If you’ve recently got an internet connection it’s important that you understand the speed of your broadband. If, for example, you are on TalkTalk, a speed test will tell you whether you are getting the 14MBps speed you were promised. It’s likely you’ll get below the prescribed speed, but you should get an acceptable level.
Initial Connection Problems
Many broadband connections have issues when they are first put in. There is a constant trial and error assessment of the line to try and get the best connection speed that you can. This is why they advise you not to turn your router off in the evenings and turn it on in the morning. This can be interpreted by the software that manages the line as instability. Your connection can therefore be slowed to try and make the line more stable.
Through the initial seven to ten-day period, leave your line on and your stability and speed should develop, and the peaks and troughs in connectivity should diminish.
Testing for Errors
A speed test can help you identify the errors that you are receiving and the reasons for slow performance of your broadband internet. For example, you could do a speed test while connected through your Ethernet cable and then a speed test connected wirelessly in various parts of your house.
This will highlight the disparity between connections wirelessly and through the router directly. If the wireless connections are severely slower it may be that you have electrical interference, interference from other broadband signals in the neighborhood, or you are just connected too far away. After all, the wireless signal has to penetrate walls and ceilings, and the thicker they are the weaker the signal is likely to arrive.
It’s always a good idea, where possible, to connect within line of sight of the router. For the highest bandwidth activities being plugged in through the Ethernet will help.
Connection is Slow Wired and Wireless
If your connections is slow both wired and wireless it’s more likely that there’s a problem with your set-up or on your line. You can improve your speed by altering the set-up and then retesting. For example, if you have not got micro-filters on all the telephone points, you can add these and see if it makes a difference to the line over time. A speed test will show the progress of your internet connectivity.
If you have a wireless issue, it may be that something as simple as raising the router a couple of feet can mean you can get signal around the house. It can really be that simple to sort out wireless issues.
The Threshold of Under performance
Generally, internet service providers will have a threshold under which your connection will be designated faulty. If you reach that level, and are aware of it through your speed test, you can have a conversation with the provider and they will look into it.
If you are armed with the information of your speed, latency, upload, and download, and also have checked your microfilters, made sure you’re connecting through the main phone socket and have quite short telephone line between the router and telephone point, they will know that you are serious, know what you’re talking about and will likely sort the line out fairly quickly. They can also run a test to see if there is actually a fault on your line, and they can do this while on the phone to you. They may request a mobile number to call you on while they test the line.
