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<\/p>\nOur work and home lives have undergone a radical transformation as South Africans navigate through the nation-wide coronavirus lockdown. While there’s no clear end to the lockdown in sight, many South Africans will continue to work and entertain themselves at home for the foreseeable future. Of course, with all this time spent inside, the importance of having a reliable internet connection at home has never been more evident. A good internet connection is important, not only for entertainment purposes to keep cabin fever at bay but especially for those who will be working from home.<\/p>\n
But, with so many people being forced to stay home all day, it’s not uncommon to experience issues with your internet connectivity during this time. There are many reasons why your fibre line may seem slower than usual or why your router may be giving you trouble. Bu, before you call your ISP to log a complaint, you\u2019d be surprised how many of those issues can be easily fixed.<\/p>\n
Here are just a few ways to ensure your fibre to the home internet connection is up to the task and you’re getting the most your of your WiFi router:<\/p>\n
Your internet speed needs will largely depend on your needs for work and entertainment purposes as well as your budget. A good rule of thumb to follow for most household use is to look at a speed of\u00a010 Mbps.<\/p>\n
Many households may need faster speeds due to data-intense work projects or hobbies. For example,\u00a0occupations such as civil engineers, creative designers or photographer will use a great deal more data than a bookkeeper working from home. Of course, if your work requires you to\u00a0 participate in frequent remote video conference calls using Facetime, Zoom, or Whatsapp video, then you could also need a faster line speed to accommodate these data-intensive applications.<\/p>\n
Your hobbies also contribute to your line speed needs. If you intend to use your fibre connection to play data-intensive games online, you may also require a faster connection and it is also important to consider how many people are using the connection. If you have a traditional family unit that comprises mom and dad that need to work, while the kids are using streaming platforms such as Netflix or YouTube, you may need a higher speed connection.<\/p>\n
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Another important considering is budget. While you may not be able to afford more than a\u00a010 Mbps line, try to opt for the fastest line you can afford to minimise lag. Check with your service provider about upgrading your line and the costs involved.<\/p>\n
If you are experiencing a slow fibre connection despite increasing your line speed, there may be a few reasons behind the slower speeds you are experiencing. There are things you can to do to\u00a0ensure your fibre internet connection operates optimally:<\/p>\n
Number of devices connecting to the line:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n First off, consider the number of devices connecting to the line.\u00a0Take stock of how many devices are connected to your fibre line. If need be, limit these devices during periods where you need to make use of your bandwidth, such as video conference calls and the like. If the whole family is connected at the same time, with multiple devices, chances are you could experience a lag on your line speed.<\/p>\n Distance from the router:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The distance from the router is also a consideration.\u00a0Your home office would typically be as far away from noisy areas as possible, which could mean that your internet line speed in this area is perfect, but the signal strength from you WiFi router will decrease the further you move away. If you’re experiencing slower speeds in other areas of the home,\u00a0consider investing in a signal repeater, that will strengthen the WiFi signal in your home. You won\u2019t be able to purchase a repeater during the lockdown but you can\u00a0add it to your shopping list to sort out when the lockdown is lifted. For the time being, if you’re performing high-date tasks\u00a0consider connecting your computer or device directly to the router via an Ethernet cable or move closer to the router.<\/p>\n Find the best prices on Ethernet cables and other home office tech essentials online with PriceCheck:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Give your router a rest:<\/strong><\/p>\n Reset your router from time to time. Rebooting your router by switching it off and waiting for 30 seconds before turning it on again often solves connectivity issues, which usually arise from minor software faults in routers that are left on for extended periods.<\/p>\n Age of your\u00a0WiFi router:<\/strong><\/p>\n The age of your\u00a0WiFi router<\/a> could also be causing issues with speed.\u00a0Outdated hardware, especially with computers and mobile devices, is a well-known limiting factor. If you have a 10 Mbps internet line but your old WiFi router has a maximum output of 5 Mbps, you\u2019ll only ever get up to half of what you\u2019re paying for. Also, even if your router is not outdated, the firmware may need an occasional update.<\/p>\n![\"wireless](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/home-internet-300x200.jpeg\")
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