UK Wi-Fi warning - simple mistake could be killing your broadband speeds

21 October 2023 , 08:00

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Are you making this common broadband speed mistake?

Is your Wi-Fi lagging behind? Well listen up: you might be one of the thousands of Brits who are making a big mistake when it comes to broadband speeds.

A team of researchers from Gaming Gadgets have identified some of the main internet 'speed killers' in the UK which are bound to slow down your broadband.

You might already be aware of the most common mistakes. This can include placing your Wi-Fi router too close to the ground or metal furniture; or relying on outdated hardware and broadband packages.

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However, the biggest 'speed killer' could actually be the use of a VPN.

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Your VPN could be slowing down your traffic on the wrong apps, according to experts

VPNs, or virtual private networks, are a popular way for people to anonymise their browsing. They're handy if you want to avoid being tracked online by advertisers or even accessing region-specific streaming content. But while VPNs protect your privacy, they could also be slowing your downloads.

Isabelle Bild from Gaming Gadgets said: "VPNs protect your data but in the process can cut your internet speed by 50%.

"While this isn't noticed when you are browsing the regular internet, when you use a VPN for streaming movies or games it can become apparent. If you do need to use a VPN when using the internet try to use a location that is close to your physical location, this will improve your connection speed."

The good news is that you don't have to deactivate your VPN entirely in order to stay protected.

Ms. Bild recommends that VPN users try something called 'split tunnelling', which basically allows you to apply the VPN only to certain kinds of apps. Not every VPN provider offers this but the most popular ones, including NordVPN, do on certain platforms. To activate it, you basically go to your VPN app and then select which programmes you want to be included or excluded from your VPN.

Ciaran Daly