There are several applications that you can download for free that will tweak your computer, and allow your internet to run the way it should do.

In my written instructions for each application, boxes you need to click for each step are in italics.

1. General Internet Speed: You can tweak your windows registry using TCP Optimizer.

a) SpeedGuide.net TCP Optimizer *Doesnt need Installing.
Direct DL Link: http://www.speedguide.net/files/TCPOptimizer.exe
Website: http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php

Once it’s open, click Modify All Network Adapters then click the bubble next to optimal settings. Then Slide the connection speed to your match your approximate broadband speed. If you don’t know your broadband speed go to www.speedtest.net. Once done, click apply and reset your computer. (A quick note to remember, all these settings are applied to your specific broadband connection.)

b) Turn off QoS Packet Scheduler

Go to control panel and then network connections. Right click the connection you’re using for your internet. (It will be “local area connection” if you’re using a cable and “wireless area connection” if you’re using wireless.)  Then click properties. Untick “QoS Packet Scheduler” and click ok.

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2. Torrent Downloading: The best torrent client by far is uTorrent.

a) Download uTorrent 2.0.3
Direct DL Link: http://www.filehippo.com (Download the latest version)
Website: http://www.utorrent.com/

Run the Set-up guide. (Press Ctrl+G to bring it up) Set the test location (I used London, UK) and click Run Tests at the bottom. You should then get your results:

Make sure your upload limit is set at 80% of what your connection can handle. Utorrent should do this for you.
As you can see my result was 108.7kB/s but it set my upload limit to 90.0kB/s. These settings are all fine.

b) Advanced uTorrent Settings

Get into Preferences (Ctrl + P)  and then go to these sections and make sure the following are ticked:

1. Connection
- Enable UPnP port mapping
- Enable NAT-PMP port mapping
- Add Windows Firewall exception

2. Bittorrent
- Enable DHT Network
- Enable DHT for new torrents
- Enable local Peer Discovery
- Enable bandwidth management
- Enable peer exchange
- Ask tracker for scrape information
- Protocol Encryption set to Outgoing: Enabled
- Allow incoming legacy connections

3. Advanced
- net.max_halfopen – set it to 60 from 8 and click set.
- peer.disconnect_inactive_interval – set it to 600 from 300 and click set.

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3. Internet Browsing: Stop using Internet Explorer, and get used to a much better, much faster browser. That being Google Chrome.

Google Chrome 6 Beta
Direct DL Link: http://www.filehippo.com
Website: http://www.google.com/chrome

Note*: Alternatively you could try out Firefox, however it is a little slower to run on older computers. On the plus side, it’s very customisable when it comes to add-ons etc.

Firefox 3.6.8
Direct DL Link: http://www.filehippo.com
Website: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/personal.html