A reliable internet connection can make your life easier, both personally and professionally. It can keep your business up and running. It can give you a competitive edge in video games. It can ensure much more streamlined, smoother communication with everyone you know and love.
But how exactly can you guarantee more reliable internet service?
Types of Internet Issues
We all want reliable internet, but unfortunately, there are a number of issues that can arise to interrupt or interfere with your ability to enjoy it. For starters, there could be outages or interruptions with the service itself; and unfortunately, there isn’t much control you can exert over this category of interference. However, we will explore some mitigating strategies you may be able to employ.
More commonly, issues related to your internet are within the scope of your control. It could be related to your bandwidth usage, the scope of your service package, or even how you set up Wi-Fi in your home or business. We will explore how to mitigate these types of interruptions as well.
Choose the Right Provider
To start, you should be extremely selective in your choice of internet service provider. Depending on where you live, you may have few or many options on where you purchase your internet service. However, even within a relatively narrow scope of service providers, you can always do your due diligence to figure out which provider has a reputation for the best and most reliable internet service. Optimum internet, for example, has a reputation for delivering reliable service with minimal interruptions.
Choose the Right Plan
Once you choose a service provider, you should select the right plan for your needs. Sometimes, users struggle with internet problems simply because they’ve selected a plan that doesn’t accommodate their needs. For example, if you live in a house with multiple independent users, all of whom will be engaging in high-bandwidth activities like video streaming, you can’t afford to choose a service plan at the bottom rung of the ladder. When in doubt, and if you can afford it, splurge on the better quality service.
Be Wary of Your Bandwidth Usage
Some internet issues arise because of competing or irresponsible bandwidth usage. If you try to stream 10 videos in 4K simultaneously, you’ll probably notice some delays and interruptions, depending on how much bandwidth you have available. The same is true if you have a number of users all competing for the same finite span of bandwidth.
You can mitigate these issues in several ways, such as by controlling what types of activities you engage in, having conversations to educate other users on your network, and coordinating timing so there are fewer conflicts in your household or business. If your bandwidth issues are persistent, consider upgrading your service package.
Check Your Devices and Apps
Sometimes, issues that seem to be related to the internet are more closely related to your devices and apps. For example, if you frequently experience latency and stuttering in video conferences, it might be attributable to your video conferencing technology. If your computer is performing slowly generally, it might be because of malware or other lurking issues.
Position Your Router Correctly
If you notice that certain parts of your home or building have persistent internet issues, or if your connection seems spotty overall, it could be a problem with the placement of your router. Ideally, your router will be in a centralized location, equally distant from each location where you plan to access the internet from a connected device. The router should also not be blocked by anything that could interfere with its signal.
Use a Cable If You Can
In fact, you can rule out Wi-Fi issues altogether if you rely on ethernet cables. Most people don’t like to mess with cables, and prefer not to be connected to the wall when using a device, but a connection with an ethernet cable is typically much faster and more reliable than a connection to Wi-Fi.
Be Mindful of Peak Hours
Internet speed and reliability is sometimes affected by time of day. On weekday evenings, there is especially high demand for internet service, and you may run into issues with your own online activities.
Consider a Backup
If it’s especially important for you to have uninterrupted access to the internet, consider investing in a backup connection. Using cellular data or satellite internet, you can rest assured that you always have a connection, even if it’s not as fast as your primary connection.
With these strategies in play, you should be able to maximize the reliability and speed of your internet. Collectively, these strategies won’t prevent or solve every conceivable issue, but they will go a long way in helping you achieve your online goals successfully.
Caroline is doing her graduation in IT from the University of South California but keens to work as a freelance blogger. She loves to write on the latest information about IoT, technology, and business. She has innovative ideas and shares her experience with her readers.
