internet Explorer.

   4. Clean up your hard drive. If you don't optimize your hard drive, it can slow down your computer, and this will affect everything you do, including surfing the Internet. Optimizing your hard drive will only take a few minutes, but it will significantly improve the quality of your web surfing.

      • Defragment your hard drive regularly. Latest versions Windows does this automatically.
      • To clear your disk of temporary files that may be slowing down your browser, perform a disk cleanup.
      • Make sure that there is at least 15% free space on the system partition of your hard drive. If your disk is full, programs, including your Internet browser, will start and run more slowly.

   5. Check which programs are consuming traffic. Often the connection speed is reduced because the connection is being used by other programs. To find out if any programs are accessing the Internet without your knowledge, you need to use the Command Prompt. Press the keyboard shortcut ⊞ Win + R to open the Run dialog box. Type cmd and click ↵Enter. (For Windows 7 - open the Start menu>All Programs>Accessories, right-click on Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator" from the menu).

      • Enter the command netstat -b 5 > activity.txt and click ↵Enter. A list of programs that use the Internet connection will appear on the screen. After a minute or so, press Ctrl + C to complete the scan. The system will create a file with a list of all active Internet connections.
      • Enter activity.txt and click ↵Enter to open the file and view a list of programs.

   6. Close all unnecessary programs. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys simultaneously and launch Task Manager. Go to the processes tab and disable all programs that may consume traffic. (Note: Interrupting processes with unknown names may cause programs to crash.)

      • View the process data in the "User" column. If the process is running as System, stopping it may cause other programs to crash and you will have to restart your computer. If your username is listed, terminating the process will likely not affect other programs or processes. Sometimes the system prohibits ending an important system process or automatically restarts it.

   7. Change Wi-Fi channel. If many people in your home share the same channel, your Internet connection speed may be slower. To detect free channels, use the inSSIDer application for PC and the KisMAC or WiFi Scanner applications for Mac. By switching to a less busy channel, you will get rid of network interference and will likely be able to access the Internet faster.

      • If you find an unused channel, switch to it to improve your connection speed. If you don't know how to change the wireless channel in your router, refer to the user manual or reference materials on the device manufacturer's website.