5 Tips to Unleash Your Internet Speed Potential

“Mom! Dad! The internet is being slow again!”

“Honey, can you check the router? The internet is being weird.”

How often does this happen in your house? We’re all using and relying on the internet more than ever to get things done these days. MCSnet knows you want your connection to be reliable and fast. We did increase the speeds of our Residential and Business internet plans last year, but there are three variables that can have an impact on your speed: your network (the connection between the Wi-Fi or ethernet cable and your computer), MCSnet’s network connection, and the global network of the internet. We’re going to give you a few tips and tricks you can try yourself, at home, to improve your network and increase your internet speed.

Check Your Speed

First, you should know if your internet connection and speed is up-to-par in the first place. It might depend on the type of rural internet service you’re using. You can conduct a speed test in under a minute with MCSnet’s internet speed test tool. Ideally, we recommend that you close down all of your internet activity besides the speed test webpage. That means no emails, social media, YouTube, or Netflix. Plug the computer into your router because you need a strong signal, open up the speed testing page, and press “Go.” You should get your result momentarily. What is considered a fast internet speed? If your test returns over 25 Mbps (download speed) and 3 Mbps (upload speed), that’s a satisfactory result. If the test ends in a substandard speed, try some of these suggestions.

For our complete guide on speed testing click here.

1. Check Your Activity Monitor

Sometimes you simply have too much going on your computer! If you have a bunch of windows and programs running on your computer that could be slowing your internet down substantially. You can get any activities running in the background under control by checking your “Task Manager” and closing down unnecessary programs. If multiple computers are being utilized for bandwidth-heavy activities such as video streaming this could also be an issue.

2. Plug In

If your internet is slow, try connecting directly to your router via an ethernet cable. A hardwired connection is usually more stable and quicker. Your internet speed will likely improve once you’re tethered to your router. The great thing is that your ethernet has multiple cable ports, so you can still set up a couple of computers to it if you need to.

3. Move Your Router

If you want to operate wirelessly, the location of your router might be impacting your internet speed. If you’ve tucked your router away in your basement, or in a cupboard or closet because you want to keep it out of sight, you should reconsider its location. Wireless connections do not like barriers. Try to find a different spot for your router that does not pose any obstructions or interference from other electronics. 

4. Buy a New Router

Have you purchased a new router in the last five years? If not, this could be your culprit. Technology, especially anything related to the internet, changes quickly! It’s important for you to keep an eye on the latest requirements for routers. You should replace a router every three to four years for best internet reliability and speed.

5. Purchase a Wi-Fi Booster

So if you have a fairly new router and it’s out in the open, Wi-Fi boosters can help extend the signal from your router throughout your home. These devices work by amplifying the range of Wi-Fi signals from your router, giving you a faster signal in the areas of your house where they might be slow. 

MCSnet makes it a priority to support our customers. If all else fails, contact us and we would be glad to help you troubleshoot. We have dedicated, professional technicians that can help diagnose speed issues and provide suggestions on how to make your internet faster.