The UK government has advised that those employees that can work from home should while we are amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Working from home can become a lonely enterprise, especially in this era of social distancing. However, it doesn't have to be....
Ofcom recently issued advice on what could be slowing down our home broadband service, as more of us are working from home amid the coronavirus outbreak.
It turns out some electronic devices, such as microwaves, can disrupt the Wi-Fi signal from your router. So, hold off on zapping your lunch during that critical video conference call! Ofcom suggests positioning your router as far as possible from other devices that may interfere with the signal. Devices that can interfere with router signals include cordless phones, baby monitors, halogen lamps, dimmer switches, stereos and computer speakers, TVs, and monitors.
With much of Britain’s office workforce remotely working, reliable internet speeds are crucial as we battle the coronavirus.
Considering this, here are some other surprising things that may affect your connection, to help you avoid internet disruption in your home.
Other people
Have you ever noticed, the more people in your home there are, the slower your Wi-Fi can be? You might think the extra mobile devices that accompany most people are the culprits; however, this is not necessarily the case. Studies have shown that our bodies can scatter the signal, our own accidental (and annoying) super-power! With everyone in the home social distancing, children using the internet to learn from home, and bouncing along to that day’s Joe Wicks workout, your internet speeds can take a beating. All of this can be hard to avoid in our current circumstances but try to schedule the day so that your kids are reading, or maybe building LEGO when you have that all-important video conference to attend.
Neighbours
No, not the long-running soap from Down-Under that launched the career of Kylie and Jason, but your actual neighbours. Routers transmit Wi-Fi by working on one of several available channels. Routers are smart little things and will try to find the best and least congested channel for you. Slow speeds might mean your neighbour is also operating on the same channel, causing interference. If you notice regular issues with your connectivity, try moving your router to a different part of the room. It just might be that your neighbour’s router is just a couple of feet away, on the other side of the wall, which would make it more likely you’re on the same channel.
Where you live
Currently, internet speeds are not equal to all areas. Depending on where you live, there can be considerable differences in the speeds available to you. Internet speeds will eventually improve, but unfortunately, internet providers like us can’t do anything to make it faster until the network gets better. The Government and Ofcom are looking into upgrading connectivity across the country, and we wholeheartedly support these efforts, everyone has the right to access reasonably priced, quality broadband.
Tips for faster speeds in the home:
- Position your internet router as far as possible from other devices that may interfere with the signal, place it on a table or shelf rather than the floor
- Keeping your router switched on will help reduce interference by maintaining a constant connection
- During video calls or meetings, it can be helpful to turn the video off and use audio-only; requiring much less of your internet connection
- Starting virtual meetings at less common times - quarter to the hour, or 5 minutes past, rather than on the hour or half-hour - can make all the difference
- Use an Ethernet cable to connect your computer directly to your router rather than using Wi-Fi for the best broadband speeds.
As we all face challenges now and in the coming weeks and months, we understand the concerns about business resilience during the COVID_19 outbreak. We can offer advice to businesses wishing to learn more about home and remote working.
Our knowledgeable consultants can guide you through making a business continuity plan to utilise your VoIP solution alongside Office 365 and collaboration tools so that you can ensure your business can run as normal no matter where your employees are working from.
Contact our friendly team today to find out more on:
0333 240 1824 or email us at sales@soconnect.co.uk
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