Keeping everything safe and secure has numerous benefits for all Internet users. It can help you get the best speeds from your broadband connection by preventing others from stealing your speeds. Internet security suites can also prevent your computer from getting viruses or picking up spyware, which can slow down your computer and make tasks like surfing the web seem painfully slow.

Not only this, but it can also protect important information like your bank details and passwords, and shield your family from unsuitable Website.

For more information see below:

How can I protect my wireless connection?

If you are using a wireless connection, we recommend that you make sure your wireless network is password protected. Remember, your speed will be shared amongst every device that’s using your connection. That means if anyone steals your connection it can seriously affect your speed – especially if they are performing bandwidth intensive tasks like downloading or streaming films.

By making sure your network is secured with a password, you can will prevent other people from using your connection. Most TalkTalk routers have a password active as standard.

Find out more about Wireless Network Passwords.

How can I prevent viruses and spyware?

Both viruses and spyware can have a huge effect on your computer speed. Spyware can slow your computer down by consuming its resources and making all tasks – including using the internet – seem sluggish. Viruses can eat up a connection by performing repetitive tasks like sending countless emails to propagate itself, leaving little computing power or connection speed for very much else.

To prevent getting your computer from becoming infected, it’s a good idea to find yourself a good internet Security System and keep it running at all times. If you find your computer slowing down all of a sudden, it might be worth performing a full virus scan.

How can I protect my bank details and passwords?

Internet security suites and firewalls can help prevent others from stealing valuable information from you, like bank details and passwords. For additional security you can always download our award winning Super Safe Boost which keeps your PC or laptop protected against viruses wherever you go.

How can I protect my family online?

To keep your family safe and secure online, make sure you activate our HomeSafe™ network level security. This is free for all TalkTalk customers and includes parental controls to protect your family from unsuitable websites.

Unfortunately there are a number of factors that can affect your broadband speed even before it reaches your property. These are factors and issues common to all broadband customers, no matter which Internet Service Provider they are with.

We are always improving our technology to improve speed and signals to all our customers. One such technology is Superfast Fibre Broadband, which we are rolling out across the UK. Find out more.

Select one of the factors below for more information:

• Distance from the telephone exchange
• The time of day
• Phone line faults
• Weather conditions
• Individual websites

Distance from the telephone exchange

Unfortunately, while copper wire phone lines aren’t the best technology for running broadband signals through, it’s the technology that almost all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have to work with. It’s what we all use to transfer the broadband signal from the local telephone exchange to your property.

Just like with the internal wiring in your property, the further the broadband signal has to travel the more distorted and slower it can become by the time it reaches your property. So the further from the exchange you live, the lower your maximum broadband speed is likely to be.

Most ISPs have to share exchanges, so unfortunately you’ll have the same effect from the telephone line whoever you go with.

We’re rolling out Superfast Fibre Broadband to new areas all the time, this is much better because the amount of copper line used is only between your property and the local green street cabinet. 

The Time of Day

This is just like when you share the broadband connection in your property with lots of other devices, only on a much larger scale. When lots of people go online at the same time this can lead to high levels of congestion on the internet in general.

It’s worth keeping in mind that you might not be able to get full speeds during the daily peak time (usually between 7pm – 9pm) when everyone is rushing to get online at the same time. Try outside of these hours to see if things improve.

Phone line faults

If the local phone line has been damaged in some way or has suffered vandalism, then this can have a big effect on your speeds. If you find you’re having any problems with your phone, like noise on the line, then it’s very likely you’ll have problems with your broadband too.

If this has happened, then engineers will be on the case and look to have it fixed as soon as possible. Though please be aware that if there have been a lot of incidents, repair times might increase as OpenReach engineers try to fill the backlog.

Weather Conditions

Adverse weather conditions like heavy rain and flooding, snow and frost can cause people in the affected area’s connections to slow, especially if they live far from the exchange. Bad weather can cause cables to corrode or cause shorts, resulting in signals needing to be retransmitted and connections slowing down.

If the phone cables do become damaged, then OpenReach Engineers will do their best to repair them as soon as possible. Unfortunately, during times when the weather has been exceptionally bad, this can lead to a backlog and things might not be repaired as quickly as we’d all hope.

Individual Websites

If a website is particularly busy and everyone is trying to view it at the same time, then you might find it loads slower than you’re used to. Unfortunately there’s not much we can do except recommend you remain patient, keep trying or try again later.

We're sorry you're thinking of leaving us. As a valued customer we don't want to see you go, but whatever your reason for leaving you’ll need to speak to us on the phone to discuss your account and cancellation. Our dedicated team are here to help so please get in touch on the number below:

If you're thinking of switching to another provider, it's worth knowing all the facts so you can make the right decision for you. TalkTalk customers save on average £94 vs BT so there are plenty of great benefits of being a TalkTalk customer.

The benefits of being a TalkTalk customer:

1. When we say totally unlimited we mean it – all our packages are 100% totally unlimited without caps or penalties like BT's £5.60 fee for every 5GB over your usage allowance on capped packages.

2. Pay the same price even if you're out of contract - BT charge up to £144 per year extra for being out of contract

3. Enjoy free calls to all TalkTalk households – natter away to your heart’s content.

4. Make international calls that don’t cost the earth – add our International Calls and Global Minutes Boosts.

5. Save on your precious mobile minutes with our new Talk2Go App.

6. Choose your favourite TV Boosts - dip in & out of the best movies, entertainment and sports for just a month at a time.

