The demand for a good Wi-Fi network connection has increased considerably over the past few months, especially with the onset of the new coronavirus pandemic, as workers and students across Brazil have started to carry out their daily activities without leaving their home.
A study carried out by Amdocs — a company specializing in software and services for communication companies — points out that there was an increase of almost 50% in the use of fixed internet during the year 2020 and that the number of hours connected increased from an average of 3h41 to 6:44 a day in the period.
However, working or studying at home can become a nuisance if your browsing speed is slow or your connection is unstable. With that in mind, Canaltech has separated some tips to help you make the most of your contracted plan.
Modem and Router Location
The first thing to pay attention to is the position of the modem and router. Especially in large houses or apartments or with many rooms, it is essential to choose properly where the device will be positioned to distribute the signal throughout the environment.
To choose the place, remember that the router emits radio waves that are responsible for the internet signal. These waves are usually blocked by walls, thick furniture, or mirrors, so consider a position where the connection will be well distributed to all—or nearly all—rooms in the house.
If possible, one way out would be to place the router on the ceiling, with the antennas facing downwards and pointing to all possible sides.
In houses with two floors and many rooms, perhaps the best alternative is to bet on a Mesh router, which will help to maintain a good browsing speed and stable connection in all environments
Router and modem update
Another important point is to keep your equipment up to date. Most manufacturers usually provide automatic updates, but you should keep an eye on your device’s firmware version to see if it’s up to date with what’s released by the company.
speed tests
Sometimes the router or modem may not be the source of the problem. In this sense, remain attentive if your navigation speed is in accordance with what was contracted — if not, the solution may be to contact the operator’s support to request some maintenance on the line or other suitable solution.
Speed tests can be done directly through a browser on your computer or cell phone, but it’s a good idea to use a wired connection — that is, straight through the wire, without Wi-Fi — for more accurate results.
You can use Canaltech’s speed test to check your connection. To check the status of your network, click on this link and then “Start testing” when the page has fully loaded. Our tool offers download, upload and latency results.
Number of connected devices
Today, we have more and more connected devices at home — cell phones, laptops, smart TVs, digital assistants and even smart light bulbs. All of these devices use and depend on the same internet connection, especially connected home items.
Thus, it is important to pay attention to the type of router you will choose to distribute the signal or the connection speed you will hire. Again, it would be interesting to think again about a Mesh router, which better distributes the signal in various environments in the house.
Connection security
Finally, the security of your Wi-Fi network must also be taken into account. The routers found in the Brazilian market today offer many security key options to protect the Wi-Fi, but this configuration goes far beyond setting a strong password.
First, we remember the need to periodically change the protection password — an interval every six months should be enough, according to experts.
However, choosing the correct key also helps a lot in this regard. The recommendation is to opt for WPA algorithm instead of WEP, to increase network security in your home.
