How to Increase Internet Speed Without Paying

Slow internet is a pain, but many people avoid upgrading their devices or contacting their internet service providers (ISPs) because of the high cost that comes with wanting more speed, but did you know that in some parts of the world, internet service can be even more costly? The U.S. is ranked 9th in the average monthly price tag for internet service at USD 66.13.

It's important to keep in mind that this data doesn't show additional costs like hidden fees, usage caps, and broadband overage surcharges. In reality, Americans typically pay way more than what the numbers say. It's no wonder that one of the many consequences is that millions of Americans can't afford the internet — even though it has become just as necessary as power and water. Almost 1 in 5 US households living on less than $30,000 do not have access to the internet, and half say that the expense is what stops them from subscribing.

High-speed internet can be costly, but there are many ways to speed up your connection without paying more money. 

Get cozy and buckle up! In this guide, we will explore how to increase internet speed — without spending a penny. So whether you're dealing with a sluggish connection or just want to get the most out of your current one, keep reading for tips that'll have you zooming along in no time.

First Step: Test Your Internet Speed

Oftentimes, the internet speed your provider advertises is not always what you will end up with. These speeds may drop when you are using the internet the most and can fluctuate at different times of the day. They could even crash if there is a data cap from your internet provider.

Your internet connection might not be up to par, but don't get too frustrated just yet. By running an internet speed test from a reliable site, you can put all your fears to rest — or confirm that you desperately need to call your ISP asap. Two of the most dependable speed tests are Ookla Speedtest and Opensignal.

However, before you begin any of these tests, be sure to turn off any downloads or uploads currently running on your system. Connect your PC directly to the router via Ethernet for more accurate results — you'll have less network overhead than with a Wi-Fi connection. Furthermore, try to avoid testing at peak hours when everyone else is also using the internet for streaming music or movies.

When your stated speeds are below the actual promised speeds, it's concerning. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), broadband internet has a required minimum download speed of 25 Mbps and a minimum upload speed of 3 Mbps. With this in mind, we can better understand what is considered slow or fast internet.

Also, speeds that are quicker than a typical broadband connection are frequently considered "fast" internet. Even though all speeds below that limit aren't always slow, they are too slow to be called broadband internet. It's important to remember that many things can decrease or increase internet speed and performance.

Free and Easy Ways to Increase Your Internet Speed

You don't have to spend a fortune to get high-speed internet. There are many free and easy ways for consumers to get the fast internet access they need. Let us break it down and show you how.

Check if Your Plan Has Data Caps

Data caps are a monthly limit set by your ISP on how much you can use the internet. Instead of charging you overage fees, your ISP may throttle your internet connection, which significantly slows down your connection the very moment you reach your bandwidth limit or even do both.

This is why knowing how much internet data you're allowed to use each month is important as how your ISP deals with overage fees. If you find that you often exceed the bandwidth limit set by your provider, consider upgrading to a higher-tier plan.

Another thing to take note of is ISP throttling. You may not be aware, but some ISPs purposely restrict your internet bandwidth or speed, which affects how quickly pages load or content downloads for you as the user. ISPs do this to manage network congestion so that every customer in a given area can have access to the network, instead of some having full access while others get nothing.

If you think your ISP is throttling your internet connection, try running a speed test and compare the results with how fast you normally experience. If there's a big difference, then contact your provider to see if they can do something about it.

Tip: Test your internet speed both with and without the VPN to see if there is a difference. Once you've installed the VPN, run another speed test at approximately the same time as the control test for more accurate results. If your internet appears significantly faster when using a VPN, then it's likely that your network was being throttled before.

Close Background Applications

If your internet is slow on your computer or laptop but works well on your phone or another device, it could be because of unnecessary background programs. Stopping these programs and quitting unused applications can help speed up your connection speeds.

Some apps will automatically use your data when updating, even if you're not actively using it. For example, social media applications such as Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram use data even when you're not actively using them.

If you often have multiple programs running in the background on your computer or phone, this can result in painfully slow internet speeds. To avoid this, always make it a habit to close any unnecessary applications before using the internet again.

Restart your devices

Is your router not working as well as it used to? You should try restarting it. Like you do with your phone and computer when they're not working correctly, a reset can often fix small glitches. Depending on the age and condition of your router, you may need to reboot it monthly or even daily.

Doing a "turn it off and on again" restart is often the best way to fix minor glitches. This is different from putting your device to sleep or any other action that turns the screen black but doesn't turn the device off.

