How Can You Get Better Internet Speed at Home?

When you operate a business, you often have access to some of the best technology to ensure fast, seamless internet. For example, businesses with multiple locations can use SD-WAN, which is software-based and allows for the combination of multiple Internet connections for stability and continuity.

So as a consumer with your home Internet, what kind of options are available to you?

There are steps you can take as well as various gadgets and tech tools that can speedup your internet and provide you the service you want and need.

General Tips

Some general ways you can get faster Internet connection include first, making sure that the issues you’re experiencing are in actuality because of speed.

You can do this by using a Speedtest app that will let you know exactly what your speed is. This is a good way to get a baseline as well and see how certain steps you take are working.

If you rent a modem from your Internet Service Provider and it’s more than a few years old, give them a call and see if you can get it replaced.

If you can’t or if you get a new one and you’re still not getting the performance you want, think about buying your own.

There’s also something called the ICSI Netalyzr from UC Berkeley, and it helps you see where the problems exist on your network.

You can optimize the settings on your router as well. For example, some routers have what are called entertainment settings, and this feature will prioritize bandwidth when you’re streaming content or playing games. If multiple people are using the Wi-Fi at the same time, this doesn’t work as well so turn off the entertainment settings feature if you have it on.

There’s also a way to change what is called Request to Send or RTS thresholds on a router. If you set this to a lower number, it could improve your Wi-Fi performance.

Boosting Signal Strength

There are ways you can improve the distance signal strengths can travel in your home, and that can speed-up your internet. For example, the angle of your antenna makes a difference if you have them on your router.

You can also upgrade your antenna to get a better signal.

Gadgets for a Better Wi-Fi Connection

Of course, there are some great tech gadgets on the market that can help you get better Internet in terms of speed and consistency and reliability.

For example, artificial intelligence can optimize the security of your connection and that can, in turn, improve performance. There are private, secure wireless VPN routers that will check and manage who connects to a Wi-Fi network.

There’s something called the Dojo Internet Security Device that acts as a protective barrier between your devices and your networks to reduce security risks. It is a smart tool in that it learns your usage patterns so it can identify potential threats faster.

CUJO is a device that creates a personal firewall in your home. It can protect your laptop as well as your mobile devices and gaming consoles. It’s business-level security for personal home use.

The Plume Self-Optimizing Wi-Fi tool adapts to your needs as they’re happening in real-time. It will learn usage trends and then adapt itself to offer the highest possible speeds when you need it most. This includes pods and then a cloud-based router so you can get optimized speed all over your house.

Another option is the use of a Wi-Fi repeater. A Wi-Fi repeater is a fairly simple bit of technology that can give you the improvements you’re looking for.

A repeater takes the Wi-Fi signal further but keeps the same password settings and SSID.

It includes a wireless router that gets your current signal, and then there’s another router in the repeater that transmits the stronger Wi-Fi signal to other devices in your home.

Finally, you might try out the Fingbox. The Fingbox is a Wi-Fi troubleshooting tool, and it will instantly show you where any problems exist in your home network.

This could include not only changes in your Internet performance but devices that aren’t identified or new devices. You can also block devices and customize settings on your Wi-Fi.

If all these tips and gadgets fail, you’ll likely have to consider changing your Internet Service Provider and finding a company that’s better equipped to meet your needs in terms of speed as well as reliability.