Fast Internet is a matter of course in many places. In Germany, however, the nationwide expansion leaves much to be desired, although politics and research have long agreed on the importance. As the responsibility of economically oriented companies has been placed in the hands of an independent authority, rural regions in particular have been left behind. In contrast to cities, the expansion there is not very lucrative. By checking DSL availability, local offers can be determined and speeds can be optimized with little tricks. Windows 10 requires special attention in connection with updates to prevent problems with streaming, downloading, etc. DSL independence, on the other hand, promises homespot tariffs.
A test on independent comparison portals can determine whether DSL is available in the desired region. You check the offers in the connection areas free of charge, automatically and in a few seconds. Broadband DSL is particularly expensive, especially in rural areas. Thanks to access technologies such as VDSL , the expansion is at least being continuously boosted. Fiber optic cables bridge distances and enable up to 50 Mbit / s. In vectoring , the speed is mostly up to 100 Mbit / s. Similar to electricity providers, switching DSL providers can be worthwhile due to attractive new customer bonuses and non-cash rewards. While 1 & 1 currently (as of 2.09.19) provides, among other things, WiFi-enabled devices or price advantages of 240 euros when DSL rates 50, 100 and 250 are taken out, Modeo beckons with game consoles and cashback, plus a Vodafone starting credit. At https://www.vnunet.de/dsl-vertrag-praemie/ current DSL contracts with the best premiums for exchange and new customers were arranged. One of the recommendations to consumers with a current DSL contract with regard to bonuses and associated new customer conditions when switching is: “In order to fully exploit the savings potential, you should first cancel and then book again as a new customer.”
We have summarized here how you can find DSL contracts that are as cheap as possible.
Tuning options for more speed
A restart of the router is one of the first actions if the DSL modem does not synchronize with the remote station at the desired speed or the speed promised by the provider. If the internet is still sluggish afterwards, it is advisable to contact the provider. A change of provider may be the only way to benefit from more speed. But be careful: the downstream is usually sold as “up to” size. The maximum speed of 200 Mbit / s, for example, is only the ideal case.
In Windows 10, the Internet seems to partially apply the handbrake. Many users are at a loss. The automatic update function of the operating system could be the reason for the snail’s pace. As part of the optimization of the transmission of Windows updates, updates and apps are not only transferred via the Microsoft servers, but also with the help of the computers of its customers. The data is distributed from computer to computer. The function is said to be used only when the corresponding user does not currently need the required bandwidth. Nevertheless, negative effects on the upload speed are conceivable. Therefore, the following applies to Windows 10: Switch off the function! To deactivate it, you must first open the “Update & Security” or “Advanced Options” settings and then “Transmission optimization” must be switched off.
The following also applies: In many cases of slow internet, the radio network is to blame because it does not distribute traffic at full speed. The WLAN may overlap with that of the neighbor or the location of the WLAN router is simply not optimal. Tools such as Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector or Ekahau HeatMapper help with problem analysis and finding solutions. SG TCP Optimizer and many other tools help you optimize network settings. Other offers include:
- DSL speed
- TweakMaster
- cFosSpeed
- DSL help (Telekom Deutschland GmbH)
Whether YouTube or streaming services like Netflix: DSL, Windows or the radio network are not always to blame for jerky content, sound dropouts or still images. Individual speed tests bring clarity.
You can find out online what you need to successfully set up DSL in conjunction with Windows. How the whole thing works with Provider 1 & 1, for example, can be found in the official step-by-step instructions at https://support.microsoft.com/de-de/help/.
Surfing without DSL with Homespot – unfortunately reduced to home
So-called homespots are mini-routers with an integrated SIM card that receive data via a mobile network and convert it into WLAN signals. A practical option for business travelers, mobile offices and vacationers who only need a connection temporarily because DSL is not available, but electricity does. Such a backup also benefits those who rely on a stable internet connection every day, but who regularly have to cope with failures locally. Vodafone calls its WLAN LTE router GigaCube . The standard LTE speed is a maximum of 300 Mbit / s, up to 500 Mbit / s in the premium version. Telekom has been offering “ Take- away WiFi †via the Speedbox since early 2019 . Users can surf here with up to 300 Mbit / s.
Source photo & graphic at https://pixabay.com/: “Bru-nO” & “mohamed_hassan”