If you want to reset your router, unplug it for 10 to 30 seconds. You need to do this so all the settings on the router will be erased  — which could have caused the crash in the first place. Also, make sure to restart your other devices, such as laptops and smartphones. Something as small as this task can create an overall smoother experience with your digital life.

Relocate Your Router

Traditional routers, the kind that your ISP usually provides, act as a bridge to connect you to the internet. Most routers only have one access point that traffic is directed through. Keep in mind where you position your router will determine signal strength; the further away from it you are, the weaker your signal becomes.

To improve your home's internet connection, raise your router off the ground and place it near the center of your house. Also, be on the lookout for obstructions such as concrete walls, thick doors or windows, and large metal appliances, which can impede Wi-Fi signal strength. Always keep your router away from anything hot or other devices that can interfere with the signal, like microwaves or baby monitors.

Tip: If you have money to spare, another option is a Wi-Fi extender which will strengthen your internet signal.

Update Your Drivers and Router Firmware

Device drivers and firmware keep your gadgets powered and ensure they work properly. Firmware is the software that's pre-installed on your router — it controls every aspect of the device, similar to how operating systems for phones and computers do.

Router firmware updates aren't only for improving router performance. In actuality, they can also patch security bugs, add an extra layer of security and introduce new features that will make your experience better as a whole.

Set Your Priorities by Using Your Router’s Quality of Service (QoS) Feature

Quality of Service, or QoS for short, lets you choose which types of internet traffic get priority. Consequently, this leads to optimal performance for more crucial tasks and makes the less urgent ones take a bit longer. By doing this, your router will guarantee that those activities have all the bandwidth they need to run without breakages before using it for anything else.

Let's say you have an internet connection that allows for 15 Mbps. You're utilizing your internet for two activities: Youtube and downloading a massive file. Youtube is streaming at 6 Mbps while the download speed is always maximized to its potential.

Typically, routers handle internet traffic on a first-come-first-serve basis. For instance, when a data packet from YouTube arrives, the router immediately sends it to your TV. If the next data packet is for a download, the router will route it to your PC instead. Although routers can manage quite a lot of data every second without issue, there are times when requests back up and have to wait in line – especially when multiple packets arrive at once.

With QoS, the router can prioritize Youtube data packets. This means that even if there are other download data packets "waiting in line," as soon as a Youtube packet arrives, the router will immediately focus on it.

Find a Less Busy Wi-Fi Channel

A 'crowded' network often interferes with your Wi-Fi channel. If too many devices are trying to access the same channels, it slows down the speed of data transmission and causes delays in your Internet request. The channels that experience the most interference are those that overlap with each other.

If you live in a crowded area or share signal space with neighbors (like in an apartment), choosing the right channel can reduce interference and help improve speeds.

To see which channels are being used the most, you can use an application like Wifi Analyzer on Android or WifiInfoView on Windows. Mac has this functionality built in too. Simply hold the option, click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar, and select Open Wireless Diagnostics.

Tip: Keep in mind that many newer routers will pick the least crowded channel when they reboot, so unplugging your router may also change the Wi-Fi channel to a less populated one.

Opt for 5 GHz Frequency When Possible

Just like radio waves, think of Wi-Fi frequencies as data or information channels that your devices use. You can either use 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Wi-Fi, the primary difference being range and speed. If you want to extend the reach of your devices, stick with the 2.4 GHz frequency; but if you need a higher speed at the cost of some range, switch to the 5 GHz band instead.

The 2.4 GHz band is better suited for transmission through walls and other solid objects because it uses longer transmission waves. Ideally, the 2.4 GHz band should be used to connect devices for low-bandwidth activities like browsing the Internet.

But If you want to use your devices at their full potential and as fast as possible, 5 GHz is the way to go. This frequency is best for high-bandwidth activities like gaming or video conferencing because it has more channels for communication.

Switch to a Wired Ethernet Connection Instead

Despite the convenience of wireless connections, there’s a reason why wired connections aren’t going away anytime soon, and that’s because they still reign supreme when it comes to speed. While ethernet cables are old-fashioned, they are still the recommended connection type if possible. The cable gets the signal directly to your device instead of relying on over-the-air transmissions.

An ethernet cable is commonly used to connect a Wi-Fi router or modem to the internet entry port or telephone line. Even though you won't be connecting an Ethernet cable to your smartphone anytime soon, it's worth running them to important devices — such as gaming and media PCs (or consoles), backup devices, TVs, and set-top boxes.

