There is nothing more frustrating than adding a file for download and gazing at the progress bar moving at snails pace. The question that ponders in the mind is how can I increase download speed. Luckily, there are several ways to improve download speed.
First, let's understand download speed in detail. Download speed refers to the rate at which data is transferred from the Internet to your computer and is measured in kilobits per second (kbps) and megabits per second (Mbps).
Step 1: Understand Your Internet Connection Your maximum download speed will depend on the type your computer's Internet Connection. Most common types of internet connections are-
1. Dial-up internet connections which connect through your phone line. This are the most basic type of internet connection.
2. Broadband connections which provide high speed internet access. These come in two varieties.
1. DSL Internet connections.
2. Cable Internet connections.
Try upgrading Your Internet Connection There will be a maximum download speed for your internet connection imposed by your service provider. You can by no means go above this speed. If your Internet connection is too slow, you may want to contact your service provider to upgrade your connection. If your service provider can't give you the results you want, you may want to change service providers.
Step 2: Test Your Maximum Download Speed Testing your connection will tell you if you are getting the speed promised by your Internet service provider. There are many online programs that allow you to test your internet connection for free. During an online speed test the website will send your computer a file and then measure how long it takes to download.
There are lots of speed testing sites available. Few common ones are-
1. SpeedTest.net: Speed Test
2. McAfee: Speedometer
3. Speakeasy: Speed Test
4. CNet: Bandwidth Meter Online Speed Test
Once at the website, select the server nearest to your geographical location before starting the test.
Step 4: Prioritize Downloads Remember, your Internet connection provides a finite bandwidth capacity. The more files you try to download at a time, your total speed gets divided among the downloads and slower each download will be. Few steps you can take to avoid this are
1. Limit your number of downloads and try only downloading one file at a time.
2. Limit the number of programs running while you download. If you keep programs that access the web like brosers open, your download speed can get affected.
3. During peak hours download servers will be busy and might not be able to provide files to you at your maximum download speed. Try downloading off peak hours (5 pm to 11 pm).
Step 5: Use Download Aaccelerators Download accelerators are programs that download parts of file simultaneously maximizing your bandwidth/download speed. There are many download accelerators available. One of the popular accelerator is skdownloader which is free.
http://www.toolsbysk.com/skdownloaderConclusion Slow download speeds are frustrating, but can be overcome. Follow the steps above to maximize your download speed and bring a smile on your face seeing the download progress bar dashing through ;)