All online surfers will attest to the importance of their internet speed when they browse websites, download as well as upload files. Majority of the internet users have even upgrade their internet connectivity from dial-up to broadband connection to enjoy faster surfing. But what are you going to so when you believe that you are not getting the right internet speed despite the upgrade?

You can always check if you are getting the right internet speed by visiting online speed test sites where you can subject your current speed using the tools available in the websites. In just a matter of a minute or two, you will be able to see what speed you are actually getting as compared to the speed your internet connectivity is provisioned for. You can also check both your download speed and upload speed.

It is important to realize at this point that the provisioned speed given to you by your ISP will not always be your actual internet speed. There are many factors to consider why this isn't so, such as how far your location is from the DSLAM (where your connectivity originates), internet traffic, bandwidth, your hardware (computer, router, or modem) and software (operating system), your environment (other broadband users within the community or neighborhood), among others.

When you are checking your internet speed online, it will help that you close all programs that are running in your computer to ensure accuracy of the speed test.

You must also protect your hardware, your computer specifically from malware such as viruses, spyware, and adware as they have the capability to slow down your internet speed. As a matter of fact, studies show that malware programs are the primary reason for slow connectivity. It is therefore important that you have the latest or updated anti-malware software program installed in your computer to address slow connectivity.

Another basic thing to do in ensuring you are experiencing the right internet speed is to optimize your browser.

There are several ways to optimize the browser, depending on what browser you are using. If you are using internet explorer version 7, all you have to do is to click on tools>delete browsing history>delete all. To optimize Mozilla Firefox, you only need to click on tools>clear private data>clear private data now. You can optimize Google Chrome browser by clicking on the tools icon on the upper right side, from the dropdown menu click on clear browsing data, that simple.

You can also find several optimization software programs you can choose to download from the internet that will help you clear your unnecessary files and speed up your internet speed. These software programs will also usually include automation of clearing your system with unnecessary files, defragmenting your disk, prevent unwanted programs that start-up automatically that will all help to speed up your connectivity.

So, when you think that you are not getting the right internet speed, don't fret as the internet gives you powerful tools to check your connectivity issues after which you can do some simple troubleshooting steps.