Does your internet feel slower than normal? Has it become frustrating to deal with an unstable connection? Fast, uninterrupted speeds are more important than ever with working from home, virtual school, streaming and so much more. As your demand for lightning-fast internet grows, check out some of the most common issues that can affect your connection.
Not Enough Speed
If your internet speeds are constantly slowed down, you might not have the right plan for your household. Think of your internet as a water pipe. You might have had enough water moving through the pipeline previously. However, if you are using the internet more, it’s like turning on more faucets, and you may see less water pressure than usual. If that is the case, then it’s time to upgrade your internet plan. Unlike other internet service providers, All West’s internet plans include unlimited data without any data caps, so you won’t have to worry about data use causing outages or slow internet speeds.
(What Internet Speed is Right for You?)
Your Router and Its Location
Have you ever heard your router referred to as “the heart of your internet connection”? Your router plays a big part when it comes to your connection’s strength, speed and reliability. It is what sends wi-fi signals throughout your home. That’s why it’s important to choose a router that fits your needs. But it’s not just your router choice that matters – the location matters too. Walls, TVs, furniture and other objects can block the wireless signal from your router. To improve your connection, move your router to a more central location in your home. Doing this will help spread your wi-fi signal throughout your whole home, which can improve your connection.
(Router Placement and How It Can Make Your Internet Better)
Number of Connected Devices
The number of devices you have connected to your network might surprise you. From smart home devices to laptops and gaming systems, there might be more than you think. The more devices connected to your wi-fi network, the more your bandwidth is split among them. This is what causes slow speeds if you don’t have enough bandwidth for all the internet usage going on at a time. If too many devices are connected to the same network, it becomes overcrowded, and your devices compete against each other to connect to your router’s antenna. This results in buffering, slow speeds and latency. We suggest only keeping the most important devices connected or upgrading your speed to one that can handle them all.
(Are internet speed and bandwidth the same thing?)
Having a slow internet connection is annoying, and unfortunately, it can happen to any network at any time. When you have enough speed, a good router and keep an eye on the number of connected devices, you will be able to get the most out of your internet connection.
To learn more, visit allwest.com.
