Internet connectivity is nothing short of a necessity. Especially, in these pandemic-stricken times, where everybody is required to work from home, take classes online, and continue their day-to-day activities remotely.
With such a monumental increase in the number of active online users and connected devices per household, the demand for high-speed internet has grown by leaps, as well. Consumers have become so reliant on the internet for carrying out their routine tasks that a slight slowdown in network speed is enough to throw their lives out of balance.
What makes it worse is that internet technology isn’t perfect yet. It is still developing across the US, which is why you are bound to face occasional lags, spotty signals, or unresponsive connections one way or another.
Though there isn’t much you can do about the state of broadband in your area, you can, however, apply some hacks and quick fixes to speed up your internet connection at home and evade the commonplace slowdowns. Here is a list of the easiest hacks to speed up your internet. The good thing is that you don’t need a degree in engineering to try these out.
Upgrade to a Faster Plan
Start from the source. The place of origin. In other words, the internet service provider. Your internet service provider is the one who delivers bandwidth to your residence. So, if you are experiencing slow internet speeds, then upgrade your plan. Contact your ISP and sign up for higher-tier speed plans that are available.
In case your current internet provider isn’t offering satisfactory speeds, then, consider changing your ISP to a better one. Find out here about the most popular internet service in the market and the fastest internet speeds on cable.
Ensure Equipment Compatibility
One of the reasons why your internet speed may be faltering is due to incompatible equipment. Your network hardware should be up-to-date and advanced enough to translate the speeds you’ve subscribed to in your plan. For instance, suppose you have a large household and a Gig-speed plan activated for your collective needs.
But, the modem/router isn’t geared up to transmit Gig-level signal frequencies, then, what will happen? You’re going to face a bottleneck, that’s what! So, make sure that your network equipment is compatible with your internet plan in order to enjoy consistent throughput.
Create a Mesh Network
Dead spots are an unfortunate outcome if you live in a large house. What are dead spots, you ask? These are spaces or areas where the Wi-Fi signals don’t reach, so if you come across such a zone, you might lose some or all connectivity on your web-enabled device. How can you eliminate dead spots in your house?
Here’s a simple solution: Create a mesh network. Yes, by installing Wi-Fi extenders and mesh network pods in different places around your residence, not only can you extend the signal range of your original Wi-Fi router but also boost your internet performance, for sure.
Switch to Wired Connectivity
Wireless internet signals are vulnerable to all sorts of interceptions. For instance, too many connected devices can bring your Wi-Fi speed down. How can you find a way around it? By going for wired mechanisms. Simply connect your PC to your modem/router directly through an Ethernet cable and enjoy uninterrupted bandwidth output.
Keep in mind that your device should have an Ethernet adapter installed on it. Though a wired connection to the internet may prevent you from moving about or multitasking, the bump in the network speed is worth the hassle.
Clear the Clutter
Excessive load hampers productivity. It’s as true for routers as it is for humans. To jumpstart your internet speed, declutter your connection. Disable Wi-Fi on all the unnecessary devices and unused gadgets. Close down background applications and programs that continue to eat up data even when you don’t use them.
Clear cache from your PC as well as from your web browser. This accumulated data can act as a dead weight on your connection, slowing down your network. Once you thoroughly streamline your network, you will successfully accelerate its speed, as well.
Secure Your Network
Wondering why your internet speed is so slow even though you’ve subscribed to the fastest internet provider and decluttered your network? Perhaps, the culprit may be a virus or malware that has entered your unprotected LAN and now, causes all sorts of trouble within your local area network.
Time to uproot the cybercriminals! Get your hands on the best antivirus, antimalware and antispyware programs. Run a complete scan of your connected devices and the overall Wi-Fi network.
Activate shields of protection in the form of firewall, WPA2 encryption, password authentication, and disabled SSID broadcast. Protect your internet to throw the intruders out and restore your connection’s original speed.
Install Firmware Updates
Routers and modems can get bogged down by outdated software, which can tamper with the performance of your network and result in speed slowdowns. To breathe fresh life into your router and modem, update their firmware regularly. Manufacturers roll out software updates and bug fixes from time to time.
Simply head into the configuration settings of your router/modem and check for updates. They should install automatically. If not, you can always download and install the firmware updates manually for your satisfaction. This move will reinvigorate your router and modem and refresh your internet speed.
Reset Internet Hardware
Resetting your modem and router may sound too simple, but sometimes, it works wonders. All you have to do is turn your router and modem off by pressing the respective power buttons on the devices. Then, unplug the hardware and wait for about 30 seconds.
Once the time is passed, re-plug the two devices again, turn on the modem first, and then the router. Voila! Your soft reset is complete. You also have the option to go for a hard reset, which means restoring the router to its default factory settings, but we recommend you treat this option as a last resort.
Wrapping Up
Speed is of the ultimate essence when it comes to your internet experience. Implement the aforementioned hacks to boost your network’s speed and enjoy consistent connectivity.
