At some point, we’ve all experienced a slow internet connection, leading to frustration or irritation. It doesn’t matter how patient you can be – there are times you need a connection that’s fast and stable enough to let you do what you need or want to do while online. If it’s slow or spotty, you’ll either take longer than you wanted or you’ll end up not getting everything done.
There are a number of reasons why your connection needs a speed boost, and – unfortunately – you may not be able to do something about all of them. However, what you can do should be enough to help you and your household experience faster internet. Let’s take a look at what you should remember.
Identify Your Speeds
Take note of your plan’s expected download and upload speeds, then look for an online speed test and use it so you can see what the actual download and upload speeds are. Compare the expected and actual numbers, and if the latter is close to the former, then you actually have nothing to worry about, especially if you did the speed test before or after the busiest time of day – typically between 7 and 11 pm.
However, if the actual speeds are noticeably different from the expected ones, even if the test was done outside of the daily busy period, the first thing you’ll want to do is restart your networking equipment. If speeds don’t improve after that, you can try calling your internet service provider for some troubleshooting help so your internet reaches expected speeds. If you’re still not satisfied, don’t be afraid to shop around for a different ISP and internet plan.
Ensure You Have the Right Internet Plan
We understand the need to stick to a budget as much as possible. But if you prioritised cost over value and utility when choosing your internet plan, that could be where the problem lies. That is, you might have chosen the wrong speed tier, and therefore the wrong plan for your household’s size or internet needs.
NBN connection types may have played a part in this, since not all connection types are compatible with all speed tiers. If you’re not sure what type you have, it’s best that you check so you can determine whether or not you’ll be able to access a plan at a higher speed tier with practically no issues.
Once you know what connection type you have, see which speed tiers you’ll have access to, then look at your household’s online needs and habits. It’s worth choosing a plan at a higher speed tier if you have at least one heavy internet user, or you know that each user will have more than one device connected at any time.
Upgrade Your Equipment
If you have a modem-router thanks to your internet service provider, you may see it as a convenience. The truth is, that one bit of networking equipment is performing multiple tasks to grant your household internet access. but that also means it bears a heavy burden since it has to serve as both modem and router.
Instead, consider connecting the modem to a separate router, particularly one that takes your home’s layout into account. If your home is relatively small, your priority would be signal strength. Bigger homes, on the other hand, may want to prioritise range. If you want to keep the strong signal, consider WiFi extenders or powerline networking options to expand its range without sacrificing speed. You may have noticed that none of these options are instant fixes, but don’t worry. Give them a try and you’ll see that faster internet is worth the time and effort you took. Otherwise, if you’re looking for the best NBN deals for your household, Compare Broadband is a great place to start.
