Boost Your Broadband

Try these broadband boosting tips to make the most of your connection while you’re at home

Remote and flexible working looks here to stay but, as more and more people stay at home to go online, it could be having a detrimental effect on your broadband.

Schools aren’t expected to reopen fully until September and, with everyone in households being at home throughout the day, the internet connection can suffer. With the kids watching Netflix, your partner on a video call and you trying to download files, it’s a recipe for a bandwidth disaster.

However, there are some simple steps you can take to boost your broadband and ensure everyone has the data they need for whatever they want to do and ensure remote and flexible working is a possibility for you.

Start Over

It’s the age old trick of switching it off and on again but, sometimes, a simple reboot and revive your router and boost your broadband.

Turn off your router and unplug it from the power source, leave it unplugged for around 30 seconds, plug it back in and then wait for it to connect.

Test the limits

The easiest way to detect your broadband speed is to test it! Then, once you’ve implemented these small tips and tricks, recheck it to see how much difference it’s made. Use Ofcom’s handy broadband speed test here!

Some business broadband providers have signed up to Ofcom’s new Voluntary Codes of Practice on Business Broadband Speeds (VCoP), meaning that customers will be given more realistic information about the business broadband speeds they should be receiving. As part of the VCoP, the providers will also give customers an estimated minimum guaranteed download speeds.

The VCoP was signed by providers to allow customers to make confident, informed decisions before purchasing business broadband.

Move your router

Moving the router to a new location within your home can make a world of difference.

Halogen lamps, dimmer switches, stereo or computer speakers, fairy lights, televisions, monitors and even power cords have been known to affect routers so moving yours away from any other devices you might have could improve your speed. A simple relocation could boost your broadband for everyone.

Your furniture and walls in your house can also affect the signal strength of your WiFi so place it on a table, or a shelf rather than the floor, and always keep it switched on to get the most out of your connectivity.

Disconnect devices

The more devices that are attached to your WiFi, the slower the speed. With all the mobile devices and internet-enabled technology we have in our homes, it’s not difficult to imagine that if they’re all connected at the same time, you’ll be slowed down.

If you’re not using the devices, disconnect them from your WiFi and you should see an improvement in your broadband.

Schedule calls at unusual times

It’s typical for conference calls or video meetings to start on the hour or at half past the hour but there’s a simple trick you could do to avoid the calls buffering.

Simply schedule your calls at slightly different times to avoid the surge in traffic and ensure your call connects as seamlessly as possible.

Don’t use the microwave!

It might sound strange but using the microwave can see a dip in your WiFi signal so refrain from using your microwave if you’re on an important video call, watching a HD movie or you’re downloading files.

Use microfilters

Interference from your phone line can impact your broadband speeds so try plugging microfilters into every phone socket in your home. They’re little white boxes and are widely available for a low-cost. A microfilter splits the phone and broadband signals up so that they don’t affect each other.

Wire up

It might not make the most attractive option but, if you’re really struggling, reverting to old fashioned cables and wires could do the trick.

Using an Ethernet cable can make all the difference as it’s able to transfer data at a faster rate than WiFi can as it doesn’t encrypt data as wireless routers do.

It offers a more reliable connection for your devices and you should benefit from less interferences.

An Ethernet cable can connect your router directly to your computer, and they start from as little as £3. It’s a worthy investment if you’re having continued difficulties connecting.

Change the channel

Your neighbour’s connections can also impact yours but a little known tip to boost your broadband is to change the channel on your router.

The more networks in range, the more interference is likely to occur but changing your channel that your router uses from the default channel it’s accustomed to could make a change.

Trying channel 1 on your router could solve the issue; channel 1 isn’t used as a default channel by most routers and, therefore, is not likely to be used by your neighbours.

If you want to change the channel, your router manual should have instructions on how to do this quickly and easily.

A direct plug

We all know the story – tangled wires and coiled cables behind the television, computer or telephone. However, that mass of wires you’ve been hiding could be affecting your broadband speed, especially if one of them is linking your telephone and your router.

Where possible, try to avoid using a telephone extension lead as this can cause interference which may lower your speed. However, if you can’t avoid using an extension lead use a high-quality cable with the shortest possible length to avoid those tangles, knots and coils.

Speak to your provider

If the tips above haven’t improved your broadband, you’ll have to speak to your provider.

If you’ve never had to work from home before, you might need extra bandwidth for your connection to cope with your new normal or they might have to look into the fault to be able to fix it for you.

Some providers have a number of contact options including email, phone and webchat and some are available 24/7/365 but check your provider’s website to see the options available to you.

If you want to take a look at the business broadband options available to you simply fill in our enquiry form and one of us will give you a call back.