How to Make My Dial-Up Internet Faster

Most residents of North America have access to a high-speed, broadband Internet connection. However, many individuals choose to continue to use a dial-up Internet service. Whether it's because dial-up is significantly cheaper than broadband, or because broadband is not available in certain areas, dial-up Internet remains the Internet connection of choice for more than 7 million North Americans. Learn how to make your dial-up Internet faster to save you time and to help you get the most out of your online browsing experience.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Restart your computer, especially if it has been running for an extended period of time. Some Internet connectivity sluggishness may be a software issue, much of which can be fixed with a simple reboot.

2. Contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to research how fast your current dial-up Internet connection should be. Then, test your Internet speed at home using antivirus software developer McAfee's free online Internet speed test (link in the Resources section). Compare the results from the speed test with what your ISP said is the optimum browsing speed. If your real-world speed is significantly slower than what the ISP reported, continue to Step 3.

3. Launch Internet Explorer by double-clicking its icon on your desktop, or by selecting it from the Start menu. Click "Tools" in the top menu of the browser and select "Internet Options." Drag the Internet Explorer cache slider to the right to increase the size of your browser cache. This enables Internet Explorer to download more data to your local hard drive and save it for future access so that the browser does not have to re-download it when you revisit a webpage. This may save you several seconds when surfing the Internet.

4. Click the "Start" menu button in the lower left-hand corner of your screen. Select "Programs," then open the "Accessories" menu and select "System Tools." Click "Disk Cleanup" and run the software. The built-in program will scan and delete any unnecessary files on your hard drive, freeing up space and increasing computer responsiveness. Upon completion of the cleanup process, return to the System Tools menu and click "Defragment." Defragmenting your hard drive may make your computer run more efficiently. This may reduce the time it takes to load pages in your browser, thus enhancing your browsing speed.

5. Remove spyware and adware. These are programs that constantly access the Internet to send data to a third-party. Not only is this a security risk, but it also slows down your computer and your Internet speed. Download and install anti-spyware and anti-adware software, such as Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware (links in the Resources section).

Resources

• McAfee Internet Speed Test
• Spybot Search & Destroy
• Ad-Aware

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