How to boost your fibre optic broadband speed

Is broadband speed one of those subjects that leaves you scratching your head? The brilliant news is that there are lots of things you can do to boost your broadband speed right now. Check our top tips below for details.

First a quick note about speed tester websites 

Web-based speed testers have their place - they can be a quick and easy way to check your broadband is running in tip-top condition. However there are reasons that may make their results inaccurate. Click here to find out more.

Top tips for boosting your fibre optic broadband speed

1. Download and run the free Digital Home Support Hub
2. Reboot your computer and broadband equipment
3. Check your wireless setup
4. Check what and when you are downloading
5. Use Ethernet rather than USB
6. Call the Digital Home Support number (0800 014 7398) and speak to one of our technical experts
7. If you're still not getting the speed you think you should be, check out our Help & Support forums

By the way, if you'd feel more comfortable using our step-by-step troubleshooting guide to go through the same information, click here.

1. Download and run the free Digital Home Support Hub and get instant access to a free PC toolkit, including PC new Healthcheck and tune-up software to keep your computer purring.

PC Heathcheck covers the following areas:

• Protection against viruses
• Personal data protection
• Protection against internet nasties
• Protects your wireless
• Keeps clutter off your PC
• Speeds up browsing and surfing
• Faster broadband connection
• Speeds up your PC
• Keeps your PC up-to-date

Download and run the PC Healthcheck tool for free from the Digital Home Support Hub from www.virginmedia.com/dhs

2. Reboot. Electronic equipment and software can sometimes run into problems, like “freezing” and “hanging” - rebooting allows your equipment to perform diagnostic checks and forces it to reset and restart, often fixing the problem.

If you are using a modem, or a modem and router, check out our How to check and reboot the modem and broadband equipment article.

If you are using a Virgin Media Hub, check out our Troubleshooting the Virgin Media Hub article, and follow the steps in the Restart the Hub and your computer section.

If you are using a Virgin Media Super Hub, check out our Troubleshooting the Virgin Media Super Hub article, and follow the steps in the Restart the Super Hub and your computer section.

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• First, try connecting your PC directly to your modem or Virgin Media Hub to see if it is in fact your wireless setup that is causing an issue with your speed.  Find out how to do this for a modem here, for a Virgin Media Hub here or for a Virgin Media Super Hub here.
  
• If you’re still having problems, you can check these other things that might be impacting your speed:
   
• The position of your router within your home
  
• Check the total number of users using your connection - if you’re in a multi-user household, check that no-one in the house is using lots of your bandwidth.
  
• If you are on the XXL (50Mbps) broadband package, make sure you have a Wireless “N” router and USB adapter. These are capable of much faster speeds than a Wireless “G” version.

• If you are using a wireless adapter, you should make sure that the drivers are up to date (have a look on the adapter manufacturer’s website or the internet for details of how to do this).

4. Watch what and when you’re downloading.  Like all popular things, the internet has peaks and troughs and is in high demand at different times during the day. If you have a particularly large file to download, why not schedule it to download late at night when there are fewer users online?

• Also, remember that some downloads run in the background, even when you are not aware of them. They can consume considerable amounts of your connection speed. These include file sharing programmes (also known as Peer to Peer software or P2P), like Kazaa, BitTorrent, iMesh, eMule, Vuze, Limewire, Ares and eDonkey. It’s a good idea to remove P2P software given the impact it can have on speed and the security and legal issues it generates.
  
• Even if you are not using these, someone else in your household may be, so it is worth checking to make sure they are scheduling downloads for times when other users in the house are not online. 
  
• To disable or remove Peer to Peer software or bittorrents, why not have a look on the internet for instructions on how to do this for the software you’re using.

• Your internet browser quite often installs mini toolbars. These are great if you need them but do have an impact on speed. If you are not using a particular toolbar, it may help your speed if you disable them. For more information, click here. 
  
• If you think you might be a heavy user, you will need to be aware that we have a Traffic Management policy that kicks in at peak times and is there to ensure we can provide the best possible overall experience for all our customers by making sure everyone gets a fair share of the bandwidth available.

It does only affect the top 5% of users on a daily basis  - have a look here if you think you may be one of them.

6. Call the Digital Home Support number (0800 014 7398) to speak to a Tech Expert.

If you are stuck on any of the steps discussed above, or are after some further help, why not use the Live Online Help tool in the Digital Home Support Hub or call 0800 014 7398 to speak to one of our Tech Experts who can help.

The Tech Experts can answer your questions and if necessary, with your permission, take-over control of your computer to fix things for you.

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If you haven't downloaded and run the Digital Home Support Hub yet, here are a few additional steps that you can try…

1. Tune up your PC’s settings.

If you’re using any other operating system, check the system’s help section or browse the internet for details on optimising your system.

2. Make sure you check how secure your wireless connection is. Make sure no-one else is sharing your connection and slowing you down.

3. Make sure you have an up to date security package on your PC. Read more about Virgin Media Security and the benefits of a good security package here.

Windows users should check for any Windows updates on a regular basishere.

Windows users should also ensure that Windows Update is enabled. This will ensure they are patched with the latest security and performance patches from Microsoft. (Windows Update Is enabled by default after Win XP SP2).