Operating System

How to Speed Up Internet Connection in Windows 7: Proven Tips

If you are suffering from slow internet speed in Windows 7, this article is for you. If you use Windows 7, you might face a slow Internet connection, which is very frustrating for all Internet users. There are many ways to fix this problem. In this article, we are going to tell you how to speed up Internet connection in Windows 7. Let’s check some tips to make our Internet faster on Windows 7. 

Limit Reservable Bandwidth on Your System

Reservable bandwidth sets system-related processes as the priority. In order to limit reservable bandwidth, follow the steps below:

  1. Go the Start Menu.
  2. Into the search bar, type gpedit.msc.
  3. From the search list, click on gpedit.msc.
  4. Under Local Computer Policy in the menu bar on the left, click on Computer Configuration.
  5. Open the folder of Administrative Templates.
  6. Click on Network.
  7. Select the QOS Packet Scheduler folder.
  8. Click on Limit Reservable Bandwidth in the main window.
  9. Select Enabled and type 0% in the tab of Bandwidth Limit in a new windows that will open up displaying Limit Reservable Bandwidth Properties.
  10. Hit OK.

Clean Your Browser’s Cache and Cookies

One of the reasons that cause internet problems is too much junk in your cache. To fix the problem and increase the internet speed, you should clean your cache. To clean your cache quickly, you can easily hold Ctrl + Shift + Delete. Then, you need to close your browser and restart it. To clear cache through the control panel, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the Start Menu.
  2. Enter the Control Panel.
  3. Click on Network and Internet.
  4. Select Internet Options.
  5. Open the General tab.
  6. Under Browsing History, select Delete.
  7. Click on Delete all.
  8. Hit Yes.
  9. Click OK to confirm your choice.

Regulate Windows Update’s Delivery Options

Windows Update considers sharing feature, which allows computers to share updates they download with other machines. To adjust it, follow the steps below:

  1. Go the Settings.
  2. Select Update & Security.
  3. Click Delivery Optimization.
  4. Disable the Allow Downloads from other PCs to disable the update sharing feature entirely.

You can also choose the PCs on my Local Network option which stops your system from sharing updates. It can decrease the overall user of bandwidth for updates for homes with several Windows systems.

If you want to further regulate the bandwidth of Windows, select the Advanced Options link below the buttons. The pop-up window will provide checkboxes and sliders to limit the usage of bandwidth for the update-sharing feature.

Close Applications with a Lot of Bandwidth

You can use the Task manager to check network usage. To check it through Task Manager, follow the steps below:

  1. Hold Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
  2. In the opened window, select Networking tab to see a list of applications or processes with a lot of bandwidth usage.

If you understand that some applications use your network resources, close them to increase the speed of your internet.

You can also check network activity with more details using the built-in Resource Monitor in Windows 7. To use it follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the Start Menu.
  2. Click on Accessories folder.
  3. Open the System Tools folder.
  4. Enter Resource Monitor.

Run Internet Troubleshooter

Troubleshooter can fix connection issues. Follow the steps below if you want to use it:

  1. Go to the Start in the lower-left corner of your computer screen.
  2. Enter Control Panel.
  3. In the search box, type Troubleshooter.
  4. Click on Troubleshooting in the search result.
  5. Click on Connect to the Internet under the Network and Internet heading.

Note: Troubleshooter will scan to identify problems with your internet connection.

Check Your System for Viruses and Malware

Viruses, malware, and adware can decrease the speed of your internet and the overall performance of your system. They can also put your personal information in danger. But, do not rely on scanning your computer with Windows Defender because there is not any security update for Windows 7. Some antivirus applications can support Windows 7, such as Avast, AhnLab, NortonLifeLock, Kaspersky, and AVG.

Limit the Usage of Bandwidth for Apps

Some applications like backup and cloud storage apps allow you to limit the usage of bandwidth. As an example, with Dropbox you can follow the steps below:

  1. Click the icon of Dropbox in your system Tray.
  2. Select the icon of your profile.
  3. Select Preferences.
  4. Choose Bandwidth tab.
  5. Limit the Download rate and Upload rate.

If you want to know which applications use the most data, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the Settings.
  2. Select Network and Internet.
  3. Choose Status.
  4. Select the Data Usage button at the top to see your current connection. It tells you which application you need to limit.

Disable Metered Connections

To check whether the current network is metered or not, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the Settings.
  2. Select Network & Internet.
  3. Select Properties on the tab of Status below the current name of the connection.
  4. Disable Set as Metered Connection slider under the Metered Connection.

Check Your DNS Server

Sometimes, you must adjust your DNS server to increase the speed of your Wi-Fi. DNS or Domain Name System is a protocol that translates website names into computer-readable IP addresses. To adjust your DNS server, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the Start Menu.
  2. Type Control Panel and open it.
  3. Select View by in the top right to Large icons or Small icons.
  4. Select Network and Sharing Center.
  5. Select the link with the name of your connection next to the Connection text.
  6. Select Properties at the bottom.
  7. Double-click on Internet Protocol Version 4 in the appeared list.
  8. Click on the Use the Following DNS Server Address at the bottom.
  9. Here, you should enter the addresses of the server that you want to use. To do so, enter the following addresses to use it:
  10. Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
  11. Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4
  12. Select OK after it finishes.

Use Command Prompt

You can use the command prompt to improve the speed of your Internet. Go to the Command Prompt in Windows and enter the following code:

regsvr32 actxprxy.dll

It will show you the following sentence:

DllRegisterServer in actxprxy.dll succeeded

You can also use another CMD Prompt trick. In the command line, use the following in this order:

netsh int tcp show global

netsh int tcp set global chimney=enabled

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=normal

netsch int tcp set global congestionprovider=ctcp

Try a Faster Web Browser

Sometimes the browser you use is not fast enough. You should choose another browser. Choose a different browser from the list below:

  • Google Chrome
  • Internet Explorer 9
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Opera Web Browser
  • Apple Safari

Get Namebench

Enter the website of namebench and select the operating system you have installed. Then, download and install it.