7. Take the TV you love on the go with TV2Go and get hooked on a new series with Netflix.

8. Take your pick from some of the best value SIM plans in Britain with TalkTalk Mobile

9. Get your hands on the latest, superhot smartphones with more data at this price than 02, Vodafone, EE and the rest!

10. Stay in control of your bills with our simple bill busters

11. Enjoy 10% off your line rental with our value line rental option.

12. We’ve got more free calling features like Voicemail and Last Caller Barring than any other provider - saving you £153.60 a year in calling features vs. BT 

Save even more money with TalkTalk

TalkTalk offer some incredibly smart and simple ways to save money, as well as helpful ways to manage your bill so it works for you. Visit our Bill Busters to find out more.

Moving home?

If you're moving home, it couldn't be simpler to take your TalkTalk services with you to your new home. Our quick, easy and hassle-free online home move service will help you arrange everything in a few steps and there's no charge for your move. You'll begin a new 18 month contract at your new home too.

Having speed issues? 

You can check the speed of your broadband connection by visiting the service centre using the button below. You'll also find help to troubleshoot any problems and get the best out of your speeds. If you want faster broadband, why not consider upgrading to Fibre? Learn more and check whether it's available for you below.

Having other problems with your service?

If you're leaving us because you think we could do better, please tell us and we'll do everything we can to fix it. Visit How do I make a complaint? for details.

We're award winning...

In recognition of our promise to always offer better value, we’ve beaten the likes of BT, Virgin Media & Sky to win several awards. We’re now Best Value Broadband, Phone & TV provider as rated by SimplifyDigital, uSwitch Best TV Provider 2015 and Best Value TV Provider in the MoneySuperMarket Broadband Supers 2015. With plenty of exciting plans to make TalkTalk even better, the awards look set to continue!

 

 

Protect yourself and your family online with our award winning software developed by Internet security specialist F-Secure. The Super Safe Boost protects you against Internet threats including viruses, worms, spyware, phishing attacks, hackers and also includes parental controls.

This software is for computers running Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS only. To protect other devices like Tablets and Smart phones we recommend activating our Virus Alerts which are free as part of our HomeSafe® package.

To change the administrator password please follow the instructions for your router below:

This simple step-by-step guide will show you how to set up and connect online in no time. You can connect either wirelessly, or with a yellow Ethernet cable.

Add   PDF Full setup guide

This simple step-by-step guide will show you how to set up and connect online in no time. You can connect either wirelessly, or with a yellow Ethernet cable.

Add   PDF Full setup guide

Since it’s your router that gives out the broadband signal in your property, it’s no surprise that routers have an effect on broadband signals and speeds. While computers and the other devices you connect to your broadband won’t have an effect on the speed itself, they themselves can become slow, making your connection seem slow.

Here are some of most common ways your devices can affect your broadband:

• Router age and software updates
• Computer and device limitations
• Running software and applications
• Wireless and wired connections
• Sharing your connection

Router age and software updates

Although you may be receiving much higher speeds through your phone line, if you have an old router or a router in need of a software update you might find it struggles to keep up. That’s because the speed you experience depends on the signal your router is giving out. This can make your connection seem slower than it actually is.

If your router is very old, then you might want to upgrade to a newer model. You can find a selection of our latest routers in the TalkTalk Shop.

TalkTalk routers are the best bet for TalkTalk customers as they already have the required settings installed, making setup much easier. These would have to be installed manually on routers bought from elsewhere.

Computer and device limitations

If your computer or device is slow, then any task that device performs will seem slow. This includes tasks like surfing the web. Devices can slow down with age when the components start to age or the memory becomes short. Some netbooks and tablets can also struggle if their components aren’t built to cope with the software or programs it is running.

Viruses and spyware can also slow down your computer. Spyware can slow down your computer by consuming its resources while viruses can eat up a connection by performing repetitive tasks like sending countless emails to propagate itself, leaving little computing power or connection speed for very much else.

To avoid these we recommend you install a good computer security suite that can both protect your computer and clean it if it becomes infected.

Find out more.

Running software and applications

Having software or applications running in the background can also slow your computer or device down. This will have an effect on all the tasks it performs, including those using the internet, making your broadband connection seem slower than it actually is. Large applications like games that take up a lot of memory are the worst offenders.

Virus checkers and internet security suites can also cause some older computers to slow. However, we don’t recommend closing those as the viruses and spyware you might get as a result will end up slowing your connection (and your computer) even more.

Wireless and wired connection

The further away from the router you are, then the weaker the signal will be and the slower the connection. Simply getting closer can help speed things up.

Although it’s not always convenient, a wired connection can be faster and more stable than a wireless connection. If you are after a guaranteed connection while streaming or buying tickets online, try connecting to your router by Ethernet cable.

If wireless is your preferred connection then we have Wi-Fi Powerline Adapters available in our shop, these will help extend your wireless range around your home and help improve connectivity in previously hard to reach areas and help improve your speed. For help connecting Wi-Fi Powerline Adapters

Sharing the connection

If lots of people are using the internet at the same time, your speed on each device is going to be slower. That’s because your total broadband speed is shared amongst each device that’s using the connection.

Tasks like downloading, streaming or online gaming can also take a heavy toll. It’s best not to do all these at the same time if you want to get the most from your speed.

For instance, an online gamer is likely to experience a lot of lag if someone else is downloading a movie at the same time.