The days of running to the video rental store are in the rearview mirror.
Living in a golden age of entertainment, we can watch almost every show, film or documentary ever created. On demand. And anywhere in our home!
But you must have the proper bandwidth to take advantage of reliable, whole-home WiFi. Here are a few ways to transform your home into a buffer-free zone.
Increase Your Internet Horsepower
If streaming is critical, consider increasing your Internet speed. While videos can stream on some services with connection speeds as low as 5 Mbps, that viewing experience might be less than ideal. If you want to get serious about buffer-free streaming, consider plans with speeds above 250 Mbps.
It’s also worth noting that Internet speed over WiFi is typically significantly lower than your connection speed. Make sure to account for that when weighing an upgrade to your speed. That also nicely sets up the following tip: ensuring you have the best possible WiFi setup.
Upgrade Your WiFi Setup
WiFi technology is also entering a golden age. Consider these new options that could help boost network and streaming quality.
Mesh WiFi: A mesh WiFi network provides Internet across your home network using multiple routers or nodes. Essentially, it creates a single network despite numerous devices delivering the Internet to your phones, laptops, TVs and more. Mesh networks are great for eliminating WiFi dead spots, ensuring that every corner of your home can provide a high-quality streaming experience.
WiFi 6 technology: WiFi 6 is a newer standard for WiFi equipment and compatible devices, providing substantial bandwidth and increasing Internet speed. Suppose your router and devices are WiFi 6 compatible. In that case, your home network and streaming setup can experience a significant boost. If you’re in the market for a network upgrade, keep WiFi 6 on your radar. If you have questions about the compatibility of your devices with WiFi 6, call us at 641-357-2111.
Direct Traffic with Quality-of-Service Software
Quality-of-Service software, or QOS, is advanced software that can help you customize the management of all of the traffic on your home network. That also means you can set priorities to favor specific processes or applications. Imagine prioritizing bandwidth to your device for an important video call while your teens stream a “big” game in the basement. This should be available through your Internet Service Provider. Using a QOS to prioritize video streaming can ensure your content is at the front of the Internet line. A QOS may already be available with your router or through your ISP. If not, it’s definitely advisable to upgrade to a newer router.
Put Your Internet Speed to the Test
Another critical part of achieving your streaming dreams is regularly performing Internet connection speed tests. Speed tests are free online from many Internet providers and through your router software. They can tell you if there’s a gap between your expected WiFi performance and the speeds you’re achieving.
Enter a Buffer-Free Future
There’s nothing like spending a cold, dreary afternoon bundled underneath a warm blanket, watching your favorite content. By researching a few of the upgrades we mentioned here, you can ensure those relaxing moments aren’t interrupted. And if you have any questions about finding the best solution, CLtel is here to help.
