5 easy ways to boost home internet speed
Whether streaming your favorite movie, giving a presentation over an online meeting, or gaming online, a choppy or slow internet is frustrating. And with more people working from home, the cumulative load on a home internet can be overwhelming. You cannot control external factors like network congestion or server overload. However, there are other things you can do to boost your internet. To help you, here are five ways to boot your internet.
Change router location
This is one of the common reasons for choppy home internet. A router is the main hub that receives internet from the ISP (internet service provider) and distributes it to home devices wirelessly or through LAN. While it is recommended to move your workspace closer to the router for a seamless connection, placing the router centrally and away from walls and furniture can ensure maximum bandwidth. If you are living in a duplex apartment, keep one router antenna horizontal and the other vertical to ensure internet connection at every nook and corner of your apartment. If this does not improve the speed, you can consider upgrading your hardware.
Consider hardware upgrade
With the increased load on home internet, you may need to upgrade your hardware. You can either get a Wi-Fi extender or upgrade your router. While both these solutions can help increase internet speed, Wi-Fi extenders are the cheaper option. They are simple devices that provide high-speed internet at every corner of the room. They are a good option if you have a huge apartment. However, a router with a higher configuration will help prioritize your network traffic.
Prioritize your network traffic
Most wireless devices at home do not require the entire bandwidth. Keeping them connected on the same bandwidth affects the overall bandwidth, which eventually results in slow internet. Routers operate on two bandwidths – 2.4GHz and 5GHz. However, basic routers do not allow this segregation. Hence it is recommended to upgrade routers that have different antennas for different bandwidths. This allows you to dedicate bandwidth for specific devices, with the segregation ensuring seamless connection with faster internet speed. However, even if upgrading your hardware does not improve internet speed, then consider checking your antivirus.
Install an antivirus
Malware and other unwanted files in your computer are another reason for the slow internet. A good antivirus scans your computer and removes unwanted malicious programs, files, and viruses, keeping your system safe and your internet fast. And if this does not work, then it may be time to change your ISP.
Change your ISP
This is the last resort to improve home internet speed. Most internet service providers are either fiber, coaxial cable, or hybrid. Note that fiber connection offers a higher internet speed of up to 1000 Mbps.
Choose from the best ISPs like Cox®, Spectrum, RCN, and Xfinity by Comcast. With internet speeds close to 950 Mbps, and a large data cap, popular ISP like Cox® cable internet offer hardware with their connection mesh Wi-Fi router, eliminating the hassle of picking one.