Password protecting my internet?

i have verizon DSL and i assume other people (neighbors) are using my connection, cause my internet ping times are high and i have a slow connection, could this be this case or some other reason...

i have a spyware and ad ware protection, and i defragment my computer ever 2 weeks..my computer is only 5 months old and i have windows xp if this helps any...

Password protecting my internet?computer security

If you just have a straight cabled connection to the internet using one PC, no one else is using your PC. You probably have high ping times and a slow connection because you're on during peak times when others are also using the internet in your area. You may also be at a far distance from the connection where Verizon has you set up. The farther the distance, the slower your connection will be.

Password protecting my internet?free spyware remobal

Mr. Brightside's answer is good. You can also try shutting off your modem and then restarting it after, say, 15 seconds or so (sometimes a cache problem in the modem can slow you down).

In addition, you can check your bandwidth speeds. Google speed test and choose one; CNet's is easy to understand.

If the results are close to the service you pay for (say, 90% or so), then you can speed it up only by buying a higher level of service. If the results are not consistent with what you pay for, contact your Internet service provider's tech support.