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Skip Navigation LinksPC Authority > Features > Boost your broadband speed for free
Boost your broadband speed for free
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Boost your broadband speed for free

by Tim Danton , Barry Collins , Zara Baxter  on Aug 11, 2008
Tags: Broadband | router
TWEAK YOUR WI-FI
With draft-n offering a maximum data rate around 300Mb/s, your wireless router should deliver a few megabits of broadband around your home with ease. However, anyone who’s set up a wireless home network will know that isn’t always the case.

802.11n may mean you can now access your wireless network down the bottom of the garden, but it could also mean next-door’s signal is ringing loud and clear in your living room, potentially interfering with your signal.

The excellent NetStumbler (a free download from www.netstumbler.com/) will reveal which Wi-Fi channel your neighbours are using, allowing you to set your router to a different channel using its web interface. Be aware that your wireless router may offer a weaker or even non-existent signal on certain channels, so a brief trial-and-error session is wise to achieve the optimum speed.

Peter Habib, from Telstra, emphasised the importance of placement: “the location of the WiFi device will affect the speed a customer experiences. The range and quality of wireless connections is affected by having to pass through large metal objects like a steel door, large amounts of water (like a fish tank) and even nearby electromagnetic devices. These electromagnetic devices can include televisions, radios, cordless telephones and microwave ovens to name a few. Finally, high density objects like floors, ceilings and walls can also affect the travel of the WiFi signal.”

If you’ve followed our experts’ advice and plugged your Wi-Fi router into the boundary termination socket in the lounge, but now can’t get a decent signal in the back bedroom, a booster may be your best bet. Our tests have shown that a 5dBi omnidirectional antenna can provide an 80% boost in coverage and performance at distance.

Alternatively, wireless repeaters or HomePlug devices may provide a more consistent connection. “Avoid connecting them to surge protectors, as performance can be significantly affected,” warns Zen’s Phil Long.

GET DIAGNOSED
Your ISP almost certainly knows a lot more about your connection than you do. For that reason, your ISP's tech support should be your first port of call if you're running into speed issues. ISP support staff may be able to see detailed histories of your line’s maximum and average speed, faults and uptime to help identify when and where problems start. They may be able to spot, for example, that your connection slumps at 5pm every day.

While the range of diagnostic tools available to each ISP varies, and some of the more useful data is only available to Telstra, it's still a good bet when it comes to diagnosing hard-to-pin-down problems and your ISP can tweak far more settings than you can.

One thing they're likely to suggest is something you can do at home before calling them: an isolation test.

Put simply, an isolation test removes all telephone interference, and then adds back devices one at a time to find problems. It's normally used to identify why ADSL isn't working, but in concert with speed testing can help find slow portions of your home setup. First disconnect all phone equipment. Then connect your modem to the boundary termination socket, using the shortest possible cable – no more than three metres in length.

Restart the modem and test speed, then switch cables and check speed again. You can continue testing, switching out a single item each time. Try a second modem, other phone sockets around the home and, finally, adding back each of your phone devices.

Sort your system
Surprisingly, the ISPs we spoke to said that your system – and particularly the software you run – is one of the common causes they see for broadband slowdown. The culprits all download in the background, whether they are malicious interlopers or programs you've installed.

iPrimus recommends that you “keep your computer system free from viruses and spyware and checking for background running programs such as file sharing programs.” and an Optus spokesperson added that slow speeds can also be “related to the software running on the customers computer – for example peer-to-peer and other programs that use up bandwidth can sometimes be the cause of slower speeds.”

Most ISPs offer a deal on security software, and there are free products that provide protection, so there's no excuse for a compromised system.

Perhaps paradoxically, software is also a recommended solution for broadband speed problems. Some software gives you easy access to Windows settings that would otherwise require registry hacking, and some just add a cosmetic lustre to your speed.

You could, for example, try adding a firefox extension called FasterFox, which makes better use of your bandwidth through pre-fetching and gives you easy access to many of the tweakable settings of your network connection.

If you have XP, try Unblocka. Input your upload and download speeds, which you can obtain from your ISP, and Unblocka 'tunes' your settings to improve speed. Last but not least, install a good adblocker to prevent adverts from downloading to reduce their bandwidth-sucking effect.

This article appeared in the April, 2008 issue of PC Authority.
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Comments: 8
Narna
Aug 13, 2008 10:46 AM
 An excellent article - who would have thought my neighbours tv could disrupt my broadband signal! My favorite suggestion is "Last but not least, install a good adblocker to prevent adverts from downloading to reduce their bandwidth-sucking effect." This is especially pertinant considering the page it is written on has no less than seven flashy advertisments and at least 3 sponsered links (not including competition entries)! I can feel my bandwidth being sucked already, now to find an adblocker....


Comment made about the PC Authority article:
Boost your broadband speed for free?
Everything you need to know about maxing-out your broadband connection, including interleaving, fine tuning MTU settings, firmware updates, ADSL filters and splitters,and that old chestnut - electrical noise in your wiring

What do you think? Join the discussion.
FatBob
Aug 16, 2008 12:37 AM
 Great advice... You've got me moving furniture, checking to find the boundary socket, searching everywhere for my Old AM radio (I know I have one hiding Somewhere !) and testing the fridge door to see if the little light really does go off when it's shut (Hmm maybe if I accidently shut one of the kids in there, they can teel me for sure..) - as for the 'flouros' I see their affect on the security lights evfery time someone turns one on, the spotlights light up the front yard.... You've definitely given me (Heaps of) food for thought.... I'll get this ADSL2+ flying Yet!.... Thanx - FatBob
kellyluvsamy
Aug 28, 2008 6:46 PM
 Wow, I thought I was pretty with it technology wise, but I haven't considered alot of those things. No to go and ask my IT consultant (aka my husband) if he's heard about any of this.
nitrorc111
Aug 28, 2008 11:49 PM
 AM radio detection is a handy way to isolate faulty switch mode power supplies. When there crook the in built filtering allows high frequency to induce into your house cabling. Any power cable that runs parallel for around 30m meters will induce around a 1meg bandwidth of noise from around 400Kh/z to 1200Kh/z. slap bang in the main down stream frequencies of your ADSL. DSTB's Foxtel boxes, lexmark fax machines, cheap DVD players, LV down lights in your ceiling, dimmer controllers, LCD TV power supplies, you name i have found them interfering with ADSL services. I have seen entire neighbourhoods, 300m radius around the faulty device, not a broadband service will work. CLEAN YOUR HOUSE. Simply sanity check with the AM radio tunned to 521Kh/z or as low as it can go and sweep up through the frequencies.
nitrorc111
Aug 28, 2008 11:58 PM
 Sorry interleaving is offered by Telstra, its applied on every ADSL 1 and ADSL 2+ by default.OPTUS ULL is interleaved by request of the customer for a stable service.
moty
Aug 29, 2008 11:09 AM
 Thanks for advice. I too will go off to ask hubby all about it
LogicprObe
Aug 29, 2008 4:29 PM
 Doesn't effect the cat5!
nitrorc111
Aug 31, 2008 9:41 PM
 Yes it does affect affect CAT 5. This issue occurs at around 45db attenuation from the exchange. when your signal is starting to weaken. CAT 5 is not be all and end all to your problems by a long shot. RF interference can induce into any twisted copper no matter what the twist ratio is and shielding.
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