Home Support Centre Broadband What can affect my broadband performance?

What can affect my broadband performance?

Whichever connection you choose for your home, there’s lots of things that can impact your internet speed. Many of those things are within your control. Broadband performance is impacted by several key factors, either by themselves or in a combination. We all desire the fastest, most consistent speeds possible, so ensure you address each of these if your broadband performance is compromised.

Distance
If you’re on the copper network, the further away you are from the cabinet or exchange, the slower your broadband speed. We can deliver VDSL services over the copper network within approximately 800m of the cabinet; ADSL 2+ within two kilometres of the cabinet and ADSL within six kilometres of the cabinet;

Fibre broadband is not affected by distance.

Capacity
Also known as congestion, broadband capacity is affected by the number of people online. The time of day you use the Internet can affect your broadband speed – we see the traffic on our network peak in the afternoon when school finishes and at the end of the work day.

Backhaul, or how your property is connected to our core network, is another factor that can impact capacity. Your broadband provider will be able to investigate this.

Broadband plan
If your speed drops suddenly and you’ve been downloading lots of content, you may have exceeded the data limit attached to your plan. Increasing your data allocation or switching to an uncapped plan will fix this.

Your modem
If your modem is five years or older this could be affecting your broadband performance. Like all technology, age is a factor, so it is best to upgrade modems every few years.

Your modem needs to be compatible with your broadband package. Some modems can only reach maximum speeds of 100, 200 or 500Mbps, so ask your broadband provider whether your modem can handle the required speeds.

Wiring
Poor or aged wiring is one of the leading causes of broadband speed issues. If your wiring has not been looked at for a number of years, it’s likely that the wiring and jack points in your property were installed to deliver a good phone service rather than high speed broadband. Filters can be added to your jack points to improve broadband speed.

Hardware and software
Old computers and software can affect your broadband performance and slow things down. Ensure you regularly;

  • Update the internet browser
  • Clean out old software you no longer use
  • Use less memory-heavy software while browsing
  • Delete cookies and browser history
  • Update your security software

Copper quality
The quality of the copper line delivering your broadband can affect speed. Your broadband provider will be able to investigate and confirm the quality of your line using diagnostic tools.

WiFi
Connecting a number of devices to your WiFi simultaneously can slow your broadband speed if you have limited capacity. Your proximity to the WiFi device can also have an impact.

The other end of the line
One factor out of your control is who you are connecting to and how they are connected. International connections, the capacity of their line and the content you are accessing, can all affect the quality of your broadband experience.

Technology
GPON technology uses a light signal to transmit data over a fibre optic cable to and from your house. It provides ultra-fast and ultra-consistent speeds because light signals are not impacted by distance or interference.

ADSL and VDSL technology use an electrical signal to transmit data over a copper cable to and from your home.  The speed is impacted by both distance and interference. VDSL is a newer technology and provides much faster speeds than ADSL.

Your home WiFi
The age and layout of your WiFi can affect the experience you have when accessing the Internet using your home WiFi network. You should also make sure your modem is positioned where you are using your Internet the most. Larger houses may need WiFi extenders which boost your signal to ensure you have an optimal experience no matter where in the house you are. Your electronics retailer will be able to give you advice here.

A wired connection correctly installed will provide a more consistent and faster internet experience.

Your device
If the hardware or operating system on the smartphone, tablet or computer you’re using are older, they could have trouble processing high-speed broadband. Check that your computers, laptops and smart devices have the capacity for ultra-fast broadband technology and have updated software and protection against viruses or malware. There’s heaps of info online or your friendly electronics retailer can provide guidance here.

How information travels
The sites that you are connecting to might not be able to respond at the same rate as your broadband. If you’re connecting to a website, their server could slow you down based on where in the world it’s located and the technology that site is using, even if your broadband connection is top notch.

Your broadband provider’s network and capacity
Chorus provides a broadband connection between your address and your broadband provider’s network. From there your broadband provider delivers your plan to you. The capacity of the provider’s network can affect your ultimate experience.