Speed Test

Broadband Speed Test

Running tests using the Broad Expert speed test will, by design, offer the most accurate results currently available. The actual upload and download speeds available on your internet connection are reported by the speed check. The various connection types like cable, ADSL and even mobile broadband can all be checked using the speed check. To test your broadband speeds just take a few simple steps:

 

• Close all applications you have open (these may affect your internet speed)
• Enter details of you current internet package
• Run the speed test
• The speed that your provider quotes will be compared with your actual speed and the results shown

 

Explained below are the two types of broadband speed results shown in the test:

Broadband Download Speed: The speed that you can download internet information using your broadband, which is of great importance when downloading video, music, files and also email attachments.

Broadband upload speed test: The speed at which information is sent back to the internet using your broadband connection, such as when making internet phone calls or playing games online.

 

Slow Internet connection?

If your internet connection isn’t as fast as it should be there are a number of factors that may affect your access speed. For ideas on how to increase the speed of your internet connection take a look at the 'getting faster broadband guide'.

Distance from the phone exchange: This will be a big factor in the speed of your ADSL line (ADSL is currently the main connection type although there is also cable broadband from companies like Virgin Media). Because the cabling from phone exchange to your door is copper wire the quality of signal deteriorates the further it gets from an exchange. For this reason the further you are from an ADSL exchange the slower your connection speeds will be because the signal is weaker.

Contention ratio: In simple terms this is the number of people that connect using the same line. For example, a 50:1 contention ration would mean that a single broadband line is being used by 50 people and this could mean that you may be sharing your internet connection with up to 49 other users. A smaller contention ratio is much better than a large one because it mean sharing your line with fewer users and means you get faster internet access. This means that a 20:1 contention ratio is going to be quicker than a 50:1 contention ratio

Bandwidth Throttling: This measure is used by a few broadband providers and is currently highly controversial because it purposely reduces the speed of the broadband connection for users that download large quantities of data and are classed by the provider as being very heavy users. One company caught throttling the bandwidth of its users was Virgin Media but it has reduced this recently.

For a quick fix to slow internet speed try using Onspeed, as this impressive software package takes the data you are downloading from the internet and compresses it making the data you receive smaller. This can increase the speed of your broadband by up to five times and for dialup users the increase can be as much as ten times.

How can I increase my Internet speed?

Users may find there are several reasons for slowness when accessing the internet; listed here are the main problems that may be encountered and resolutions to these issues. A fast way to improve poor connection speeds is to give a subscription to Onspeed a try. This impressive software can improve connection speeds for broadband users by up to 5X and dialup users can see their speeds go up by up to 10X.

For an idea on how fast your internet connection is, try the speed tester which will give an indication of how quick your current connection is.

Browser: One of the more common reasons for poor connection speeds is this and is usually quick and simple to resolve. The most common web browser is Internet Explorer and the version of the browser that you have will define how efficiently it can download webpages, as older versions don’t work as well. For users that are using version 6 of Internet Explorer or below it would be worth upgrading to Version 7 for optimum performance. Moving over to one of the other browsers like Opera or Firefox would be another alternative.

For those users that have moved from their old dialup connection over to broadband it might be worth checking your browser settings as it may still be set to dialup which means it might try and dial whenever you try accessing the internet. For those using Internet Explorer you will simply need to go to ‘tools’, then ‘Internet options’. Choose the Connections tab and from here select ‘Never dial a connection’. You can then click ‘Apply’ then ‘OK’

Don’t share your internet connection: For anyone who connects using a wireless router it is worth making sure that the connection used has security enabled on it. If you are using an unsecured wireless router it is likely that anyone in the nearby area can also access it too. The more people that access your unsecured wireless the slower it will become and the more at risk you are from a breach of security.

Routers: Your router can often be adjusted to improve the speed of your connection. However, because the methods differ from make to make you may need to check the manual provided or talk to the manufacturer of the router before you can make the necessary changes. It is often the case that you will get a cheap router provided when you take out certain broadband services and upgrading these to higher quality models can make a lot of difference in the speeds you will get and also in the levels of security you may be able to achieve. These higher spec routers can be from a variety of different IT Equipment suppliers either online or from high street stores.

Position your wireless router in the right place: For those using wireless broadband it is also worth considering the location of the router to give the best signal strength. Position the router away from metallic objects, away from walls, and if possible above ground level.

Removing unwanted applications: There are a whole range of applications that can be found running on your system that could take up internet bandwidth and slow your access down such as realplayer, MSN Messenger, VoIP software like Skype (Internet phone call applications), BBC iPlayer, and lots of other programs. You may not necessarily need to remove them completely but just stop them from automatically running whenever you turn your system on. By doing this you may find that it isn’t just your internet speed that improves but the running of your system too.

Call your internet provider: to check whether they can offer a way to improve your speed and if not it might be worth considering different providers.

Onspeed: Onspeed is one of the easiest ways to boost your internet speed and is usually much cheaper than upgrading to a faster broadband package. Onspeed is a yearly subscription service that compresses data allowing your broadband connection to increase up to 5 times and dial up connection up to 10 times. More information on Onspeed can be found at the Onspeed website.

Switch Provider: Use our post code checker to find alternative broadband suppliers in you area.