Don't do it all at once

The more things you do on the web, and the more computers, smartphones and tablets online at once, the more bandwidth you need – and the more your speed could be affected. You could try leaving any downloads until after you’ve done your other bits

Keep your computer up to date

You'll get the best security and performance by regularly updating your computer with the latest version of your operating system and other software. Staying up to date is easy, too. If you're a Windows user, just make sure Windows Update is always turned on (more info here), and if you want to run a thorough check for software updates, try the Secunia Personal Software Inspector*.

Banish those internet nasties

Viruses, malware and spyware are all types of programs that can find their way onto your computer and damage your important files. They don’t just slow down your computer; they are also likely to slow down your entire broadband speed, too. If your computer struggles with even simple operations, get some security software (like our free Virgin Media Security) and scan your computer. It’ll search for and fix any corrupted files on your computer and gently nurse it back to health again.

Find out more about viruses and spyware

Find and stop hidden apps

Just because you can’t see a program or app on your computer doesn’t mean it’s not running in the background, eating up your precious bandwidth. Even if they’re doing something useful, they can still slow you down. Peer-to-peer programs (which share your content with other users) are particularly bad for this. Try to schedule your downloads for when you’re not using your broadband. And if you find you don’t use an application, you might just want to uninstall it completely. To search for and remove any peer-to-peer software on your computer, try this useful piece of software*.

Get the latest web browser

Older versions of web browsers can actually make your broadband seem slower because they don’t load pages with pictures as quickly. To make sure you’ve got the latest version and the fastest speeds, just visit your browser’s web page where you should be able to download it for free. Just do a web search for your favourite browser and it will show you how to download it.