21 ways to increase your internet speed

How to speed up the Internet on a computer or smartphone

1. Reduce video quality

If your internet speed isn't fast enough to stream videos, YouTube will automatically lower the quality. But other video services may not. If the picture in your online cinema freezes or lags, try choosing a lower video quality. This will reduce the sharpness, but it will speed up the playback.

2. Close unnecessary tabs

A large number of open tabs can slow down computer performance and browser speed. Try to close pages you don't use.

For convenience, frequently visited sites can be bookmarked using the Ctrl + D combination. In Safari, you need to hold down the plus next to the page address and select "Bookmarks".

How to increase your internet speed: add the sites you want to bookmarks

3. Turn on turbo mode

Some browsers support traffic saving mode, or turbo mode. The program compresses pages and videos, which is why they take less time to load. These instructions will help you enable turbo mode in popular browsers: Chrome, Opera, Yandex. Browser.

How to speed up the Internet: turn on turbo mode

4. Install an ad blocker

Animated banners and other advertisements can significantly affect browser speed. Find a good ad blocker for your device. It will save you from annoying ads, and at the same time will speed up the Internet.

5. Get rid of unnecessary browser extensions

Various plugins can slow down the browser, thereby slowing down the page loading speed. If you've installed extensions, remove or disable those you don't need. This can be done in a special section of the browser.

In Chrome, open the menu and click More Tools → Extensions.
In Firefox and Yandex Browser, open the menu and click Add-ons.
In Opera, click on the three dots in the lower left corner and select "Extensions".
In Edge, open the menu and click Extensions.

6. Replace or disable VPN

If you are using a VPN or proxy, disable them and check if the speed has changed. If it grows noticeably, try changing your VPN or proxy service, or if possible do without it.

7. Remove unnecessary programs

Some applications load the Internet bandwidth intensively even in the background. Calculate them and remove them from the device. At a minimum, go to the settings of each such application and limit the use of the Web, if there are suitable options for this.

To find out which programs load the Network in Windows, open the Resource Monitor (Ctrl + Alt + Del → Task Manager → Performance → Open Resource Monitor → Network).

How to increase your internet speed: Calculate which applications are overloading your internet bandwidth even in the background

On macOS, you can see the same in the System Monitor utility (Finder → Applications → Utilities → System Monitor → Network).

How to speed up the Internet: calculate which applications are loading the Internet channel even in the background

And the My Data Manager application will show the exploiters of the Web in Android or iOS.

8. Disconnect unnecessary equipment from the Internet

The more devices a home network uses, the slower it works on each of them. Don't forget this. If there is a lack of speed, try to disconnect from the Internet gadgets that you are not using at the moment.

9. Update drivers and operating system

Newer OS versions and network card drivers can also provide faster and more stable Networks. Check the settings for operating system updates. As for the drivers, the easiest way to update them is automatically using Driver Booster or similar software. These utilities will tell you if the driver needs to be updated.

How to Increase Internet Speed: Update Drivers and Operating System

Driver Booster →

10. Install antivirus

Malware and adware can also slow down the browser and load the Web. Use antivirus software to scan your system and remove unwanted objects.

11. Change your tariff plan

Measure your internet speed using special services. If it matches the promises of the provider, but is too slow for you, consider switching to a faster tariff plan.

But remember that Wi-Fi speed may be lower due to insufficient router power and other factors that do not depend on the provider. For example, at a rate of 100 Mbps, the router can only deliver 60 Mbps, or even less.

Therefore, the provider's promises are better compared to the speed of a wired connection. To do this, before measuring, simply plug the Internet cable directly into the computer.

12. Change provider

If your internet speed is lower than the one promised by your provider and nothing helps, contact support. If experts do not solve this problem, consider changing your provider.

How to increase your internet speed if you are using Wi-Fi

1. Put a password on the Wi-Fi-network

If your home network is not secured, outsiders will be able to connect to it. Imagine what will happen with speed if neighbors use torrents or watch videos through your router. Therefore, go to the router settings, open the wireless networks section and set a password, if you have not done so earlier.

To get into the settings, enter 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1 or another address indicated on the bottom of the router in your browser. There must also be a login and an access code required to enter.

2. Use the 802.11ac standard

If the modern Wi-Fi 802.11ac standard is available in the router settings, activate it. If not, switch to 802.11n - a less fast, but still relevant mode.

How to increase your internet speed: use the 802.11ac standard

3. Switch to Wi-Fi 5 GHz

If you have a dual-band router model, try switching to 5 GHz in its settings. In this range, Wi-Fi is faster, but with less coverage.

You can also enable two parallel networks, one of which will operate in the standard 2.4 GHz band and the other in the 5 GHz band.

How to increase your internet speed: switch to 5 GHz Wi-Fi

4. Update the router firmware

Developers are constantly optimizing software. Therefore, with a fresh firmware, the router can work faster. Look for instructions on updating your model on the manufacturer's official website or in the application for your router.

5. Reset the router to factory settings

Internet speed may drop due to a software failure in the router. If you notice a sharp decrease in it, first restart the router. If it does not help, try resetting the device using the Reset button and reconfiguring it.

6. Position the router correctly

To a large extent, the speed of a Wi-Fi network depends on the location of the router. The closer it is to the receiving device and the fewer physical barriers between them, the better. Finding the best place can only be experienced. Usually, the router is placed closer to the center of an apartment or house so that the signal covers all rooms equally.

7. Use repeaters

If your room is too large, the power of the router may not be enough. In such a situation, signal repeaters will help. They are also called repeaters and repeaters. You can buy and install repeaters between your router and remote rooms. And if you still have an old router, you can make a repeater out of it.

8. Change your router

To keep your home network as fast as possible, it is advisable to use a modern router. If your device does not support the 5 GHz band and the 802.11ac standard, and its power is not enough for your apartment, it may be worth changing your router to a new one.

How to increase the speed of mobile internet

Check: you may be connecting to mobile internet via 3G, but your device supports the faster LTE (4G) standard. Go to settings, find the section for wireless networks and see the available modes. If there is LTE among them and it is inactive, switch to it.