We demand performance from the internet when we get online. In fact, slow load times cost the e-commerce market over $500 billion every year. That’s a lot of people bailing out on their purchases due to a slow website.
However, sometimes the problem isn’t the website, it’s our internet connection. A slow connection will affect browser speeds and even cause other applications to lag.
A slow internet isn’t only a frustration to the person shopping online, it has a negative impact on workflow for companies and independent contractors working from home.
But there are things you can do to help speed things up. It may take a little poking and prodding, but it’ll result in a faster online experience.
To help you out, let’s look at six tips for getting faster speeds out of your internet.
1. Try a Different Browser
Some websites are more advanced, meaning they require additional resources from a browser to make them function properly. It’s becoming necessary to use a browser that allows customization in order to reduce ads and other unnecessary features.
Many people use Internet Explorer. While this browser functions well, it uses too many resources while operating. It may be time to try something new.
Google Chrome is great for web pages that use Flash or JavaScript. It also doesn’t use much memory.
Firefox has a lot of customizable functionality. You can block ads and things like Flash until you have a chance to enable them. Try completely removing ads from your browsing activity and this will help speed up load times.
Trying one of these browsers is a good option if a slow internet is getting on your nerves. Who knows, you may find something you like better.
2. Check Your Signal
There’s a possibility that your slow speed is due to your signal getting hung up. This happens if your wireless device is broadcasting on the same channel as a neighbor. You can download programs to scan networks and their channels in your area.
Once you’ve scanned for networks in your area, you’ll most likely see your connection near the top of the list. Check to see what channel you’re on and compare it to others on the list. You want to be the only network on that channel, but this is probably not the case.
If you find that you’re on a channel with many other people, you’ll need to change to a different one. To do this, first connect to your routers IP address and search for the channel in your settings. Once you find it, you should be able to select a new channel from a list.
Doing this should help with slow internet speeds.
3. Get Rid of Unneeded Plugins and Extensions
The plug-ins you use can eventually slow you down. Although they allow a customized browsing experience, they can really weigh down your internet performance.
These plug-ins include custom themes or skins. In many cases, a person forgets they even have these installed.
Even if you’re not sure what you have installed on your machine, it will benefit your load times to disable anything you don’t really need. You can usually do this by going to tools in your browser and finding all plug-ins and add-ons and disabling them. You’ll typically have to restart your machine for the changes to take effect.
4. Optimize for a Slow Connection
If you simply don’t have time to find a more permanent solution for a slow internet, there are things you can do to increase speed in the meantime. This temporary solution is also an option if you’re working remotely and nothing can be done about your connection.
Optimizing your browser for a slow connection is fairly easy. Set your computer to use the HTML version of websites and disable all images. This helps strip down your online experience and promote faster browsing.
A good tactic is to set up a backup browser on your machine that’s optimized for slower speeds. You can also try tethering your machine to your smartphone if you desperately need to get online. Just watch out that you don’t use up your data.
Google provides a Data Saver extension that compresses data while browsing.
5. Check Your Plan
You may be experiencing slow internet because your plan is no longer enough for you. It may be time to make an upgrade.
The first step is finding out if your plan is to blame for the sluggish performance. Take a look at your plan and find out what you’re currently running. If you’re having trouble finding this information, call your provider and ask what type of data you have.
The next step is to perform a speed test on your machine. To check your speed, go to Speedtest.net and run a test. If the numbers of your speed test match with what you’re getting on your plan, you’ll need to upgrade.
You’re browsing needs are likely too high for your current plan. If you stream a lot of videos or often require many tabs open at once, you need to make a switch to more data.
6. Restarting Your Router
This may seem like an overly-simple fix for slow internet, but sometimes restarting your router is all you need to do for faster speeds. An easy way to check for router issues is getting on another device. If the internet is moving slow on your smartphone as well as desktop, you need to perform a restart.
Many routers have a reset button that makes the process easy. However, if you want to make sure your router restarts completely, just unplug everything, wait about 15 seconds and plug it back in again.
Once your router is up and running you should have more responsive browsing.
You can also try moving your router to another location if possible. Try moving it closer to where you normally connect to the internet
Don’t Put up with Slow Internet
We rely on the internet for countless things, from day-to-day errands to major purchasing decisions. When our connection is consistently slow, it holds up every aspect of our lives.
If you’re dealing with a slow internet, first try the tips above. If these don’t work, it’s time to call your provider to find a permanent solution.
Drop us a comment if you have any questions about resolving your slow internet issues!