5 ways to improve broadband speed in your home

Learn easy tips and tricks to improve broadband speed in your home quickly. Use FreePriceCompare.com’s Postcode Checker to get the best quality internet speed and value for money.

Few things are as infuriating as slow internet speeds. Streaming, online shopping, working-from-home; whatever you need the internet for, broadband speeds need to be at the same fast-paced as modern life.

We’ve drawn together 5 quick fixes to improve broadband speed. If the solutions below don’t work, it may be time to switch providers. But don’t worry: we have a Postcode Checker so that you can immediately compare broadband speeds in your area.

1) Change your router’s location

The location of your router is hugely important. It should be placed somewhere high up, (like on top of a bookshelf) and not placed in a cupboard. Cupboards impede the router’s broadcast strength around the house.

Walls, doors and even baby monitors can also impact broadband speed, so try out a few different locations around your home.

2) Password protect your broadband

If your broadband isn’t password-protected, anyone within range could be draining your router’s capacity. Most routers now come with a password already included. If you’ve removed the password, consider setting up a new one immediately.

You can do this by entering your router’s ISP (which should look like 192.168.0.1) into your browser and adjusting settings.

3) Run a broadband speed check

Broadband speed tests are fortunately straightforward to perform. Check your broadband speed at Broadband Speed Checker UK. You’ll need to execute a few checks over several days to get an accurate average speed.

4) Remove junk from your computer

Over time, your computer will accumulate programmes and software that may be performing background checks and updates without your knowledge. Most of these checks are harmless and help your computer function normally (think scans, updates, diagnostics checks), but they can drain your broadband speed. 

Shut down applications you aren’t using, especially streaming services, as they use up a lot of bandwidth. You can check all the programmes you’re currently using by opening Task Manager. You can launch this application on a PC by holding CTRL + ALT + DEL and selecting Task Manager from the options that appear. Or if you’re on a Mac, type ⌘ + space, type “activity monitor” in the search bar and select activity monitor in the ‘top hits’ section. 

5) Update your browser

Sometimes out of date browsers can slow you down. To improve broadband speed, you should check that you’re running the most up-to-date version of your browser. A quick Google search can show you how to check you’re running the latest version. 

Still stuck? Check your postcode and switch.

FreePriceCompare has created an easy-to-use, rapid price comparison tool so that you can immediately see if you’re getting the best deal on broadband speed.

or Use our Postcode Checker now.

Shay Ramani