How to increase your download speed

Updated: 01/24/2018 by Computer Hope
Internet speed
Warning:

This page contains steps on increasing the download speed of a specific file, not a web page. If everything on the Internet seems slow, see: Why is my Internet connection so slow?

Alternate sources or time

Many files available on the Internet today are mirrored onto other locations and available through other sites. If you are downloading a file and the download speed is slow, try checking if the file is available to download on another web page. Also, see if the site you're getting the file from provides links to multiple locations to download the file. If available, try a different download location, even if it's farther away.

Additionally, if the file is popular, it may be best to try getting the file at a different time or different source. If thousands of people are downloading from the same source, it can decrease the speed of the download.

Download managers

A download manager is software which speeds up a single file download by opening multiple network connections to download many parts of the file at once. It should be noted that this method does not work with all sites and is limited by the bandwidth your ISP (Internet service provider) provides you. However, it can decrease the time it takes to get a large file if a download manager can be used.

Computer Hope's recommended download manager is FDM, also known as Free Download Manager. This program may be acquired by visiting their website.

Tip

When searching for alternative download managers, be cautious as some free download managers are known to include spyware and adware. When installing any free program, carefully read what you're agreeing to, and uncheck any extra check mark boxes asking if it's ok to install other programs.