How Can I Make My Internet Speed Faster While Working Remotely?
For nearly a year, many of us who can work remotely have been doing so in the name of stopping the spread of this global virus. While there are many perks of working from home such as the ability to wear pajamas all day or avoiding a long commute to the office, there are some serious drawbacks to working remotely that have become painfully apparent over the last year. Internet speed tops the list of complaints from remote workers. Slow internet speeds are one of the top complaints from those who have the ability to work in the safety of their homes. Let’s review a few ways that you can counteract this growing problem until you can get back in the office and back to some semblance of “normal.”
Run a Speed Check
If you are going to start playing around with your home internet, you will want to have a good idea of where you are starting from. Running a “speed test” is a good place to start. There are plenty of free services on the web that'll help you determine where any weak links lie in regard to your Wi-Fi connection. Check out this free speed test by Ookla. CNet suggests that in doing one of these speed tests that you run a couple of tests at a time in various spots throughout your home where you'll be working and ballpark the average to get a sense of how your speeds hold up. If you're seeing download speeds that are less than half of what your internet plan allows for, or if your upload speeds are dramatically lower than your download speeds, then that might be a spot where you could improve things.
Check the Basics
Before you go out and buy a new router or range extenders, try some basic steps that may improve your speed and save you the expense buying a better router.
Reposition the router to strengthen the connection.
Work closer to the router.
Use a wired Ethernet connection to ensure you are directly connected and getting the fastest speed.
Change the router channel. The 2.4 or 5GHz frequency could be used by a neighbor thus slowing down your connection.
Change the Channel from 1, 6, or 11.
Upgrade Your Router
If trying these basic tricks don’t seem to help your speed, you may need to upgrade your router or invest in a range extender. We suggest trying a range extender that is made by the same manufacturer for your router. Still no luck? Talk to us about upgrading your router to get the fastest possible speed at your home.
Prioritize Traffic
If your home is your base of operations and your family is home too, you may have competing traffic on your connection. If your family is playing Fortnite, streaming shows on Netflix or Disney+, or using anything with graphics, you may notice your system slowing down. You may need to limit or schedule non-essential activities to a time when you are not on for work. (Sorry kiddos!) Do you need help getting the fastest internet speed for your remote workers? Contact our specialists about strategies you can use to get the most out of your internet connection.
