Slow connection makes you in Galau* bored Mode, wasting
time, hit your computer with your head, calling the provider, take a bath, and
maybe have a dine.
This some Steps to make your browser faster
Optimize your browser
1.
Switch to a different
browser. Most people use Internet Explorer, which, while a decent browser, does
use a lot of resources. Moreover, as web pages become more advanced, the number
of processes necessary to load them grows, meaning you’re usually better off
with a browser that can be customized to cut back on ads and other
non-essentials.
·
Firefox has many extensions
that allow for the ability to block elements such as JavaScript,
advertisements, Flash, and other things until you enable them. One critical
add-on is Adblock Plus, which virtually eliminates ads from your surfing
experience and speeds up load time considerably. You may also want to try the
add-on Fasterfox Lite, which will give Firefox enhanced speed options.
·
Google Chrome, while new,
uses very little memory and can also be good for sites that have a lot of
JavaScript and Flash. You may also want to try the FastestChrome add-on.
·
Safari is usually the
fastest way to go for Mac users.
·
Operamini with its Opera Turbo
Option
2.
Remove unwanted add-ons,
extensions, and plugins. Though many plugins and add-ons can make your surfing
experience more efficient, others make it difficult to perform instant page
loads. (Non-essentials like themes, skins, and gizmos you’ve long since grown
bored with are prime targets.) Try disabling these unnecessary plug-ins and
add-ons to gain better browsing and downloading speed.
·
To turn off add-ons on
Firefox, Go to Tools > Add-ons and disable both unwanted add-ons and
plugins. Restart Firefox to put changes into effect.
·
To turn off add-ons on
Google Chrome, Go to Customize > Tools > Extensions and disable unwanted
plugins. Restart Chrome to put changes into effect.
·
To turn off Internet
Explorer add-ons, Go to Tools > Manage Add-ons and disable unwanted add-ons.
Restart IE to put changes into effect.
·
To turn off Operamini
pop-up, go to settings > Quick Preferences > Block Unwanted Pop-Ups
3.
Close unused tabs. Even if
you aren’t looking at them, many pages automatically refresh themselves every
few minutes or seconds to keep you in sync (news pages, Facebook, and Twitter
are excellent examples). Close these when you’re not using them so they don’t
eat up your bandwidth.
4.
Allow (some) cookies and
caching. While allowing cookies and caching means that parts of your browsing
history or even your personal information will be tracked and/or stored, a lot
of this is completely harmless and, in fact, allows pages to load more quickly.
If you’re skeptical about opening the floodgates, keep your default setting to
ban all cookies, then add sites you trust to your “Exceptions” list.
Furthermore, don’t set your browser to automatically clear its cache every time
it closes. Note that different browsers will allow different levels of
customization as far as cookies and caching are concerned. To change these
settings:
·
In Firefox, go to Tools
> Options > Privacy.
·
In Internet Explorer, go to
Tools (may look like a cog) > Internet Options > Browsing History and
make sure Delete browsing history on exit is not checked. For more controlled
deletion, go to Delete… and make sure Preserve favorite website data is
checked.
·
In Chrome, go to Tools (may
look like a wrench) > Settings, scroll down, then go to Show Advanced
Settings > Privacy > Content Settings.
·
Operamini go to settings > Quick Preferences > there
are many options you can enable or disable
Optimize your modem/router
1.
Change your wireless device
to a different channel. If you live close enough to your neighbors that you can
see their wireless connections, it’s possible that your wireless device is
being bogged down by having to broadcast on the same channel as them. To test
this, download, install, and run a program like inSSIDer to scan wireless
networks and their associated channels in your vicinity.
·
Find your wireless
connection in the list (usually at the top). Look for the channel it broadcasts
on, then compare this to the other channels being used. Ideally, it will be the
only network on this channel (as in the example below), but this often isn’t
the case. (In fact, in crowded areas, this may not be even be possible.) Scout
for a channel between 1 and 11 with few or no networks and make note of
channels that are overburdened with many, many networks (in the example below,
channel 6).
·
If necessary, change your
wireless channel. Connect to your modem/router’s IP address (find the manual,
check on the device itself, or look it up online), look for the broadcast
channel among the settings (the location will vary depending on your device), and
select an alternative from the drop-down list.
2.
Reposition your wireless
router. Either move it to the room where it will get the most use of position
it centrally. Ideally, there should be a direct, unobstructed line between your
computer and router.
3.
