Though we live in an age of nearly-ubiquitous broadband, it still seems like certain pages don’t load as quickly as one would like.  After you’ve tried changing your ISP (Internet service provider), or ordering a T1 internet connection, consider that many problems can be solved with a series of tips and tricks, outlined below.

  • The first area to make changes is your browser.  Microsoft’s Internet Explorer once held an overwhelmingly large market share, but that’s no longer the case.  Browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari from Apple have all become increasingly popular.  They are free to install and render websites much more efficiently than Internet Explorer.  Plus, they have two additional benefits, both of which can help keep your computer and internet running fast.  First, these browsers are more secure, including precautions to prevent malware such as viruses from being installed, a common cause of computer slowness.  Also, these browsers allow the user to install extensions, or programs designed to modify the browser’s functionality.
  • Extensions can be used to remedy another common cause of perceived Internet slowness.  More and more websites include Flash and JavaScript.  While neither is inherently bad, more content takes more time to load and render.  Of you feel you can do without the bells and whistles, there are extensions designed to block this content from being downloaded and shown on your computer.  AdBlock Plus just blocks advertising, but Flashblock blocks all Flash content.  If you’re not ready to go that far, ClickToFlash is a great extension.  It stops Flash content from being shown initially, but gives the user the option of clicking to display it.
  • If checking out your computer yields no positive results, your router might be to blame.  The router’s function is to take a single Internet connection and split it so that every device in the house can make use.  This is very handy, but if the router is wireless and the person installing it does not know better, it can open your network to attack.  All routers should be password protected and secured using the strongest method supported by your devices.  WPA2 authentication is currently the best.  If the network remains unprotected, your connection may be slowed by neighbors leeching from your connection.

These are only a few of the most common causes of Internet slowness.  Hopefully one of the solutions will work for you!