federal government classifies broadband as a connection that runs at a speed of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) or faster.’ data-reactid=”26″>Check your internet service provider (ISP) bill to see what kind of network speed you’re paying for. The federal government classifies broadband as a connection that runs at a speed of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) or faster.
If you’re running, say, 50 Mbps, and you’ve got a house with 5 people streaming video, video conferencing, playing games, and downloading large files, you could be bumping up against your bandwidth limit.
Your best bet is to upgrade to a faster data plan with your ISP. Most people with multiple devices in their homes likely won’t need anything faster than 100 Mbps.
Comcast (CMCSA) and Cox are currently increasing the speed of some of their entry-level network offerings to ensure users can get online throughout April and into May.’ data-reactid=”30″>If the price of such a plan is too high for your budget, speak with your service provider. Companies including Comcast (CMCSA) and Cox are currently increasing the speed of some of their entry-level network offerings to ensure users can get online throughout April and into May.
Believe it or not, where you put your router in your home can make a massive difference in your connection speeds. Think of your router as the center of a large bubble. Everything inside that bubble, which represents your router’s range, should be able to get online with ease.
But if you place your router down near the floor or in a cabinet, you’re shrinking that bubble’s ability to touch all of the points in your home within its range. Instead, keep it out in the open as much as possible, such as on a shelf.
In recent years, tech companies have recognized that people usually hide their routers, because they’re kind of ugly. As a result, new routers are designed to look more appealing, to get consumers to put them in an open space.
So you’re paying for a top-flight network connection, and your router isn’t locked away in your TV cabinet, but your connection is still sluggish.
You might simply need to update your router’s firmware. Yes, like most internet-connected gadgets in your home, your router received periodic updates from its manufacturer that can improve its performance.
Where you place your router can have a serious impact on overall performance. (Image: Amazon)
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Once you have access to your router’s settings, you should be able to download and install the new firmware to it without a problem.
If you’re working at home, especially if you’ve got kids, you may find yourself posting up in places you’d never thought you would just to get some peace and quiet. We’re talking the bedroom, the kitchen, the basement, a closet, whatever. And while you may have been able to browse the web in those spots before, video chatting during a meeting could be out of the question.
To fix that, you may want to opt for a Wi-Fi extender. You’ve likely seen these devices before. They plug into a wall outlet, and literally extend your existing Wi-Fi connection by amplifying it to other areas of your home.
Wi-Fi extenders can improve the range of your connection, but won’t boost your speed. (Image: Linksys)
But they aren’t perfect. You’re not going to get better speeds than your current router already offers, and setting up an extender can mean creating a separate network that you have to connect to when you move into different parts of your home.
Say, for example, you’re working in your living room, but the kids want to watch TV. So you decide to head upstairs to work in the bedroom. Moving upstairs might mean having to jump on the Wi-Fi extender network. And while it’s not a major issue, it can be a pain.
Still, if you don’t mind the inconvenience, it’s a solid option.
For my money, a mesh network router is your best option if you’re seeing slowdowns or poor connectivity in certain parts of your home. A mesh network is a series of routers that send the exact same signals across your network. It more or less creates one massive network that you can push to a number of areas of your home.
Mesh networks work by having a single node function as the main router, and at least one or two others working as an extension of the base router’s functionality.
Mesh routers, like the Eero system, can drastically improve your network performance across your home. (Image: Amazon)
The nodes work like your average router, sending out a bubble of connectivity, so you’ll still want to place them in the open. But since you’ll have them spread around your house, you shouldn’t see any real connectivity issues.
I set up a mesh network in my in-laws’ place and their connectivity went from virtually nonexistent in their basement to more than fast enough to stream Netflix and other video services without a problem.
Got a tip? Email Daniel Howley at danielphowley@protonmail.com or dhowley@yahoofinance.com, and follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.‘ data-reactid=”126″>Got a tip? Email Daniel Howley at danielphowley@protonmail.com or dhowley@yahoofinance.com, and follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
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- The Year the Internet Thought I Was MacKenzie Bezos – WIRED
- Easy ways to get the fastest internet connection possible in your home – Komando
- Elon Musk says Starlink internet private beta to begin in roughly three months, public beta in six – TechCrunch
- Verizon is canceling home internet installations during the pandemic – The Verge
- Ethiopia’s internet shutdowns are disrupting millions of lives – Quartz Africa
- How to check if your service provider is throttling your internet – CNET
- 8 charts on internet use around the world as countries grapple with COVID-19 – Pew Research Center
- Welcome (Back) to the Appointment Internet – New York Magazine
- How to boost your internet speed when everyone is working from home – The Conversation AU