Let’s say that you have a home internet service already set up, complete with ultra-convenient Wi-Fi connectivity. Whether you’re a KWIC customer or not, now’s the time to stay connected with access to the information, news and social applications opening a window to the rest of the world. Now, just what are some ways you can go about making the most of your network? By design, your router, modem, and wiring spread a single connection around to many devices, and bandwidth is usually shared among a neighbourhood, so there’s only so much a single home connection can handle.
Upgrading to something with even faster speeds is always a solution but, if you’d prefer to optimize your current connection, we can help there too. This is especially important if you have a large, active household with multiple users spending a lot of time online lately. Today, let’s list some optimization tips that anyone can take advantage of!
Schedule Larger Downloads for After Bedtime
Bought a new video game? Whether disc-based or digital, downloads are a thing. And they’re massive – it’s not uncommon to see them well over 100 gigabytes! If you’re using a disc, it’ll install the game to your console of choice, but you’ll still need to download the latest patches for the software to ensure it runs smoothly. Digitally purchased games, however, have by far the largest downloads – most software elements need to be sourced from a digital storefront and stored locally on your console’s hard drive.
Thankfully, scheduled downloads are available for you to set and enable. We recommend setting them for after everyone’s offline and tucked into bed – that way, the full brunt of your internet connection can be used to complete large downloads overnight. If that’s not the perfect excuse to spend a Saturday morning playing the latest highly anticipated game release, we don’t know what is! And, don’t forget, scheduled downloads are a great solution for more than video games – everything from your iTunes movie purchases to music playlists can benefit from it, depending on the software and hardware used.
Close Unused Streams Running in the Background
We’re all guilty of it – a random YouTube or Netflix window, minimized and forgotten from the time we had off to chill with some streaming video. Even if it’s not actively playing, the webpage itself is collecting data and taking sips of your Wi-Fi connection. This isn’t such a big deal if you only have one or two devices connected in the house, but it can introduce serious network bloat if you have multiple users guilty of this habit. If there’s a site you frequent, bookmark it instead of leaving the window open in the background. Closing it frees up a little bit of bandwidth that can be used for other applications, remote working, and more.
Schedule Updates for When You’re Offline
Dreading that laundry list of Windows 10 updates? We don’t blame you – operating systems, in particular, are rather resource intensive when it comes to security patches and version upgrades. The good news is, like with downloading games and movies, you can schedule these updates for when they won’t slow you down. This can be especially important for remote commuters who need access not only to their computer but the internet as well. Using this example, we recommend setting the updates so they start after your shift, or you can set a reminder to manually enable the downloads yourself.
Parental Controls and Time Limits for Kids
Whether for e-learning, entertainment or online gaming, kids love having internet access. Sometimes, especially nowadays when many of us need to stay at home, they may be on there for a little longer than we would like. Activating parental controls can not only help you manage everyday content consumption so your children get some fresh air and stimulation, but they can also reduce the demand on your home Wi-Fi connection. A great example of this, if you have a Nintendo Switch console in the house, is their range of parental settings, the best of which is the time limit feature that locks the system after reaching a set number of hours per day, per user account.
Investing in Unlimited Home Wi-Fi
If all else fails and you’ve made as many optimizations as possible, now’s the time to consider an upgrade to faster, more dependable whole-home Wi-Fi options. That way, everything from e-learning to remote work and keeping in touch with loved ones – not to mention those many movie nights – are overall better experiences for everyone. At KWIC Internet, for instance, we offer a wide and diverse range of. These are available to suit every budget, offering higher upload and download speeds as you go up.
Need help with optimizing your home network or making the switch to KWIC? Our support team is always here for you with informed insights and friendly service. To get started on finding the best home Wi-Fi option for your use case and needs, get in touch with us today. We’re glad to help!
