How to increase download speed: 15 tips and tricks

While working online, you will always need good internet speed. Without a good internet speed, sending files, downloading images, or big files can be difficult and your ongoing work gets interrupted. The impact of a bad internet speed drastically changes the success of your business. Here, we are going to discuss some tips and tricks to speed up the internet speed and make your work environment more comfortable with Hi-speed internet. But before jumping to the conclusion to find the tips to speed up the download rate, you should be aware of the reason behind the low download speed. So let’s find out why this happens to your download speed? And then hop on to the topic, how to increase the download speed.

Why Is My Download Speed So Slow?

it’s always good to know the roots of every problem so that we will avoid it in the future. That’s why before getting to know how to increase download speed we focus on the reasons behind it. There are several reasons behind the low download speed that interrupts the ongoing work procedure.

The modem or router has some issue
Wi-fi Signal is interrupted
Signal Strength on the cable line is disturbed
The device on the Network saturating the bandwidth
Slow DNS Server

The above pointers clear the reason for slow downloading speed that can be easily removed through some troubleshooting methods but before applying any troubleshooting methods, you are recommended to test your current internet speed.

How to Test Current Internet Speed?

The first thing you’ll get to do is test your current internet speed. This may allow you to know whether or not you’re getting a lower rate than you ought to be. This is the first step towards getting to know how to increase download speed.

You can do that by getting to SpeedTest.net and running a test.
A good download speed is usually 10 Mbps per person. But, that depends on what you’re using the web for. If you’re just surfing online and checking your email, 10 Mbps is enough.
On the opposite hand, if you’re gaming or using streaming services, you’ll want to extend your download speed for a seamless experience.

How To Increase Download Speed?

It’s important to notice that the number of devices and internet users you’ve got in your household can affect your download speeds. If your household usage is moderate to high, meaning you’ve got quite 3 or 4 devices running at a time, you’ll get to increase your speeds to exceed 25 Mbps. Read out the tips and tricks below that help you to increase the download speed.

1. Restart your computer

Before you dive into other methods, try an honest old restart. Sometimes you’ll have applications running on your computer that you simply didn’t know we’re still getting used to, otherwise, you may have too many browsers open directly. Simply restart your computer and start the download with just one browser open.

2. Upgrade internet speed

Depending on your service provider, your internet connection might not be ready to handle large downloads. The slow download speeds are often frustrating and it’s going to be worthwhile to upgrade to an idea with higher speeds, especially if your household has multiple people and devices. Explore your options and see if there are packages available that will support a better volume of knowledge.

3. Disable other Devices Connected to your Router

The more people and devices you’ve got connected to your internet, the slower the connections are often. When downloading, try disconnecting the other devices, like smart TVs, iPads, and phones for once. This might increase your internet and download speed significantly.

4. Disable Apps that aren’t getting used

Similarly, you ought to disable any applications on your device when downloading. The applications you’ve got running on your computer can take up an honest chunk of your bandwidth, which may contribute to slower speeds. For instance, video streaming services like Netflix use an important amount of bandwidth. Temporarily disable the apps and see if that helps.

5 Download One File at a time

When downloading multiple files directly, it’s not uncommon for your download to fail. This might be because your device isn’t compatible with downloading large files. to make it easier, try downloading one file at a time. Though this might seem counterintuitive, it can find yourself saving time.

6. Test or Replace your Modem or Router

If you would like to attach multiple devices to your home’s internet, you would like to attach a router to your modem. A router not only allows you to attach multiple devices but also acts as an antenna to increase the range of the Wi-Fi throughout your home.

The modem you’ve got is usually provided by your service provider. Sometimes the fix is often as simple as restarting your modem. If your download speed has been significantly slow and you saw no change in speed after restarting, it’s going to be time for a replacement modem.

The best thanks to checking your modem’s signal strength is to place your device on the brink of it. If your speed increases once you are directly next to the modem, this is often an honest sign, during which case your router could also be the difficulty. As mentioned, the router allows you to increase your connectivity range. If your device is just too distant from the router, this might be impacting your download speed.

7. Change the position of your router

The location of your router can have a serious impact on your download speed also. Be mindful of where you’re placing your router as some areas in your home might not have a robust connectivity signal. If you’ve got an outsized house, consider getting Wi-Fi extenders which will boost the range and increase your internet speed.

Avoid putting your router in basements, bathrooms, cabinets, on the ground, or near microwaves and other home appliances. Your router should be during a central location therefore the connection can reach throughout the whole home.

8. Use an Ethernet Cable

Sometimes Wi-Fi is often tricky, during which case connecting to an Ethernet cable can quickly increase your download speed. To try this, connect the Ethernet from your modem to your device.

9. Upgrade your Cable

If you decide on the fast solution by using an ethernet cable but still don’t see a change in download speeds, you’ll get to check the cable. If the cable is just too long or if it’s outdated, try upgrading to a higher-quality, shorter cable.

10. Try Different DNS Server

Sometimes changing the DNS server would be a great choice to avoid the slow download speed if the currently connected DNS server is working slow. When you hook up with an internet site like google.com, your computer contacts its DNS servers and asks “What numerical IP address is related to google.com?” It gets a solution back and connects thereto IP address, which can be something like 216.58.193.78 then connects thereto address.

Typically, your DNS servers are provided by your Internet service provider. But, if they’re slow or overloaded, you’ll be ready to recover speed by switching to a different set of DNS servers.

11. Scan for viruses

Viruses on your device can cause a mess of issues. These viruses can run within the background, using your internet and increasing your bandwidth usage, which ends up in slow download speed. To stop this, consider installing antivirus software to guard yourself against viruses, malware, and other online threats.

12. Limit bandwidth usage

Aside from installing virus scanners, you’ll also want to limit what proportion of bandwidth is getting used on your device. Bandwidth is a measurement that refers to the quantity of knowledge which will be transferred within a network. All of the applications, downloads, and updates that happen on our network can take up our bandwidth, causing download speed to suddenly hamper. If this is often the case, manually disable automatic updates by getting to your device’s system preferences. you’ll also manually limit what proportion of bandwidth is getting used by updating your device settings.

13. Clear your cache

The cache is what stores your internet data to assist website browsers and apps load faster. Sometimes your browser cache will become full and may cause download speeds to run slower. While you’ll not want to clear your cache completely, you’ll choose what data to clear. you’ll clear your browsing history, computer cookies, and Cached images and files. Also, it helps in increasing your computer security.

Go into your browser settings, check the boxes with data you would like to clear, and hit “clear data.” you’ll also download browser plugins to assist keep your cache clear regularly.

14. Update Firmware

Your router’s firmware should be updated often to stay the performance and speed of your devices up to par. Over time, the software performance can start to say no, making it important to update regularly. you’ll do that by accessing your router’s settings through the brand’s website.

15. Discover your router’s best settings

When logging into your internet service provider’s account to update the firmware, you’ll also check on the various settings. The default settings that assail your router are often not the simplest. attend your provider’s website to find out more about what settings work best for your router and download speeds.

Also read: Protect Your Personal Information – Use Norton Secure VPN

Final Words!

Slow download speeds are frustrating, especially since there’s not one simple fix. Always keep your internet accelerates to par and confirms your devices are compatible together with your current ISP package. With the ideas and tricks mentioned in this article, you ought to be ready to fix whatever is causing your slow download speed in no time.