How to Boost Dial Up 56Kbs to Faster Internet

Picture of an older dial-up modem.

A dial-up Internet connection provides a less-expensive way to enjoy the World Wide Web. However, the trade-off with these modem connections--as opposed to cable, DSL, or satellite--is slower surfing speeds at only 56Kbps (Kilobits per second). However, a dial-up connection does not mean that nothing can be done to boost Internet performance, as several ways exist to do just that.

Instructions

1. Configure the dial-up modem to perform at faster rates. Click the Start button if using Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7. Open the Control Panel and select the Hardware section. Click on "Device Manager" from the Devices and Printers Section to open the dialog box.

2. Find your modem listing from the Device Manager's hardware list. Right-click on your modem and select "Properties." Look for the "Port Settings" section in the Properties box and set this to its maximum bps (bits per second) speed. Find the "Flow Control" setting for your modem. Choose the "Hardware" option for the Flow Control to make sure that your 56Kb/s dial-up Internet connection maximum use of the modem. Click "OK" when finished and close the Device Manager box.

3. Increase the size of your temporary Internet file storage. Select the "Network and Internet" section from the Control Panel. Choose "Internet Options" to open the "Internet Properties dialog box. Click "Settings" under the Browsing History section. Set the "Amount of Disk Space to Use" section to at least 250 Megabytes.

   Increasing the amount of space devoted to temporary files increases your cache and stores frequently visited Web pages. When returning to these Web pages, your Internet connection appears faster because your system works less hard loading images and other content.

4. Turn off the loading of graphics, animations, and other multimedia in your Internet browser to surf the Internet faster with your 56Kbps dial-up speed. Using the latest version of Internet Explorer, click "Internet Options" from the Tools menu. Click the "Advanced" section. Scroll down to the Multimedia section. Uncheck each of the three boxes relating to playing sounds, animations, and showing pictures. Click "Apply" and then "OK" to close the box.

   In Mozilla Firefox, click "Options" from the Tools menu. Click on the "Content" section. Uncheck the Load Images Automatically box and the Enable JavaScript box.

5. Download and install an anti-malware program such as AVG AntiVirus, Avira AntiVir, or Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. Perform a scan of your entire system to check for serious threats like viruses, Trojans, and other malware. Delete the infected files which the program finds. Removing malicious spyware and viruses from your computer improves system performance, including that of your dial-up Internet connection.

6. Close all other unnecessary applications while surfing the Internet with a dial-up connection, especially peer-to-peer file sharing programs like torrent applications. Using additional programs while browsing uses increased system resources, which slows down your perceived Internet speed.

References

• Microsoft at Work: 7 Ways to Work Faster on Slow Connections
• BleepingComputer: Managing your Internet Explorer Temporary Internet Files

Resources

• Malwarebytes: Anti-Malware
• AVG: Get Basic Protection
• Avira: Product Downloads