Five Ways to Make Your PSN Downloads Faster

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There remains a fairly common request when dealing with the PlayStation Network (PSN) that has to do with achieving faster download speeds.

The digital media entertainment platform from Sony has grown substantially over the past years and with games reaching larger file sizes than ever before, players struggling with their internet connections are likely to become overwhelmed.

There are a few ways and tricks to gain a more stable and faster connectivity on your console. The following five methods should help you download from the PSN at a much faster rate.

Using wired instead of wireless connections

There is a golden saying that connecting a console to a router or network through a physical cable is always the best way to ensure stable and dependable connectivity. This remains true in this age despite several improvements made to wireless connections over the years.

Relinquishing trailing cables does save cost and makes for clean setups that most hardware enthusiasts often desire. However, the benefits of a wired medium are always going to outweigh the convenience of a wireless one.

The fact is that signal interference can mess with wireless connections and weak signals can prove frustrating if the network has been established by a novice.

While the traditional Ethernet cabling has its own set of problems, it still offers a robust solution as well as the most bandwidth in comparison based on location.

These are elements that should be taken into consideration when setting up an internet connection. You should always go the wired way to ensure the best possible download speed from the PSN for your beloved console.

Paying for the best internet connection

It is only logical to pay for the fastest internet connection available, and common sense to do so with an internet provider that offers the best service possible.

While standard broadband is decent for regular browsing and small use, it is never an option when it comes to downloading huge files from the PSN and that too at regular intervals. Here is where Fibre comes in with optic technology to not only boost the download speed by ten (or more) times but also provide reliability.

This will, however, come at a cost. Fibre connections are still expensive but not as much as they were a few years back. In addition, their availability depends upon location but providers have started expanding to cover ground.

There are definitely a few hits with Fibre but none of them concern performance. If your area supports the optic broadband, apply for a connection right now and see those download timers diminish.

Putting the PlayStation 4 into “Rest Mode”

Leaving behind the aforementioned exterior methods, there is one proven way to download faster from the PSN through the PlayStation 4 itself. While this trick is pretty popular, there are still many who have no idea about it.

The solution is to place the console into “Rest Mode” by holding down the “PlayStation Button” to bring up the “Quick Menu” on the screen. From here, select “Power” and then choose “Enter Rest Mode” to enable a low-power mode that helps speed up the download rate.

However, there is one little change needed beforehand. Head into “Settings” and then find the “Power Saving” functions. Check the box that reads “Stay Connected to the Internet” to ensure that files continue to download during the rest period or else there would be no point.

Changing the DNS on PlayStation 4

The following method has proven to help some but not all who face sluggish downloading speeds on the PSN.

It involves changing the default DNS to use the one from Google instead. Simply head into “Settings” and find the “Network” tab. From here, select “Set Up Internet Connection” and choose your desired setup. Finish by selecting “Custom” and entering the following details:

• IP Address Settings = Automatic
• DHCP Host Name = Do Not Specify
• DNS Settings = Manual
• Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8
• Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4
• MTU Settings: Automatic
• Proxy Server: Do Not Use

Once the new settings have been logged, make sure to restart the console once before opening up the PlayStation Store.

Pausing and then Resuming

The last method to increase download speeds on the PSN could be or not be placebo. There are some who claim the following to work wonders and others who deem it as nothing more than a myth. Hence, the best way to figure out the truth is to personally give it a go.

If the download meter is crawling along, pausing and then resuming can result in a significant boost. Simply access your downloads from the notification panel at the top of the home screen and then highlight the intended item.

There is probably some logic behind this feat, provided that it works.