Kick Inactive and Unwanted Users and Devices

Having too many devices on one Wi-Fi connection is a common issue for businesses in today's world. With everyone being always-on and always connected, it can be difficult to have a strong WiFi signal with so many people using it at once.

When too many devices are trying to connect to the internet at once, it can be difficult to stream a video from one device to another. The quality of the video will suffer as well as upload and download speeds for everyone on the network — even if they're not actively doing anything online. To help prevent this, make sure to turn off any devices you're not using.

To keep your network private and secure, consider making it password-protected and avoid making it public. By doing this, you're less likely to have strangers hijack your network.

Tip: While letting guests use your home Wi-Fi when they come over is fine, you don't want them accidentally downloading illegal content. The solution? Create a second guest network on your router. This will allow you to regulate how much bandwidth guests can use as well as what websites and services they have to access to.

Clear Your Cache and Browser History

When you visit a website, your web browser has to retrieve several pieces of information from the internet to display the page — text, images, and videos. To make browsing quicker, your browser recalls information it learned from previous visits. All of this data is saved as a cache.



However, a browser's cache can become full, which slows download speeds. If a website is taking too long to load or if you need to see the most recent information on a site, try deleting or clearing your browser's cache. Clearing the cache will make the browser reload the page with all of the most up-to-date information.

It's also a good idea to delete your browser history files from time to time. The internet may store personal information about you, like the websites you visit and the purchases you make. Advertisers (and hackers) can use this information to their advantage, so it's best to delete them regularly to improve your privacy.

Tip: Internet Explorer is an outdated browser. If deleting your cache and history doesn't fix the problem, try switching to a different browser.

Scan for Viruses and Other Malware 

Sometimes, when your internet is running slow, the problem lies with your computer. Check it for malware or viruses — which come in different varieties. Some can cause serious data breaches, while others may only disable your device. Others aren't as harmful but can still be irritating as they waste your resources and slow down your internet speed.

If you notice your internet is slow and suspect malware might be the cause, scan your system as soon as possible. In most cases, anti-malware software will not only detect the problem but also remove it. This will help keep your device safe and fast.

Keep in mind that it is always best to prevent malware from infecting your device in the first place. Make sure you have anti-malware software installed and running at all times to help keep yourself safe. 

The Hard Truth: It May be Time to Upgrade, Let the Experts Fix It, or Switch ISPs

Admittingly, contacting your ISP is one of the last things you want to do. But there are times when we have to do it. After all, maybe the slow internet connection is due to ISP downtime, and you just have to wait it out.

If you're too pennywise, it might end up costing you more money in the long run. Sometimes your internet plan doesn't reflect what you need anymore and ignoring that could lead to worse consequences later. It's better to be proactive now and invest in upgrading your equipment.

If you have multiple devices utilizing your network, you might experience slower-than-usual internet speeds. This can feel like your connection is being bogged down by a third party when it may just be that some of your older devices are slowing down your Wi-Fi.

One of the main reasons your hardware is outdated is that it can't support newer technology standards. If you want to use cutting-edge internet technologies, you'll need to upgrade your devices — routers, laptops, computers, cellphones. Getting new hardware will not only improve network speeds but also give access to additional apps and other technological advances.

But if your current ISP doesn't quite cut it, then changing providers may be the last resort. Just remember to compare deals and packages from each company before making your decision – who knows, maybe you'll find an even better deal than what you have now!

The Bottom Line

A quality internet connection is more important now than ever. A slow connection can be very irritating, but there are some quick and free ways to help speed up your internet. In just a few minutes, you can clear the devices' background applications that could be causing any freezing or lagging issues you may have been having, as well as cache and browser history, helping avoid those pitfalls in the future.

If you share your network with others, removing any devices you don't recognize or use from the network is a good idea. This way, everyone isn't fighting for attention at once, and it will help alleviate any back-and-forth between channels trying to find a good signal range.

In addition, if you're current with the latest technology and have some money saved up, use new tech to your benefit. A 5 GHz frequency, ethernet connection, or QoS will amplify your internet experience. Next, check your computer for viruses or other malware. If none of these tips work, reach out to an expert who can help you improve your speed or switch ISPs if necessary.

Remember — how you increase internet speed depends on your unique setup and situation. Take the time to analyze and understand how to optimize the system for maximum performance. With some dedicated effort, you'll be streaming those cat videos in no time!