Choose the browser that you use most of the time and run it. After it finishes, it will give you a DNS server address (e.g. 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220) which opens DNS one, and it is faster. To add it, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to Network and Sharing Center.
  2. Enter Connections.
  3. Select your Connection.
  4. Choose Properties.
  5. Click Properties on Internet Protocol Version 4.
  6. Under DNS Server, type yours.

Use Ethernet

Using direct connections is always faster than branched connections. With all developments in wireless internet connection, it still stays behind wired connections. If you have access to an Ethernet cable to speed up your internet connections.

To set up Ethernet connection, follow the steps below:

  1. Hold Windows + S to search for the Control Panel.
  2. Press Enter.
  3. From the Control Panel, click on the Network and Internet.
  4. Select the Network and Sharing Center.
  5. Choose Set Up a New Connection or Network.
  6. Select the first option that appears.
  7. Hit Next.
  8. Connect your Ethernet cable on your Windows PC.
  9. Choose Broadband (PPPoE).
  10. Type the information that ISP given to you.
  11. Hit OK.

Delete Temporary Files from Primary Drive

One of the things that can speed up your Internet Connection is closing the temporary files collected inside your hard drive. Some of these files are remains of uninstalled programs that just fill your hard drive, and some others are old files. Delete these files not only can improve your performance but also increase your Internet speed. All you should do to delete the temporary files is activate Clean Manager. To do this, follow the steps below:

  1. Hold Windows + R to use the Run Command.
  2. In the Run tab, type cleanmgr.
  3. Hit OK.
  4. Click on Clean Up System Files.
  5. Hit OK after the completion of the process.

Update to the Latest Version of Windows 7

Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 7, but you can download the latest service pack to make your system work better.

The latest service pack for Windows 7 is SP1. You can download it in the link below:

https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB976932

But, you cannot receive any security updates because Microsoft does not support Windows 7 anymore, which means that your computer will get more viruses and malware, which causes the slow speed of the Internet.

Disable Unneeded Browser Add-ons

One of the things that can slow down the speed of your internet is too many browser add-ons. Try to disable all your extensions, plug-ins, and other add-ons. You can also restart your browser to find the original settings. If you want to identify the source of the problem, you can reinstall and re-enable your add-ons one by one. 

Keep Down Network Traffic Usage from Other Devices

Sometimes, downloads, streaming, and other activities can slow down the speed of the connection. Check the traffic of your network if you share it with other devices. If a user downloads a large file, it can slow your connection down. In this case, you can connect to a different network if there is one available.

Restart your Modem or Router.

One of the first things that you must do is to check whether your modem is up to date or not. If you face a problem with the speed of your internet connection, you can reboot your modem. To do this, you should just press and hold the reset button on the panel of your router. Or if you are using an old modem is it time to buy a new one.

Clear out Cookies, Trackers, and Ads

Some website trackers and cookies or ads can decrease the speed of your Internet connection dramatically. Therefore, for having a faster internet connection, you should get rid of these trackers and cookies. It is easy to clear cookies and trackers. You should just look for the option of clear cookies on your browser. After finding it, clear them and get back your fast internet speed. Also, you can use Clear Tracker to delete the trackers which is one the main features of your Windows browser. You should do the same for ads to speed up the internet.

Find a Suitable Position for Your Router or Modem

Adjusting the position of your router can also increase the speed of your Internet connection. One of the first things you must do to speed up your Internet connection is to find the best position for your modem. For sure, the wireless modem does not have limitations of wires. Therefore, whenever you want to increase the speed of your system, just make your modem closer to your system.

Try Data Plans

Make sure that your data plan down not have the limitations of speed because your slow network might be due to the ISP. This is not a common happening, but it is probable. Therefore, you need to check your data plan so that it is not limited to the Internet speed.

Try another ISPs

Sometimes the problem might be with ISP itself. Sometimes, they might have a technical or broadband problem that does not let you connect to the Internet very fast. In this case, you should wait until the problem solves or use another ISP.

Conclusion

All in all, the slow speed of the Internet makes people angry and puts their work in trouble. All users want a fast internet speed. In this article, we mentioned many methods above to increase the speed of the Internet in Windows 7. Have you ever faced this problem? What did you do? Which method above would you choose to fix the problem? Share your ideas with us.

Reyhane A

Reyhane is an author and technology enthusiast who has a passion for writing about Windows tips and tricks. Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Reyhane always had an interest in technology, which led her to pursue a degree in computer engineering from the University of Tehran. After completing her studies, Reyhane began working as a software engineer, where she gained a wealth of experience and knowledge in the field of technology. She soon discovered her love for writing, and began sharing her knowledge with others through her blog. Reyhane's blog quickly gained popularity, and she became known as an expert in the field of Windows tips and tricks. Her articles are known for being clear, concise, and easy to understand, making them accessible to everyone, regardless of their level of technical expertise. Today, Reyhane continues to share her knowledge with the world through her blog and YouTube channel, where she provides tips and tricks for Windows users to help them optimize their computer's performance and get the most out of their technology. In addition to her passion for technology, Reyhane enjoys traveling, photography, and spending time with her family and friends. She is also an avid reader and is always on the lookout for new books to add to her collection. Reyhane's dedication to her work and her love for technology have made her a respected figure in the industry, and she continues to inspire and educate others through her writing and online content.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button