Internet usage has become such an integral part of our everyday lives, we rely heavily on having our broadband working at its maximum ability. Slow speeds and weak connections can be frustrating, and at your place of business, it can cost you potential revenue. There are many factors that can play into getting the connection that you are trying to achieve. Following are some steps you can take to maximize your speeds.
Perform a speed test
Performing a speed test on your Internet connection can tell you if you are receiving the speeds that you are trying to achieve. This test will determine the speed of your network. There are, however, several factors that can play into the accuracy of this test. Some of the factors that may affect your results are routers and wireless home networks, operating system configurations, background applications, among others. The best way to get a true test, will be to test through a hard wired connection. To complete this, use an Ethernet cable to directly connect a device to your cable modem. Once you are connected, unplug your power cord to your modem for 10 seconds, then plug it back in again. This will reset your modem and give you an accurate read. You should also have your wireless access disabled.
Secure your network
If your wireless network doesn’t have a password, you are allowing others the possibility of others accessing your information, as well as allowing others to use your network. When others use your network, they will be utilizing the same bandwidth that you are trying to access, hence, slowing you down. This is especially important in apartments, or homes that are close to each other.
Determine the number of devices you have connected
With so many of today’s devices being wireless, you may not even realize how many devices you have on your network. Take an inventory of the devices in your home including PC’s, laptops, eReaders, mobile devices, and gaming devices. The number of connected devices can have an impact on the speeds you are receiving as they are sharing the same connection. Many devices will continue to download and upload information even while they are not in use. For example, a tablet or phone, while not in use, may still be downloading and updating software and apps.
Depending on your subscribed speeds and the number of wireless devices attempting to access your connection, you may need to speak to a customer service representative about a speed upgrade. Connections that were sufficient in the past are sometimes simply being overworked by all the wireless devices in your household. If you have worked through the steps above and are still experiencing unexplained slowness, our technical support agents will be happy to assist you. For more details on any of this information, as well as a link to a speed test, review our Residential Internet support pages on consolidated.com/support.
Authored by Christie Satre, Sr Account Manager for Consolidated Communications.