Experiencing slow or unreliable Internet while working from home? Here are some things you can do to bring your connection up to scratch…
Some of us are not blessed with access to superfast Internet in our homes (this is especially true for those that live outside of city centres in more rural environments). This may not usually be an issue for those who don’t carry out particularly demanding activities online but since the majority of us have started working from home, below-par Internet connections have become much more of a problem. Even those with good Internet connections may see a dip in performance from time to time with no real explanation as to why.
There is nothing more frustrating than buffering video calls or slow downloads of large files, but you may not need to switch suppliers or upgrade to a higher speed package to improve your current Internet service. Here are some simple things you can do right now to fix a sluggish Internet connection.
Router restart
Yep, we’re back at that old chestnut… “Have you tried turning it off and on again”? The first port of call with any speed issues should be a simple restart of your router. Turn off the router, unplug it from the mains, then replug and turn back on after 30 seconds or so. This can often make a difference to speeds.
Check with your ISP
If a router restart doesn’t work, it may be worth a quick call to your ISP. Take a look at the package you have with your service provider then run a speed test on your device. If speeds are much lower across multiple devices, there could be an issue on your provider’s end. Get in touch with them to find out if there’s anything that can be fixed without your input.
Distance and interference
If you are working from home in a spare bedroom or office room upstairs, there’s a high likelihood that you may be a fair distance away from your wireless router which could result in slow speeds. The further away from your router your device is, the lower and less reliable your WiFi signal will be due to distance and obstacles such as walls, floors and furniture in the way. You may wish to look into buying a wireless signal booster which can be plugged into your mains somewhere in between your workspace and your router in order to extend the signal.
Plug in
If your laptop has an ethernet port, it is advised that you plug directly into your router using an ethernet cable. This is the best way to guarantee fast and stable connections. If you are working some distance away from your router, you may also be able to use powerline adapters that essentially turn your electric wiring into network cables.
Disconnect devices and applications
If you share a house with others using the Internet while you work, there’s a good chance that they may be using up a significant amount of bandwidth. If you have superfast Internet, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem, but if you have slower Internet and people are making video calls, streaming TV (maybe via Netflix) or gaming online during the day, you may need to ask them to take a break while you work. Some of these services have functions which enable you to limit downloads by taking down the quality - this may be a good compromise to prevent everyone in your house fighting for bandwidth at once. Also, do check that idle devices are not connected to the Internet during the day. Many devices will download and update while in rest mode, which could be contributing to drops in speed.
Update your drivers
If all else fails, check to see if you need to update drivers on your machine. Check with your IT department if they can help you install the updates. Failing that, you will need to go to your computer manufacturer’s website and check manually for any new drivers. You may also need to update the firmware in your router. Your ISP should be able to do this for you remotely or talk you through the process.
