Getting the Most Out of Your Internet Speed

The following information contains details pertaining to Internet Speeds and provides suggestions on how to achieve the best speeds possible for your Internet service. Please ensure that you are disconnected from corporate networks or VPN connections before testing or troubleshooting internet speeds.

If Your Internet Connection Seems Slow

To confirm if your internet connection is running as expected, you can conduct speed tests (try 2 or 3 to get the most accurate results) the following ways:

For desktop computers, please visit http://speedtest.eastlink.ca to run a speedtest.
For Android devices, please install the Ookla Speedtest.net app from the Google Play Store.
For Apple devices, please install the Ookla Speedtest.net app from the Apple appstore.
Internet speeds can vary due to a number of factors, expect regular results at 80% or better of subscribed speed.

(Note: Rural Wireless and DSL services are exempt from this 80% guideline).

Try A Speed Test

Troubleshooting Internet Performance Issues

If you are experiencing internet performance issues please consider the following:

Unplug the power cord of your modem for 10-15 seconds and then plug it back in to refresh your Internet connection. If you have a router, do the same with it.
Try using a wired connection. There are many external factors that can impact Wi-Fi speed. A wired connection will give you the most accurate speed results.
- Check the Ethernet cable for any visible sign of damage. If replacement is necessary, ensure that you replace it with Cat5e or Cat6 Ethernet cable.

Internet speed can be impacted by the presence of a virus and/or spyware infection on your computer(s). Run antivirus/anti-spyware weekly to ensure you have no infections. If you do not have anti-virus software on your computer, please see Eastlink Internet Security Services.
Have you moved the modem to a different room? When your modem was installed, only one outlet in your home was made active for Internet connectivity. The modem must remain connected to that original outlet. If you’ve moved the modem, trying moving it back to its original location.
The components within your computer or phone can impact your speed. Older computer hardware may not be capable of today’s faster speeds.
The number of devices that are sharing your Internet connection will divide the available brandwidth, lowering internet speeds.
If you are running any file sharing processes (Torrents, iTunes, uploading to YouTube, etc.), disable them completely and run speed tests again.
Internet speeds can fluctuate throughout the day. Check and track your speeds at different times throughout the day.

If you are still experiencing speed problems, please contact us by calling 1-888-345-1111 or click the online chat button for further assistance.

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FAQs

Where can I find out which speeds are available in my area?: Please refer to our Internet Options page for details on speeds an availability.
What is the difference between download and upload speeds?: Downloading and Uploading are terms used to refer to types of electronic data transfers via the internet. The difference between them is the direction in which the files are being transferred.

Downloading is when the files are transferred from a server to a computer, smart phone or other device. Uploading is when files are transferred from a computer, smart phone or other device to a server.