Once upon a time, not so long ago, just about every PC optimization suite included a module to “speed up your internet connection”.

They’re not so common these days because Windows’ own settings generally give good results, but if you’d like to try one for yourself then there are still some useful programs around.

SpeedGuide.net TCP Optimizer has been around for years, and is very convenient to use: there’s no installation required, and it runs on everything from Windows XP up.

To get started with the program, you must first choose the network adapter you’d like to optimize, then drag a slider to set your internet connection speed.

Next, choose the “Optimal” preset and SpeedGuide.net TCP Optimizer automatically calculates the best networking settings for your system.

Novices can apply an “optimal” preset with a click, experts are able to tweak each setting individually

Reboot when asked, then try your connection and see if you notice any difference.

Don’t expect too much. Unless your previous settings were totally messed up, you’re not going to find your download speed has doubled. When we tried it on a test laptop, download performance was exactly the same, but uploading was consistently around 10% faster, and even that was better than we expected.

If you don’t see any real change, it’s possible to view and manually tweak various Windows network settings, although you’ll need some networking expertise to figure them out.

If there’s still no improvement, or your connection seems slower (yes, that’s possible), then click File > Restore Backup Settings, choose a backup file (FirstBackup.spg was created on the program’s first launch, manual backups are named with the date and time they were created), apply the results and reboot to get everything back the way it was.

SpeedGuide.net TCP Optimizer is a free tool for Windows XP and later.