How to Speed Up Your High-Speed Internet Connection for a Mac

by Jason Taetsch, Demand Media

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Even high-speed Internet connections need to be configured for the best possible performance.

High-speed Internet connections enable you to browse the Web and download media files at increasingly faster speeds. Both DSL and cable broadband connections are compatible with the hardware on a Mac, and can be optimized to provide the fastest possible connection. While you can blame your Internet service provider for any major slowdowns in service, there are a number of things you can do at home to increase the speed of your Internet connection.

Step 1

Clear out the temporary Internet files in your browser. Click the "Safari" button on the menu bar and click the "Preferences" option in the drop-down. Click the "Security" icon. Click the "Show Cookies" button and click "Remove All Cookies." Click the "Safari" icon and click "Empty Cache" to clear out all the temporary Internet files.

Step 2

Change the position of your router if you are primarily using a wireless network to connect your Mac to the Internet. Move the router to a central location in your home or office and remove any large obstacles around it that may be obstructing the signal. Check the "Airport" icon on your Mac's toolbar to measure the strength of your wireless connection. Move the router until the signal bars are full and you can receive the greatest amount of signal from the work areas in your home or office.

Step 3

Enable wireless security on your router. This will block anonymous users, such as your neighbors, from taking up the bandwidth for your Internet service. The more users connected to your wireless network, the slower the connection speed.

Step 4

Close any unnecessary browser windows or tabs that are open. Additional pages that are open will take up space on your server. Shut down any file-sharing programs immediately after you are finished transferring files, as well as any other applications that are running in the background, as they can substantially drain the speed of your service. Press the "Command," "Option" and "Esc" keys at the same time to bring up a window of the running programs on your Mac. Click the name of any unnecessary program that is running and click the "Force Quit" button to shut down that program.