Slow broadband speed? Here are some tips to speed up your internet speed

If you are on a DSL connection this could be ADSL or VDSL you will have copper cables that carry the data of your internet connection. Not to go all Albert Einstein on you but there are some factors that play a big part in the speed you eventually end up getting at your property. RESISTANCE! – This is the major factor!

Your connection originates from your local exchange, so the further away the exchange is the more cable is required to reach your house, which if you remember from your school science lectures means more resistance in those copper cables! That is why you may have a slower speed when tested at your house compared to the advertised speed of you internet service provider unless you are lucky enough to live next door to the exchange!!

There are other factors that also play a part, like how many people are connected to the internet at the same time in your area as well as in your house.

You can quickly check your speed now if you like speedtest.net to take a base reading before you try our handy tips to see if your broadband speed increases once the changes have been made.

Now lets get down to the things we can actually affect and try speed up your internet connection! ( These also work if you have a fibre connection )

1. There are electrical appliances in your house that can affect how effective your wireless router is. These could be stereo or computer speakers, electrical dimmer switches, cordless phones, halogen lamps, fairy lights, TVs and monitors, AC power chords, baby monitors to name a few. We basically advise you to keep the router away from as many electrical appliances as you can.
2. Keep your router off the ground, try if possible to have it on a shelf this enables the signal to carry through your house more effectively.
3. Try to keep the router free from obstructions, what we mean by an obstruction is don't lock your router in a cupboard! and try to keep it in line of sight from where you use the connection the most.
4. Avoid using a telephone extension cord as this can lead to causing interference and slow down you broadband connection. If this cannot be avoided, make sure that you use a high quality cable and that it is in the shortest length possible.
5. Connect your router to the main telephone socket in your house, if not you are further increasing the resistance as we talked about earlier and  slowing down your internet connection.
6. Some routers have 2 x antennae aerials, if you can point one vertically and one horizontally. This alters the way in which the signal is transmitted from your router and how your device receives it. By doing this it increases the chance of your device of getting a better signal!
7. A wired connection will always give you the fastest speed possible and if this is an option for you please ensure the cable is not twisted or coiled.

Now hopefully some of these simple tips have increased the speed of your internet. Take another speed test reading to see if it has!