With the rise of the Internet of Things, more of us have devices to connect online besides a computer and a dial-up modem. The average home now has up to 50 connected devices. This may necessitate a home network upgrade.
Beyond computers, smartphones, and tablets, the home has many connected devices:
- Voice-activated personal assistants read the news and play games with your kids.
- SmartTVs already have Netflix or Disney+ software installed.
- Doorbells with cameras let you see who is at the door.
- You can now pre-set the temperature of your air conditioner, heater, and light bulbs.
- Food consumed by refrigerators is added to your online grocery list.
That’s just a taste! Making a smart home doesn’t require a techie, but adding all these connections may necessitate a home network upgrade.
Your router may not be able to handle all traffic. When you signed up for your plan, your ISP may have given you a basic router. You didn’t consider quantity back then, just price, but now you’re frustrated by performance and connectivity issues.
Don’t Settle for a Disappointing Network
A decade ago, connecting four to eight devices was a lot. Now we’re talking 5-10 times that. But your bandwidth can only handle so much. Many IoT devices are designed to use as little bandwidth as possible, so this isn’t an issue. But the devices add up. Plus, if you’re not the only one online in the neighborhood, you may be competing for crowded Wi-Fi.
Maybe your home Wi-Fi can’t reach all the devices you want to connect. Try moving the router. Not enough? Add more antennas or use a mesh wireless network to extend your network’s range.
Consider whether you need a 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz wireless. However, its shorter range means its signal cannot penetrate solid objects.
Internet speed is another important factor. You can handle more streaming devices if you increase the speed.
Check if the router’s Quality of Service can be adjusted (QoS). Change the priority of certain devices or connections. Imagine being able to select the fast lane on the highway. You could set the router to prioritize Zoom or Skype calls over Netflix.
While upgrading your router, consider one that includes a VPN server. The ability to securely connect to your home network from the office could be useful for those who work from both locations.
Contact us if you need help keeping the privacy-busting algorithms at bay. Our technicians can configure device settings to limit information gathered about you online.
Located in West Hollywood, Stan’s Tech Garage proudly serves the greater Los Angeles area. Call us at 323-761-2634 or schedule an appointment through our online calendar: https://calendly.com/stansgarage/
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