Although your internet connection speed may be fast most of the time, there are occasions when things will just become so slow and even descend to a crawling pace. I will try to help you figure out what sort of things can go wrong, help you learn what you can do about them, and try to discover how to get the most success from your Internet connection.

The Type of Connection is a Huge Determining Factor

The type of Internet connection you are using is the most important factor in determining the speed of your internet connection. The three most common ways to connect to the Internet from your home are DSL, dial-up, and cable. If you have got a choice, cable is arguably the fastest; however, both DSL and cable are much faster than dial-up connection.

Many Internet service providers also offer Fiber Optic Services (FiOS), which can connect to the Internet using light over an optical network. In the home, you can still connect your computer through copper wiring system. The advantage of FiOS is that it can provide much higher speeds than traditional copper wire connections such as cable or DSL. Some Internet service providers offer multiple options which may largely depend on the area you are living in. More populated communities or areas are more likely to have FiOS available. It is better you check with your phone company or Internet service provider for additional information regarding this.

If you are using a dial-up connection, there are a couple of improved ways to optimize your Internet speed. First, you can use the fastest modem you can. The fastest modem you can use should send and receive information at a rate of about 56 kilobits per second (Kbps). You will probably not get a full 56 Kbps speed most of the time, but with a fairly good phone line, you should approach at least 44-50 Kbps.

Second, you should make sure that your phone line is in a very good condition. If the telephone wiring in your home or business premises is old or in a deteriorating state, you may be picking up stray signals or cross talk from other phone lines. These problems will certainly slow down your Internet connection because the modem will have to send the same information over and over until it is transmitted without any interruption. Make sure you check your telephone wires to be sure that they are not damaged in any way, frayed, or even twisted around power or other telephone wires or cables. If you somehow notice crackling in your phones, you can contact your phone provider and have them check the lines both inside and outside your home in order to ensure that they are in good and working condition.

Important Tips for Wireless Network Users

When connecting your computer to a wireless network (Wi-Fi), your Internet connection speed could be seriously affected by both where your computer is located and whether or not other wireless devices are in the same area or vicinity. Wireless networks operate on frequencies that are very similar to those used by other devices, such as cordless phones or microwave ovens. Operating a 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) cordless telephone just next to your 2.4 GHz wireless laptop could cause interference, or even completely block the wireless network connection. If you intend to make phone calls while surfing the internet, you either use a wired telephone or a cordless phone for that purpose that operates at a different frequency different from your wireless network.

The proximity to the wireless access point or router, as well as any other physical obstructions can certainly affect the quality of your Internet connection. In order to improve your internet connection speed, you can move closer to the access point and ensure that there are no physical obstructions between the access point and your computer.

Computer Problems:- Spyware, Viruses, and Other Programs

The health of your computer can seriously affect your Internet connection speed. Spyware and viruses can cause serious problems for you. Your Internet connection speed can also be affected by factors such as the so-called add-on programs, the amount of memory built into the computer, the amount of hard disk space and its condition, and the programs or software that are running.

The most recurring causes of poor Internet performance are spyware and viruses. Spyware can slow down your system by interfering with your browser performance and subsuming your Internet connection. Spyware works by monitoring your Internet use and keystrokes, which consequently adds delays. The problem is even complicated when there are several spyware programs running all at the same time. If the problem is serious enough, you may even lose internet connectivity altogether. In order to get your Internet performance back and running, you should regularly run an antispyware program to clean up any spyware attack.

Computer viruses also cause poor Internet performance affecting your connection speed. When a virus infects a computer, it installs programs known as computer code which will attempt to replicate and propagate itself by sending copies of itself through e‑mail. Some viruses can even multiply at the rate of hundreds of e‑mail messages per minute, which can leave very little computing power and Internet connection bandwidth for any other thing. Viruses often do not give any obvious indication that they are running, so it is best to run your antivirus program or software at all times.

Browser add-ons can also cause serious performance issues. Browser add-ons are programs, such as search bars, multimedia add-ons, or some other programs that usually appear on your browser’s toolbar. However, many browser add-ons can add to a rich browsing experience, offering multimedia or specialized document viewing, but some add-ons can slow your Internet connection and may even cause your computer to freeze or over heat. If you suspect that a certain add-on is causing slow performance, you can try starting Internet Explorer or all other browsers such as Mozilla Firefox or Google chrome in Add-ons disabled mode. Add-ons are usually disabled only for the session, but in the event that you find out that your performance has improved, you can use the Add-on Manager to turn them off permanently. In order to access the Add-on Manager from Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge, you can click the ‘Tools’ button, and then click ‘Manage Add-ons’.

Like most computer programs, Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge as the case may be(depending on the version of Windows OS you are using) requires a certain amount of computing power, disk space and memory and to run effectively and efficiently. Every webpage you view is first downloaded to memory and then saved to temporary disk files. Running another program that is using lots of memory and computing power can compete with your browser and cause severe delays. If you discover that your Internet connection running slowly, and that you have other programs running, try to close them. If you intend to run several programs, you may consider increasing the memory space you have on your computer to mitigate connection speed problems. Low disk space can seriously cause performance issues. Increase your disk space by deleting your browser’s temporary files.

Sometimes, browser settings get changed in Internet Explorer(Microsoft Edge) that could possibly affect how the browser works. You can easily reset your browser to its default settings.

Note that Resetting Internet Explorer is not reversible, so you must read the list of settings that are affected before attempting to reset.

Photo by photosteve101

External Factors that affect Internet Connection Speed

Unfortunately, there are occasions and conditions that are way outside your control. Even with a very fast internet connection, some external factors, such as busy websites or blogs or even spreading computer viruses, can seriously slow down the entire web. Popular and highly visited websites can become overwhelmed with users or visitors. For instance, when a TV commercial mentions a website, many people might try to visit the site at that same time. If the website is not well prepared to handle the surging traffic, you may experience delays.

During times of huge computer virus attacks, the Internet can be very slow. Many viruses spread by forcing computers to send out hundreds or thousands of copies of the virus. This can slow the Internet by sheer volume.

Local Internet congestion can also result in slow connection speeds that are way below the normal levels. These slowdowns can occur when many people try to connect to the Internet at the same time, and they occur most often at peak or prime activity times, such as after school hours when students get home or when workers return from work and connect to the web.

If you are on a corporate network, a general network or a proxy server, it can affect your Internet performance. Most network administrators monitor Internet use, and will try to keep people from doing certain things like downloading large files during peak hours of the day. If you discover that your Internet access is slow at certain times, you may want discuss it with your network administrator.