Ten Juicy Tips for Checking Your Internet Speed

How do you know if you're getting the best from your internet? We all want it to go as fast as possible, right? If your internet seems to be running slower than expected, or you're just curious to know if your speed is...well, up to speed, we have a few tips for you.

Tangerine's top 10 juicy tips for checking your internet speed

1. Run a speed test

The quickest way to find our if your internet is running slowly is to use an online speed test - the one we recommend is speedtest.net.

Before you do this, it's a good idea to check your nbn^® plan to see how many Mbps your plan offers, so you can see where your current speed is sitting in relation to where it should be. For instance, Tangerine's Standard Plan offers 25Mbps Typical Evening Speeds, while Tangerine's XXL Plan offers 92 Mbps Typical Evening Speeds. You will get the most accurate results from an online speed test if you connect your device to your modem with an ethernet cable and sit as close to the modem as possible.

2. Check your distance

If your router is located too far from your devices, or if there are walls and hallways between your router and devices, you may need to consider moving it. The best speed results will be found when the router is in a central location to all devices. If this isn't possible, you can purchase a MESH Wifi system which extends the reach of your router through the use of "satellites". Tangerine has two pre-configured Netcomm MESH bundles, one with a single satellite and another with two satellites. These are a one-off purchase that can really extend the coverage throughout your home.

3. How many devices?

If you have a large family plus household devices that are all competing for the Wifi signal, you have two choices. The first choice is the most difficult because it means either reducing the number of devices in your household or reducing the number of family members in your household. The second is easier - you just need to upgrade your nbn^® plan. With Tangerine it's easy to upgrade to a faster plan in the customer self-care portal.

4. Where's your connection point?

Your nbn^® connection point can affect your speed, with households connecting via Fibre-to-the-node (rather than Fibre-to-the-household) experiencing slower speed. Unfortunately, there's not a lot you can do about this as the connection method for your area is determined by NBNCo. However, if you haven't had your nbn^® connected yet, you can select a position in your home that will give you the best results. 

Make sure the connection point is in the area you need the signal to be the strongest - it may be in your office, your living room or in one of your children's bedrooms. It should also be connected within 1.5 metres of an electrical outlet, in a cool, dry and ventilated area, and also be somewhere you don't plan to renovate.

5. Is there any interference?

While it sounds far-fetched, if you're experiencing slow internet speed your microwave could be the culprit. If your router is positioned near a device such as a microwave, cordless phone or other radio equipment, try locating it elsewhere.

6. Are you automatically updating software?

Software systems installed on your computer can be automatically updating without you knowing. Your systems can take hours to update, and they could be using up the bulk of your bandwidth. But never fear - you can ensure your computer does not update software without your permission. There is a setting in Windows which ensures it doesn't update without prompting, and Apple also offers this choice.

7. How does your modem look?

There's nothing worse than an unattractive modem! Just kidding - it doesn't really matter how it looks, but if your modem is getting a little outdated, it may be worthwhile investing in a new one. If you're seriously attached to your old modem, you might want to check its software and see if it can be updated. If you do replace your modem, remember that there are many electronic recycling points for you to take your well-worn friend rather than placing it in general waste.

8. Checking your VPN

If you're serious about security, you may have a VPN - Virtual Private Network. This is a great way to protect your privacy online as it blocks your IP address an browsing history, but it can slow down your internet speed. This is especially true for free VPNs. You can choose to pay for a VPN that doesn't impact your nbn^® speed, or turn off your VPN at non-critical times.

9. nbn^® outages

When the nbn^® has a network fault or are upgrading or working on services in your area, you're likely to experience slow speeds or even outages. At Tangerine, we advise our customers of any planned outages in their areas prior to them occurring, but sometimes there are unplanned outages. However, if you're experiencing unexplained difficulties, contact our customer service team. It helps if you have your modem make, model and MAC address available for our team to log with nbn^® for investigation.

10. Are you with Tangerine?

The final juicy secret is to sign up to Tangerine Telecom. Tangerine is one of Australia's most successful nbn^® providers - privately Australian owner and supported by Vocus Infrastructure. We recently won three prestigious WhistleOut Awards including Best Unlimited nbn^® Provider, Best Premium BBN Provider and Best Fixed Wireless nbn^® Provider.