How to troubleshoot ORB internet speed problems

Before you begin troubleshooting the performance of your ORB internet connection, we suggest that you perform a ORB Broadband Speedtest to confirm your current connection speed.

Also confirm the guaranteed minimum download speed you are paying for from ORB.

You can get this info by checking your ORB broadband bill, your ORB contract or by contacting ORB.

Probable causes of ORB’s slow broadband performance

Is it the ORB internet connection that is slow or could it be your device (PC/laptop/phone)?

You need to consider how many apps are currently running on your device.

The performance issue may be due to over-utilization of your system resources e.g Memory/CPU Processor and as opposed to an issue with ORB’s internet connection.

If you are on a laptop then you can use the task manager to see your Processor and Memory utilization.

On any other device, you should try restarting the device which hopefully should shutdown all apps that may be hogging your device resources.

Run the ORB Speed checker on your PC and your mobile phone to check how the results compare between the two devices.

Hopefully this should provide you with more info to work with in terms of whether the issue is with your PC/Smartphone or the ORB internet connection.

• What does the ORB download and upload speed mean?
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• Five tips to improve your ORB broadband speed
• DNS hack to improve internet browsing speed on ORB

Is the Wi-Fi network the problem?

The cause of the performance issue may be your Wi-Fi network as opposed to the ORB broadband internet connection.

You could rule out the Wifi network by simply connecting your PC directly to the ORB broadband router using an ethernet cable and then run the ORB Speed test again.

If the speed checker result improves when you are connected via an ethernet cable, this shows that the problem may be with the wireless.

A few other things to check:

• Are the WiFi channels that you’re using for your wireless network network (SSID) overlapping with the neighbours?
• Is the wireless network signal from the wireless router obstructed?
• Does the performance improve when your are stood right infront of the ORB wireless router?

Who is connected to my Wi-Fi network?

Have you checked that your wireless network password has not been hacked? Do you have an open wireless network? How strong is your Wi-Fi network password? It could be time to change it.

Neighbours could be using your Wi-Fi network and using up all your ORB bandwidth by downloading, uploading or even streaming music or videos over your ORB internet connection! Worse still, they may be conducting illegal activities over your ORB internet connection.

Here are 3 apps to use to analyze your Wifi network to see who is connected:

• Windows users can use Wireless network watcher
• IOS users can use whoFi (who is on my Wifi)
• WiFi scanning tool WiFi Analyzer

The above software will scan your Wifi network and produce a list of the devices connected.

• How to see who’s on your ORB Wifi network

Should I get a wireless network booster for my ORB broadband?

You may discover that you have wireless coverage gaps at your property, a wireless extender also known as a Wifi Booster is the best solution to strengthen your wireless signal to cover any coverage holes.

• Cheapest Wifi Signal Boosters

The Wi-Fi network extender picks up your existing wireless signal as it is becoming weaker and re-transmits the Wifi signal to extend it’s reach.

Place the Wifi extender near where your wireless network signal from your ORB internet router is starting to become weaker.

Place it approximately where your wireless signal drops down to two signal bars. Walk around your property with a mobile phone to determine where this location is.

When was the last time you upgraded the ORB internet router?

The ORB and broadband infrastructure, in general, are constantly upgraded to provide new features and improve performance as technology evolves.  Always ensure that your ORB internet router is running the most up to date software.

Most ORB internet routers will allow you to carry out the software upgrade by simply logging on the ORB broadband router and simply clicking a button to perform the upgrade.

If you can’t do this, contact ORB and they will be able to do this for you or alternatively, guide you through the process.

As well as updating the software, if you have had the same router for a long period, it’s probably worth talking to ORB to request for a hardware upgrade.

Is the issue external to your home (at the exchange)?

This is probably the most likely cause for ORB broadband performance problems in your area and is more common for broadband connections that are delivered using copper phone lines.

If you’re not sure if this is relevant in your case, contact ORB who will be able to conduct the appropriate line tests to check if there is a fault on the ORB broadband line.

Is the performance issue because of ORB broadband congestion?

If you are finding that the ORB internet connection speed in your area is slow during certain periods i.e. over weekends or evenings, then it may be due to congestion during peak times.

• What is Broadband Contention Ratio and does ORB have contention?

You should speak to ORB to check your guaranteed speed.

Find Best Alternatives to ORB Broadband

 

Re-testing your ORB broadband connection

After the problem has been fixed either by yourself or ORB, retest your broadband connection using  at least 2 independent Speedtests to ensure the problem is resolved:

• • Use the ookla internet broadband speed checker to test your ORB broadband
  • Check your ORB broadband speed using Ookla Offical Speed Test
  • Test your ORB internet connectionspeed using fast.com speed test
  • Check My Broadband Speed Checker ORB broadband speed checker
  • • 0845UK Broadband Speedtest and troubleshooting