5 tips to improve your broadband connection speed

By Pat Moral

As an ISP we have signed up to Ofcom’s Broadband Speeds Code of Practice, which ensures that you we inform you about the speed you can expect to get while using our broadband service.

There are a number of different factors that can affect your broadband speed, both inside and outside of your home. The good news is, there’s usually something you can do to make sure you’re getting the best from your broadband.

1. Connect your router to the master socket
   If your router is connected to one of your extension sockets instead of your master socket, your signal is forced to travel further and you'll likely get slower broadband speeds. This is because your master socket is the point where the phone line enters your home, whereas all other sockets are connected to your master socket with extension wiring which isn't built for carrying broadband signals.
2. Use a microfilter
   Micro filters prevent your phone signal from interfering with your broadband signal and vice versa. In the case of your broadband, this interference can make your connection intermittent or slow. You should have a microfilter plug in in every standard phone socket you are using around your home
3. Don’t put your router on the floor
   We recommend that you keep your router in an elevated position, free from any surrounding objects. Everyday objects like household appliances can interfere with your router’s signal. This sort of interference can make your Wi-Fi connection slow when you're far away from your router
4. Use an Ethernet cable
   Although it’s not always convenient, a wired connection is faster and more stable than a wireless connection. If you want a guaranteed connection, try connecting to your router by Ethernet cable
5. Close applications and games when you’re done using them
   Large applications like games take a lot of memory and slow down your connection, so make sure they are not still running in the background when you have finished using them