Are you experiencing a slow internet connection? Are the devices in certain rooms slower than others? Here are some tips to improve the WiFi in your home.
1. Do a speed test
A speed test is your go-to when it comes to investigating the speed of your internet connection. It should reflect the speed of which you are paying for. Here are various factors that impact the speed test:
- The number of devices that your household have connected at one given time. This includes cellphones, laptops, tablets, computers, smart home equipment, wireless printers, smart watches, gamepads, cameras, etc. Using different websites to do a speed test, we recommend verifying your speed on a website called speedtest.net. (You can find the link in the footer). It is a trusted website and has a broad list of servers located nearby. A member of the household may be downloading media or large files, or doing automatic updates. An older computer may affect the speeds as it won’t be able to operate at the fibre speeds we experience today.
This is vital: To get accurate speed test results, disconnect all devices except for the one you are testing on, close all applications and make sure there are no downloads/updates taking place. Also, test in a room where the router is situated and connect using an ethernet cable rather than a WiFi connection. These factors will result in accurate readings and are usually the main solution to slow connectivity.
2. Upgrade your router
If the speed test is not a solution to your problem, ask yourself if you have recently upgraded your package. If yes, it could mean that your router does not support your package as it might be outdated. This is the main reason why you should purchase your equipment through us instead of using your own as our technicians will be able to advise you on what equipment is needed or will be able to update the firmware for you. For a free consultation, before going ahead and purchasing new equipment, please click here.
3. Purchase additional equipment
If your speed increases when you unplug devices or if you are getting slow internet speeds in rooms further away from your router, it may mean that you need additional equipment such as an extender or booster. Read our blog post about the equipment that is available to you to enhance your internet connectivity.
Click here to schedule a consultation.
4. Upgrade your package
If none of these tips help, it may result in your current package being unable to cater for the usage that your household requires. Here is a guide to the minimum speed recommendations for tasks that you may be doing:
- 10mbps: Basic internet usage with standard video and audio streaming
- 20mbps: Uploading large files, HD streaming and video calling
- 50mbps: 4K streaming
If you have 5 moderate users, a minimum speed of 50/5mbps should be considered, if you have 10 heavy users a 200/20 Mbps will be required.
If you are unsure or if none of these tips work for you, please contact us via one of our contact channels listed below:
- Phone: 032 815 0400 / 087 688 1143
- WhatsApp: 079 952 6013
- Email: customerservices@accesspoint.co.za
