Keep Your Home Connected This Winter: Indoor and Outdoor Wi-Fi Tips
The holidays are in full swing, and the winter months are upon us. Make sure you know how to maintain strong Wi-Fi coverage during the winter months to avoid interruptions when entertaining holiday visitors, working from home, gaming or streaming. Practice these helpful tips to keep your home connected this holiday season.
Keep Your Home Connected: Indoor Tips
There are several ways you can boost your home’s indoor connectivity this winter to avoid lag when streaming holiday movies or to prevent guests from experiencing internet interruptions.
- Optimize Router Placement – Make sure your router is in an open, elevated position, preferably in the middle of your home, for maximum coverage to keep your home connected. Consider placing the router on a mounted wall shelf.
- Avoid Interference – Avoid placing your router near thick walls, other electronics, holiday lights and large metal objects.
- Update Hardware – Always ensure your hardware is up to date and that the latest firmware is installed. Newer routers are more efficient at handling multiple devices, especially during the winter months when everyone is primarily indoors.
- Prioritize Bandwidth – With the kids on winter break, you may see increased network congestion. Make sure to prioritize your bandwidth for more important activities, such as streaming or video calls. You can also prioritize bandwidth by device to make sure kids don’t watch TV or play video games all day.
If your internet connection is lagging, you have a few different options. First, we recommend visiting Home Telecom to see if you’re on the right internet plan based on the number of connected devices in your home and overall internet use. If you determine you are on the correct internet plan and want to experience faster internet speeds to keep your home connected, we recommend the following:
- Mesh System – If you live in a larger home, you may experience dead zones. A mesh network is the most effective solution for eliminating dead spots and boosting internet speeds. Mesh systems rely on installing multiple nodes throughout the home, creating a whole-home network that experiences minimal internet speed loss.
- Updating Devices – Updating old routers and tech with new technology can make a significant difference in internet speeds.
- Reboot – All systems perform better when they receive occasional reboots. Think of it as a quick power nap that resets everything and lets it operate more efficiently. If your system isn’t connecting as quickly or you’re having trouble keeping your home connected, an occasional reboot may be just what the tech doctor ordered.
Keep Your Home Connected: Outdoor Tips
With the winter months come cooler temperatures and also the risk of more storms. We recommend following these tips every winter to help keep your home connected.
- Weather-Resistant Connected Devices – Always use weather-resistant connected devices outdoors. Make sure you purchase devices designed to withstand harsh conditions and volatile weather. When buying outdoor items, look for wireless access points rated for outdoor use and ensure they are designed to withstand a range of conditions, including cold temperatures, wind, rain and dust.
- Cover Connections – Always use waterproof cable connections and housing to prevent corrosion or signal loss.
- Secure Placement – When installing outdoor equipment, mount it in a protected area, such as under an overhang or in a weatherproof enclosure. Any buildup on the devices or the connected cables may impede the signal.
Home Telecom Offers Both Indoor and Outdoor Wi-Fi
Home Telecom offers both indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi plans to keep you connected, whether you’re streaming a movie indoors, working on a project in your shop or enjoying a cup of coffee dockside. Learn more about Home Telecom’s new outdoor Wi-Fi plan.