Avoid interference from
other wireless devices. In particular, cordless phones can be a real nuisance
for your wireless internet connection, so if the two devices share a phone
jack, space them as far apart as physically possible (or at least leave a few
feet between them).
4.
Use an Ethernet cable.
Going wireless is liberating, but the tradeoff is signal interference,
especially when it’s traveling through walls, and reduced overall performance.
Make an Ethernet cable your first choice when connecting and save wireless for
when you really need to do that Aaron-Sorkin-style walk and talk through the
building.
5.
Upgrade your device. An old
modem/router may not be physically capable of accommodating the speed potential
of your internet package.
Optimize your Internet service
package
1.
Identify the speed your
Internet Service Provider (ISP) is supposed to be providing. This is important
because your slow connection could be due to a problem on their end, not yours.
The exact speed should be on your bill. If you don't have a bill handy, you can
check the ISP's website or contact them directly to find out.
2.
Conduct a speed test
online.[1] This should get you results close to what your ISP is supposed to
provide. If you get a low result, try another computer on your network first.
If both get a low result, contact your ISP. If only yours has a problem, then
the problem lies with the computer.
3.
Upgrade to a better
package. If you’ve been using the same speed for years, you probably aren’t
equipped to load today’s web pages, which are more intricate than ever. In
particular, you might be missing out on streaming and downloading
opportunities. If you’ve had the same provider for a long time, ask for a
discounted upgrade in exchange for your continued loyalty. Otherwise, shop
around for deals; many companies offer incentives if you switch to them.
Optimize your computer
1.
Eliminate needless
programs. Your Internet connection requires memory to be able to be at the
speed you are paying for. If your computer is bogged down by programs you don't
need, your connection will be slower. Close programs you aren't using.
2.
Do a virus and spyware
scan. Viruses and spyware also use up memory which can contribute to a
connection appearing slow. Run a thorough or complete scan of each even if you
have it on and scanning. A regular scan will catch additional items. (See below
if you need either of these programs for free virus and spyware scanning
programs.)
3.
Make sure you aren’t
running two firewalls. These will interfere with each other and, in addition to
posing security problems, also reduce your web performance. In particular, if
you use Windows but have downloaded or purchased a separate firewall,
double-check that you aren’t also running Windows Firewall (which is turned on
as a default). Go to Search > Windows Firewall and, if necessary, hit Change
Settings to turn it off.
4.
Check your free space. If
your hard drive is nearly full, take files you don't use often and either burn
them to CD or DVD, place on an external hard drive, or delete them. Your
computer uses free hard drive space as virtual memory, so a full hard drive will
slow down your computer and your connection.
5.
Run a disk defragmentation.
This should be done once every two weeks. It will improve your overall
performance which can only help your Internet connection.
6.
Consider a computer
upgrade. An older computer may not have the power to make use of many things on
the Internet now. Even something as simple as a RAM (Random Access Memory)
upgrade could help, but if your computer is more than five years old, it may be
time to consider getting a newer model.
7.
Turn off your computer
every night. Leaving your computer in standby mode without turning it on and
off completely every day or so will tie up memory and can soon slow down your
Internet speed.
Tips
·
Even if your virus scanner
provides spyware scanning, you should still have a separate spyware scanning
program.
·
Keep your virus and spyware
scans up to date. Out-of-date definitions do no good and new things can be
added almost daily. Always update before running a scan and when downloading a
new program.
·
Call a computer expert.
·
Check your ISP bill
statement and determine if it's KB (kilobytes) or Kb (kilobits). The difference
between the two is that there are 1024 bytes in a KB, and 8192 bits in a KB.
Warnings
·
If you have a
spyware-infected computer, changing browsers will not solve your problem.
·
Be careful when closing off
programs. Some programs are required for the running of other programs. If you
aren't sure, search the name in your search engine to find out what it is or
seek expert advice
.
·
Be wary of supposed spyware
cleaners and other programs that boast to improve performance. Many of these do
not work and could well contain spyware or impede performance. Always do
research on a program before downloading it. Check a reputable website for reviews
(not testimonials) from other users.
·
Do not run more than one
virus scan at a time. Multiple virus scanning programs will merely interfere
with each other and cause viruses to slip by.
·
You should conduct the
online bandwidth tests for a couple days in a row and at different times, as
their bandwidth (or your bandwidth) could have been tied up. Find your
"average" connection speed and work from that.
·
Do not try to download any
"speed boosters" for your connection. Most of these do not work, and
if anything, may even slow down your connection more. The same goes for memory
management software.



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