Boost your at-home WiFi performance with these tips while working, e-learning at home

WiFi — it’s probably one of the most significant things in our homes right now, helping us to not go totally stir crazy and have a connection to the outside world as we self-isolate in our homes. Mike Wilson of Comcast Indiana has some helpful tips on how to maximize your technology performance.

With everyone working and learning from home these days, many of us are also adjusting to a big increase in the workload on our WiFi networks. Comcast has seen a 212% increase in video conferencing alone during the Coronavirus pandemic. Also, kids have more time on their hands – gaming downloads are up 50% and streaming and web video consumption is up 38%.

Tip #1: Test
Your Speed

• There are FREE websites
  and apps like Speedtest.net that will
  tell you how fast your Internet speed is in your house on that device in the
  given moment. By testing the speeds, you can isolate the problems and help the
  Internet company figure out if they can fix the problem remotely or if they
  need to send out a technician.

Tip #2: Location, Location, Location

• Make sure your internet modem and router are out
  in the open, off the ground and in a central location. This will maximize
  the strength and distance of your connection.
  • Avoid potential interferences. Many common
    household devices and appliances can affect Wi-Fi performance. Keep your
    wireless router away from items such as microwave ovens, cordless phones,
    gaming system remotes, baby monitors and

Tip #3: Extend
your signal

• If you have set up an at-home office or classroom in the basement,
  spare bedroom or another location far from your router, you may need to
  purchase signal extenders. These devices plug into electrical outlets around
  your home and extend your WiFi signal to hard-to-reach areas of the home like
  basements and upstairs bedrooms. There are a variety of signal extenders out
  there. We offer xFi Pods that come in a 3-pack.

Tip #4: Manage
devices on your Network

• Limit applications on devices that may hog your speed during times when you are doing work or e-learning. If your kids are always playing video games online, you may want to pause that activity while you are using the internet for work or e-learning.
  • Older devices can also slow newer devices that are capable of faster speeds using the in-home WiFi down to a crawl. Use both the 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz bands on your wireless gateway. Put the older devices on the 2.4 GHz band.
  • There are different apps and devices out there that can allow you to hit pause and monitor/control the device usage in your home. For example, Comcast has an Xfinity xFi platform, a simple digital dashboard to set up your home Wi-Fi network, find passwords that your family is using, see what devices are connected, troubleshoot issues, and set parental controls. xFi will allow parents to pause devices for a set amount of time.

Learn more about Comcast on their website and social media:

• Comcast.com
• @ComcastIN
• facebook.com/comcast