How To Speed Up Your Slow Broadband (QUICK GUIDE)

Feeling frustrated because your broadband is slow?

We have the perfect solution for you. RiiRoo have scoured the internet looking for the best hacks to speed up your broadband.

With our tips and tricks, you’ll be able to work faster and more efficiently than ever before. Broadband shouldn’t slow you down – now is the time to Speed Up Your Slow Broadband! 

What's Causing Your Broadband To Be Slow?

There are a few things you can troubleshoot first to find out why your broadband is running slow.

Speed checker

The very first thing you want to check before you do anything else is to check your broadband speed.

Check what your current speeds are and then compare it to the speeds that you are supposed to be getting. To do this, you can use an online speed checker like Broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk (no affiliation). This is free to use and will give you an accurate result of what speeds you're getting.

If your speeds are lower than they should be, then there's definitely something wrong and you'll want to continue reading this guide to find out how to speed up your broadband.

Also, check the following:

Your Computer

Do you have an old computer?

Believe it or not, one of the reasons your broadband could be slow is because you’re using an old computer.

If your computer is more than five years old, it might not be able to process information as quickly as a newer model. This can lead to a slower internet connection.

To see if this is the problem, try accessing the internet on a different device. If the internet is not slow on your other device, then it’s time for an upgrade.

Position of your computer

Another popular reason why people’s broadband is slow is because of the position of their computer. If your computer is too far away from your router, you might not be getting the full speed of your internet connection.

The further away you are from the router, the weaker the signal will be. So, if you’re trying to use the internet in a different room from where the router is, you might not be getting the full speed.

To fix this problem, try moving your computer closer to the router. If you have a laptop, you can even try moving it around until you find the sweet spot with the strongest signal.

You could also try moving your router to a different location. If your router is in a central location, you might get a better signal throughout your home.

If you still can’t get a good signal, you might need to invest in a WiFi extender. This will amplify the signal and give you a stronger connection.

Restarting your computer

Do you constantly keep your computer on standby mode or never shut it down properly?

One of the reasons your computer might be running slow is that you’re not restarting it regularly. When you keep your computer on standby mode, some programs might continue to run in the background and take up valuable resources. This can lead to a slower internet connection.

This is an easy fix – simply restart your computer regularly to clear the RAM and give yourself a fresh start.

Clear cookies

Sounds obvious, right? But you’d be surprised how many people have never cleared their cookies.

If you’re not sure what cookies are, they’re small files that websites store on your computer. They help to improve your experience by saving your preferences and login information.

However, over time, these files can build up and take up valuable space on your computer. This can lead to a slower internet connection as your computer has to work harder to load websites.

To clear your cookies, simply go to your browser settings and delete them. You can also set your browser to automatically clear cookies when you close it. This will help to keep your computer running smoothly.

Alternatively, you can download a free piece of software called CCleaner. This will clean up your cookies and other temporary files that are taking up space on your computer.

Check for malware

If you use the internet a lot, it means that there is an increased risk of picking up malware. This is software that can damage your computer or cause it to run slowly.

If you think you might have malware on your computer, there are a few things you can do to remove it.

First, try using a free anti-malware program like Malwarebytes. This will scan your computer for any malicious software and remove it.

Alternatively, you can try using a free virus scanner like AVG. This will also scan your computer for any viruses or malware and remove them.

If this doesn't sort out your problem, try restoring your computer to an earlier date. This will undo any changes that the malware might have made to your system.

You can also try running a System Restore from Safe Mode. This will start your computer in a limited state where only essential programs are running. From here, you can run a System Restore and restore your computer to an earlier date.

Note: Be careful if you try either of these alternatives as it is possible to delete important files if you're not careful.

Too many windows/browsers open

Did you know that having too many windows or tabs open can actually slow down your computer?

When you have too many programs running at the same time, it can use up all of your computer's resources. This can lead to a slower internet connection as your computer has to work harder.

If you want to fix this problem, you could try closing some of the windows or tabs that you have open. Alternatively, you could try restarting your computer. This will close all of the programs that are running and give you a fresh start.

You can also try using a different web browser. Some browsers are more resource-intensive than others. For example, Google Chrome is known for being a resource-hungry browser. If you're using Chrome and your computer is running slowly, try switching to a different browser like Firefox or Opera.

The Router

Your router age

Was this the original router your internet service provider (ISP) gave you when you first subscribed to their service?

If so, it might be time for an upgrade. Just like your computer, routers can become outdated and might not be able to process information as quickly. This can lead to a slower connection.

In the first instance, get in touch with your internet service provider (ISP) to see if they offer a replacement or an upgrade.

If not, you can always buy your own router. Just make sure it’s compatible with your ISP and internet package.

Switch your router off and then on again

This may sound like a silly fix, but routers can sometimes just need a restart.

To do this, simply turn your router off at the mains and leave it for a few minutes. Then turn it back on and wait for it to connect to the internet. This is called a "cold restart" and can sometimes fix minor issues.

Check your WiFi signal strength

Oftentimes, your WiFi signal strength can be the reason your internet is running slow.

If you're too far away from your router, the signal might not be strong enough. This can lead to a slower connection as your computer has to work harder to connect.

To fix this problem, try moving your router closer to where you use the internet most. You can also directly connect your computer directly to the router by running an ethernet cable between the two.

The good news is, ethernet cables are super cheap to buy from the likes of Amazon. In fact, they sell a 20m cable at quite a decent price.

Tip: If you are going to purchase an ethernet cable, only buy the length of cable that you need. For example, if your router is 10m away from where you use the internet most, only buy a 10m cable. If you use a cable that is too long, you will weaken the signal.