How to Increase Dial-Up Internet Connection Speed

by Herman Cruz, Demand Media

Making Your Dial-Up Internet Connection Faster.

Although a dial-up Internet connection can be appealing to a consumer due to its budget friendly cost, the slow speed and lack of broadband can become frustrating to the user when browsing the Internet. Connections like DSL and other cable methods are more efficient when it comes down to downloading files or loading Web pages; however, there are certain steps that can optimize performance and increase the speed of a dial-up connection, allowing dial-up users to maximize their browsing experience.

Step 1

Open your anti-virus program and click on the "Scan" option to check for viruses and remove any potential malware or spyware displayed on the results. If you do not have an anti-virus in your operating system, install a free anti-virus program like AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition.

Step 2

Open your Web browser and click on "Tools." Select "Options" or "Internet Options" and on the pop-up window search for the menu that allows you to delete your history, cookies and cache to avoid any clutter that could be slowing down your connection. The location where you can delete cache, history and cookies will vary depending on the Web browser you are using.

Step 3

Download and install an updated, faster and reliable Web browser for free. Some options are Opera and Firefox (see resources below). Browsers such as these are better because of how they store previously visited pages on the browser cache and improvements in coding, making them more efficient and faster.

Step 4

Click on the Windows "Start" button and select the "Control Panel" option. Double-click on the "Add or Remove Programs" tab to access the programs menu. Uninstall any unwanted browser add-ons or plug-ins, these files deter connection speeds making your Web browser run slower. Click on "Change/Remove" to uninstall unnecessary plug-ins or browser add-ons.

Step 5

Enable the pop-up blocker feature on your Web browser by clicking on "Tools," selecting "Options" or "Internet Options," clicking on the "Content" tab, checking the "Block Pop-up Windows" and finishing by clicking on the "Save" tab. The steps may vary slightly depending on the Web browser you are using. By blocking pop-ups you will prevent these advertisements from taking up bandwidth and slowing your dial-up connection.

Step 6

Utilize the "Tabbed Browsing" feature if your web browser supports it. This will allow you to open multiple pages in a singles window, rather than slowing your dial-up speed by opening multiple windows. Most web browsers offer this feature. You can open a new tab in the same window by pressing "Ctrl+T."