Quick ways to boost slow broadband

Slow internet connectivity is more than an inconvenience in today’s connected world. It soon becomes a liability.

From dropped video call connections and laborious cloud uploads to buffering video files and issues with online gaming, a lack of bandwidth can be a daily challenge and frustration.

Amid numerous broken promises, politicians of all colours have failed to ensure the whole UK enjoys connection speeds suitable for home working, HD streaming and cloud storage.

No magic bullets

Despite the ongoing rollout of full fibre broadband across the country, there are limited options if your existing connection is sluggish.

Some people only have one cable entering their home, while others may have the vexing option of faster connectivity via an ISP they’ve previously had bad experiences with.

We can’t promise the tips below will transform your online experience if you’re struggling with an ADSL connection of around 10Mbps.

What we can promise is that employing all these techniques will collectively make the most of any connection which is regularly being taxed to something approaching its maximum throughput.

Remember that download and upload speeds are only symmetrical on certain full fibre broadband packages. On slower connections, uploads could be a tenth as fast as downloads.

If you’re regularly sending large email attachments or backing up documents in the cloud, that could prove immensely frustrating.

These tips are all free and universal – suggestions like replacing your ISP-supplied broadband router with a purchased model may not be economically or logistically practical for everyone.

However, you could ask your ISP whether a newer or more powerful router is available, especially if you’ve been a customer for several years.

Top tips to boost slow broadband

Routers distribute wireless signals in a spherical radius, so plonking them in a corner of your home means much of their coverage area is wasted.

Position your router as centrally as you can within your home , to minimise the distance between it and any wireless devices.

Every router has Ethernet ports on the back. Where possible, plug your router into web-dependent devices like smart TVs and desktop computers using an Ethernet cable.

A hardwired connection is always faster than a wireless one, with no risk of interference.

Speaking of which, routers are susceptible to interference from other wireless devices.

Move the router away from wireless equipment like microwave ovens and baby monitors, or switch its frequency to a different channel or the less congested 5GHz band.

Router signals may also be blocked by furniture or certain materials so ensure there are no mirrors, metal plates or solid wooden panels in its immediate vicinity.

Even though hiding a router in a sideboard or under a shelving unit is neat and tidy, this is detrimental to its range and could result in slower connections throughout the home.

Maintaining the theme of interference, every connected device will slow down your bandwidth, even when that device is on standby or supposedly dormant.

Look to minimise the number of connected devices if your broadband is buckling under the weight of connected devices – even temporarily while performing essential tasks.

You can always reconnect less important devices once the working-from-home day is finished, or after your kids have finished playing online games and gone to bed.

Speaking of bed, it’s advisable to schedule bandwidth-intensive tasks overnight. This might include downloading files, updating antivirus software or sharing data to the cloud.

Capitalising on unused bandwidth while you (and others) are in bed gets these jobs done more quickly and minimises their impact on core online activities.

Finally, and at the risk of repeating a well-worn cliché, we recommend turning your router off and on again every few weeks.

These unsung heroes do a great deal of heavy lifting. Like all electrical appliances, they periodically benefit from a brief reboot to clear their memory and permit firmware updates.

Doing this on your way to bed should minimise any service interruptions – the router will be back online by the time you’ve cleaned your teeth – and it could boost slow broadband speeds significantly…