DNS (domain name system) is the technology that web servers use to
deliver a web page when you type a URL. Different servers will deliver
pages at different rates, so if you switch to a different server you may
see a significant bump in your internet speed - even if that server is
based on the other side of the world.
First, use DNS Benchmark to check your DNS settings and sniff out the fastest available server. Click the big screenshot on the web page to download the program EXE, double-click the EXE to run the program and click the Nameservers tab to see a list of all your available servers. The server in bold at the top is the default that your ISP has chosen for your router, but there are many others you can choose from, as you can see from the list.
To find out which is fastest and see how your default server matches up, click Run Benchmark and wait a few minutes while the program requests a random batch of web addresses from every server in the list.When the test has finished, the servers are sorted in order of speed (fastest at the top), with their names and response times displayed to their right.
You can switch servers manually under ‘Change adapter settings’ in the
Control Panel, but this involves quite a few clicks and requires that
you have the name and number of your chosen server to hand. An easier
alternative is to use the small program DNS Jumper
to list all your available servers and switch to one straight away - or
click the Find Fastest DNS button to find and switch to the fastest
server in one go.
If you've tried out a few different servers and want to go back to where
you started, click the star icon and choose Restore. DNS Jumper also
lets you sort servers into customized groups (for example, you can
create a group of servers that are based in the UK, or which offer
particularly high levels of security).
Both DNS Benchmark and DNS Jumper are portable, so you can store them on
a USB stick and run them on any computer to check its server speed and
boost its broadband.
Catch your ISP throttling your broadband
There are two reasons why your broadband slows down when your neighbors
come home and go online. Your routers may be using the same channel
and clogging it up like a busy road or - more infuriating still - your
ISP may be slowing down (‘throttling’) traffic deliberately.
Not all ISPs throttle bandwidth at busy times, but if yours does it
could make your internet slower when you’ re most likely to be online,
especially if you use file-sharing services such as BitTorrent or
Gnutella, which are regular targets of throttling and blocking (and not
just at peak times).
Find out whether your ISP is limiting access to Flash video and other content with M-Lab's Glasnost tool
If you suspect that your ISP is deliberately slowing down your broadband
at certain times or to certain services, run some tests using the free
online service M-Lab. Its Glasnost tool
is Particularly useful and has three separate tests that reveal whether
your ISP is throttling traffic to and from file-sharing (P2P) services,
email, HTTP (web pages) and Flash video.
If the tests reveal that your ISP is regularly throttling or blocking
your bandwidth so that you’re not getting the service you’re paying for,
complain. Contact customer service and show them your SpeedTest records
and your Glasnost results. Keep records of all your calls and emails.
If you do decide to dump your ISP, look for a provider that uses local loop unbundling (LLU), which helps to avoid outages during peak times and prevents the need to throttle bandwidth.
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