Broadband Speed Issues

Your broadband speeds can be affected by a range of factors which are not necessarily related to network problems. 

Slow speeds are not necessarily always related to network problems. They can be caused by many onsite/premise factors such as the positioning of a router, the condition/specification of your equipment onsite and the WiFi channel a router is using. You can check the speed of your business broadband service in a couple of steps – just go to Performing a Broadband speed test.

Online support to enable you to get the best speed from your broadband service is also available at Tips for getting the best speeds.

Please do take a look at these useful tips first before getting in touch. We know it’s frustrating when things go wrong and we’re working hard to resolve any issues. If you’re still experiencing slow speeds with your Virgin Media Business broadband service after following the online guidance, please get in touch with our team directly.

Virgin Media Ireland is investing in our ultrafast network all the time. This year we are also investing heavily to upgrade network capacity where it’s needed to meet the growing demand for faster broadband speeds across Ireland. 

Performing a broadband speed test

To test the speed of your service please follow the steps below.

Step 1: Using the CAT5e Ethernet cable supplied with your Router, connect your computer to one of the Ethernet ports on the Router.  To ensure that no other traffic is using the connection whilst the test is run disconnect any devices usually connected to the router and turn off WiFi.   

Step 2: Go to our speed test website – this is the only approved speed test site for the Virgin Media network. 

The test provides a set of results that can be compared against the headline speed you have bought from Virgin Media Business. 

Tips for best speed

Your Business Broadband connection shares bandwidth across all of your users and devices. In theory the greater the bandwidth of your service the more devices you’ll be able to support but if you use them all at the same time your broadband speed will suffer. Try to stagger downloading large files or run updates outside office hours to ease congestion. 

You’ll need to understand your network to determine if the volume of traffic is appropriate for the service you have purchased. Too many devices, too much concurrent traffic, hosting of servers generating high volumes of upload traffic may mean it’s necessary to upgrade the service or choose an alternative solution altogether. 

Devices perform differently. The cheaper and older the device the less likely it is to deliver great speeds. If the device is a Router, Firewall or Switch and located at the hub of your network then it’s really important that this is up to the job. Keep your devices current. 

With most devices connected wirelessly, the configuration and location of your WiFi is very important to ensure best speeds.

  • Locate your WiFi access point as close to your devices as possible, avoid placing it on the floor, in amongst electrical items or shutting it away in a cabinet. These will only weaken the signal and impact coverage and speeds. 

  • WiFi can become crowded especially where several other WiFi networks exist. The WiFi access point will transmit a radio signal on a particular wireless channel within the 5GHx and 2.4GHz bands. If another nearby wireless device is transmitting on the same channel, the two will be fighting it out for the airwaves. By rebooting your broadband router it will automatically pick the least congested channel, so it’s a good idea to do this every now and again just in case a new wireless device is competing for the airwaves. 

  • Our Hitron CGNv4 supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz concurrently. The 5GHz channel is capable of higher speeds so please ensure you have selected the 5GHz channel on your device if it supports it.
     
  • If you have walls and doors between you and your WiFi access point you may need to purchase a booster or range extender. If you’re still having issues please get in touch with our team directly. 
 
 
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