Many people assume that slow connections are due to a failure on the part of the broadband provider, but often there is nothing wrong with the service itself. Before assuming that the service provided is to blame, in some manner, take the time to check these possible causes for the problem.
First, the simple fact is that your computer may be slow. This might be due to a lack of available resources on your hard drive. Sometimes something as simple as running diagnostics on the system to clear out the history and do away with unnecessary files will make a significant difference in the ability of your computer to make the most of your connection. Adding more memory will also help.
You may be experiencing a phenomenon known as bad Internet weather. This is simply a situation in which the Internet itself is temporarily bogged down, perhaps due to a fibre cut or the failure of routers at major hubs around the system. Many of these instances are short-lived, but while they are taking place your connection will appear to be quite slow.
There is also a chance that your Ethernet card is not the best quality and in such cases you will not be able to take advantage of the full capability of the services offered by broadband providers. The effects of an inferior card vary, but are often manifested when you attempt to perform tasks that require more resources, such as downloading or uploading files.
The root of your slow broadband connection may be nothing more than a noisy line. Conducting a line quality test will help you discover if there is noise on the telephone line used to deliver your DSL broadband service. Your provider may offer this service for free to registered customers, by way of their main website.
Identifying the root cause for slow connections is the first step to correcting the problem. Before contacting your provider, make sure that you check everything at your end that you possibly can. By telling your provider about everything you have already checked, you can speed up the investigation significantly and hopefully see your speed increase in a short period of time.
