What used to be a bonus perk for some is now a normal part of life for most. Yes, we’re talking about remote work.
…Unfortunately, as anyone with more than a few days of remote working experience will testify, few things are more annoying than a flaky internet connection…
Working from wherever you want. Having flexibility in your schedule. Saying goodbye to the humdrum of daily commute. What’s there not to love?
Unfortunately, as anyone with more than a few days of remote working experience will testify, few things are more annoying than a flaky internet connection. And when you’re outside the bounds of premium corporate networks, a stable internet connection becomes hard to find.
Now, that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with endlessly loading pages and eternally looping videos. With the help of a few tricks and tips, you can bring some stability to your internet connection. You might even speed it up a little.
1. Find the Ideal Spot for Wi-Fi
A lot of times bad internet connection can be blamed on the positioning of your router. The farther you are and the more obstructions in the way, the more unstable your internet is going to be.
While a wired connection is the gold standard of connectivity, you can still optimize your connection without giving up on the flexibility of wireless. All you need is to move your router to an area that offers the perfect coverage in your house.
Here’s how to do that. Start by placing your router in a central part of your house so every corner is at an equal distance. Next, make sure to position the router somewhere high like a shelf or desk as that helps the Wi-Fi signals travel the farthest.
If you want to avoid all that tinkering, consider designating a work area and place the router in there. This will take automatically take care of all wireless signal issues.
2. Use a Wi-Fi Extender
Moving the router may not be an option for some of you. In that case, we highly recommend getting a Wi-Fi extender. It’s a device that sits between your router and your computer. This way it gets the most signals from the router and then retransmits them using its own transmitter.
The result is full internet coverage throughout your home with minimal instability.
3. Try a VPN
If your internet is only struggling with specific websites or regions, it might be because of a routing problem in your network provider’s system. While a VPN won’t always solve this, a lot of times it can find a better route that will reduce the stuttering and give you a more stable connection.
It’s also not out of the ordinary for network providers to throttle certain websites. A VPN can help you bypass these restrictions as well.
4. Schedule Your Downloads and Uploads
Few things will throttle your internet faster than a full-speed download or upload. Streaming movies on Netflix, uploading videos to YouTube, and downloading large files are examples of this.
So whenever possible, try to schedule heavy internet usage outside of your work hours.
5. Give Mobile Data a Shot
If your internet performance is still holding you back, consider getting a mobile data package. With 5G coverage available across more than 5,000 cities, you won’t have a problem with speeds anymore.
This is especially helpful when you have family or roommates sharing the same Wi-Fi connection. You can’t control their usage, but you can shift your work to mobile data.
If you’re worried about data caps, a good strategy is to use mobile data for work exclusively and offset heavy usage by switching to Wi-Fi for streaming and downloading.
Lastly, when you’re working from a cafe or any public space, don’t fall for the allure of free public Wi-Fi. These unsecured networks are a landmine of cyber risks. While you could use a VPN to mitigate some risks, switching to mobile data is always the better option.
Contact us if you need assistance with ensuring your remote employees have the most efficient and secure setup or if you have questions. We’d be happy to help you!
Be sure to check out our other cybersecurity-related articles written by members of our Optistar Team for the latest tips and information!
- Should I Use The Public WiFi At Starbucks?
- Humans, Not Technology, Not Your First Line Of Defense
- How Much Can A Stolen Password Really Harm My Business?
