FirstMile broadband Speed Checker
Simply click on the “Go” button on the Ookla Speed Check to see the broadband speed of your FirstMile internet connection.
Information on how to troubleshoot problems with your FirstMile broadband can be found below the speed test widget.
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How to troubleshoot FirstMile internet performance problems
Before starting to troubleshoot the speed of your FirstMile internet connection, we recommend that you run a FirstMile Internet Speedtest to confirm your current internet speed.
Also find out the guaranteed minimum download speed you are paying for from FirstMile.
You can find this info by checking your FirstMile broadband bill, your FirstMile contract or by contacting FirstMile.
Common causes of FirstMile’s slow internet performance
Is it the FirstMile broadband that is slow or is it your device (laptop/smartphone/PC)?
You need to check how many applications are running on your device.
The speed problem may be due to the over-utilization of your device’s resources e.g Memory/CPU Processor and as opposed to a problem with FirstMile’s internet connection.
If you are on a computer then you may use the task manager to see your Processor and Memory usage.
On other device, you should try rebooting the device which hopefully should shutdown all programs that may be hogging your device resources.
Run the FirstMile Speed test on your computer and your mobile phone to see how the results compare between the 2 devices.
Hopefully this should give you more info to help determine whether the issue is with your PC/Smartphone or the FirstMile broadband connection.
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Is your Wifi network the problem?
The cause of the performance issue could be your Wi-Fi network as opposed to the FirstMile internet connection.
You can rule out the wireless by simply connecting your computer directly into the FirstMile broadband router with an ethernet cable and then run the FirstMile Speedtest again.
If the speed checker result improves when you’re connected by an ethernet cable, this suggests that the problem could be with the Wifi network.
A few other things to check:
- Are the Wireless channels that you are using for your Wi-Fi network network (SSID) overlapping with the neighbours?
- Is your wireless network signal from the wireless router obstructed?
- Does the speed get better when you’re stood right infront of the FirstMile wireless router?
Who is connected to my Wi-Fi network?
Have you checked that your wireless network password has not been compromised? Do you have an un-secured wireless network? How strong is your Wi-Fi network password? It may be time to update it.
Neighbours could be on your Wifi network and using up all the FirstMile speed by downloading, uploading or even streaming music or videos on your FirstMile broadband connection! Worse still, they may be conducting illegal activities over your FirstMile internet connection.
There are 3 apps that you can potentially use to analyse your Wi-Fi network to check who’s connected:
- Microsoft users can use Wireless network watcher
- IOS users can use whoFi (who is on my Wifi)
- wireless network troubleshooting tool WiFi Analyzer
The above software will scan your wireless network and display a list of the connected devices.
Should I get a wireless booster for my FirstMile broadband?
If you discover that you have Wi-Fi coverage holes at your house, a Wifi extender also known as a wireless Booster may be the best solution to boost your Wi-Fi signal to cover any black holes.
The wireless booster picks up the existing Wifi signal just as it is starting to become weaker and re-transmits the Wifi signal to increase it’s coverage.
Position the Wi-Fi network extender near the position where your wireless network signal from the FirstMile internet router is starting to become weaker.
Position it near where your wireless signal is dropping down to 2 bars. Walk around your house with a mobile phone to find where this is.
When was the last time you upgraded the FirstMile broadband router?
The FirstMile and broadband infrastructure, in general, are frequently updated to support new features and improve reliability as technology evolves. Always ensure that your FirstMile broadband internet router is running the most up-to-date software.
The majority of FirstMile internet routers allow you to perform the software upgrade by simply logging on the FirstMile broadband router and simply clicking on a button to do the update.
If you can’t do this, get in touch with FirstMile and they will be able to do this for you or alternatively, guide you through performing the upgrade yourself.
In addition to upgrading the software, if you have had the same router for a long period, it may be worth speaking to FirstMile to request for a router upgrade.
Is the cause of the problem external to your home (at the exchange)?
This is probably the most common reason for FirstMile broadband performance problems in your home and is more common with broadband connections that are delivered through copper phone lines.
If you are not sure if this is applicable to you, you should contact FirstMile who will be able to run the relevant line tests to see if there is a problem on the FirstMile broadband connection.
Is it due to FirstMile Internet congestion?
If you are finding that the FirstMile internet connection speed in your area is slow during certain times i.e. over weekends or during the evening, then it may be because of congestion during peak hours.
You should contact FirstMile to find out your guaranteed speed.
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Re-testing your FirstMile broadband connection
After the fault has been resolved either by yourself or FirstMile, re-test your internet connection using at least two separate Speedtests to ensure the fault is fixed: