How to Hack Broadband for Speed

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: July 3, 2020

This wikiHow teaches you how to improve your broadband Internet connection's speed in general, as well as how to squeeze some more speed out of your connection on a Windows or Mac computer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using General Tips

1
Disable other Internet-connected items. Every Internet-connected item in your home cuts down on the available Internet speed, especially if the items in question are actively being used. Turn off things like consoles, smartphones, tablets, and smart home items when you can in order to increase the amount of speed available to you.
- You can also place some items, such as computers, smartphones, and tablets, in Airplane Mode to restrict their Internet usage.
2
Turn off downloads or streaming software. If you're downloading a large file or streaming a movie on your computer while trying to use the Internet on a different platform, you'll invariably encounter some slow-down. Close streaming programs and pause any active downloads when you're trying to get the most out of your Internet.

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3
Use the 5 GHz channel if possible. If you have a router which supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, try using the 5GHz band to avoid interference from neighboring Internet connections. You can usually find the 5 GHz Internet connection in the Wi-Fi menu of your computer, smartphone, tablet, or other Internet-connected item.
- The appearance of a 5 GHz channel's name will vary depending on your router's manufacturer, but you'll usually see "Media", "5", "5.0", or something similar next to the connection's name.
4
Use an Ethernet cable. When all else fails, connecting your computer directly to your router (or modem) via an Ethernet cable is a guaranteed way to speed up your Internet by eliminating some of the hiccups which accompany wireless connections.
- This isn't an option on a smartphone or a tablet.
- If you're using a Windows or Mac computer that doesn't have an Ethernet port, you can buy a USB 3.0 (or USB-C for Mac) Ethernet adapter which can plug into one of your computer's available ports.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Changing DNS Settings on Windows

1
Make sure that you're connected to the Internet. In order to change your Internet connection's properties, you'll have to be actively connected to the Internet.
2
Open Start
. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
3
Open Settings
. Click the gear-shaped icon in the lower-left side of the Start window.
4
Click
Network & Internet. You'll find this globe-shaped icon in the middle of the Settings window.
5
Click Change adapter options. It's below the "Change your network settings" heading near the top of the page.
6
Select your current network. Double-click the Wi-Fi (or, if you're using an Ethernet cable, Ethernet) connection that has your network's name. This option will be a computer monitor-shaped icon in the middle of the page. Doing so opens a pop-up window.
7
Click Properties. It's in the lower-left side of the pop-up window. Another window will open.
- If you aren't on an administrator account, you'll need to enter the administrator password before proceeding.
8
Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). This option is a line of text in the middle of the window. Clicking it will select it.
9
Click Properties. It's a button near the bottom of the window. Doing so opens yet another window in which you can change your Internet connection's properties.
10
Check the "Use the following DNS server addresses" box. You'll find this box near the bottom of the window. Checking this box opens the two text boxes at the bottom of the window.
11
Enter DNS addresses. You can use different DNS addresses than your computer usually uses in order to get a little bit more speed out of your connection. Both Google and OpenDNS offer free addresses:
- Google — Enter 8.8.8.8 in the "Preferred DNS server" text box, then enter 8.8.4.4 in the "Alternate DNS server" text box.^{[1]
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  Research source}
- OpenDNS — Enter 208.67.222.222 in the "Preferred DNS server" text box, then enter 208.67.220.220 in the "Alternate DNS server" text box.^{[2]
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  Research source}
- You can also mix-and-match between Google and OpenDNS addresses (e.g., use 8.8.8.8 as the first server and 208.67.220.220 as the second server).
12
Save your changes. Click OK at the bottom of the first "Properties" window, click Close at the bottom of the second "Properties" window, and click Close on the "Status" window.
13
Flush your computer's DNS cache. You can do this by opening the Command Prompt program, typing in ipconfig /flushdns, and pressing ↵ Enter.
- Flushing the DNS cache will help resolve any website loading errors you might run into when you next open your browser.
14
Restart your computer. Click Start
, click Power
, and click Restart in the pop-up menu. Once your computer finishes restarting and connecting to the Internet, you should notice an increase in your Internet's speed.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Changing DNS Settings on Mac

1
Make sure that you're connected to the Internet. In order to change your Internet connection's properties, you'll have to be actively connected to the Internet.
2
Open the Apple menu
. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
3
Click System Preferences…. It's near the top of the drop-down menu. This opens the System Preferences window.
4
Click Network. This globe-shaped icon is in the System Preferences window.
5
Select your Internet connection. On the left side of the window, click the Wi-Fi (or Ethernet, if you're using a cable) connection to which your Mac is currently connected.
6
Click Advanced…. It's in the lower-right side of the window. Doing so opens a pop-up window.
7
Click the DNS tab. You'll find this option at the top of the pop-up window.
8
Click ＋. It's in the lower-left side of the window. Doing so creates a text field in the "DNS Servers" column.
9
Enter the primary DNS address. Type in the address for a primary DNS server. Both Google and OpenDNS have free servers that you can use here:
- Google — Enter 8.8.8.8 here.
- OpenDNS — Enter 208.67.222.222 here.
10
Enter the alternate DNS address. Click ＋ again, then enter one of the following addresses:^{[3]
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Research source}
- Google — Enter 8.8.4.4 here.
- OpenDNS — Enter 208.67.220.220 here.
11
Click OK. It's at the bottom of the window. This will save your settings and close the "Advanced" pop-up window.
12
Click Apply. You'll find this option at the bottom of the window. Your settings will be applied to your Internet connection from now on.
13
Flush your Mac's DNS cache. You can do this by typing sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder;say DNS cache has been flushed into Terminal and pressing ↵ Enter.
- Flushing the DNS cache will help resolve any website loading errors you might run into when you next open your browser.
14
Restart your Mac. Click the Apple menu
, click Restart..., and click Restart when prompted. Once your Mac finishes restarting and connecting to the Internet, you should notice an increase in your Internet's speed.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I find out my WiFi password from my computer?

VISHAL SHIRALKAR

Community Answer

If you are using Windows 7/Windows8/Windows8.1/Windows10, you can left click on the monitor icon at the right side bottom corner of your screen, your WiFi should pop up. Right-click on that and you get a menu, left click on properties, then you will get a dialogue box. Go to the securities tab and there should be an option to "Show Password." Select the check box and that will unveil the hidden password.
Question

What do I do if the first option won't work for me on Windows 10? When I tried to run the program from the start menu, I got a message saying the program requested was not recognized.

Community Answer

The file gpedit.msc is not installed on Windows 10 machines by default, and must be downloaded separately. Download it before following the steps.
Question

Why did my speed fail to increase after following this guide?

Community Answer

It will not work for all ISPs/PCs, try other tutorials, or try again. You might have done something wrong.

Warnings

Changing to a different DNS server may be illegal in your country or against your workplace's rules. Make sure that you aren't violating any laws or rules by changing your Internet's default DNS servers.

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