It is a fact of modern life that Wi-Fi is more of a necessity than a privilege. It’s not only a fundamental avenue for accessing modern channels of entertainment like streaming subscriptions, but also an essential for the post-pandemic norm of working from home.
High-speed internet has become an essential utility alongside energy and water for the vast majority of households. However, as many as four in five of us have experienced some sort of issue with our internet, and many are not getting the speeds we need for our new ultra-connected lives. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to get set up for the best possible outcomes.
Create Cosy, Functional Spaces
First and foremost, let’s figure out what exactly you need to cater for with respect to household internet activity. A lot of households need to consider multiple different activities, from kids streaming videos to teens on Call of Duty, to parents on important video calls and beyond.
Some homes have the capacity to spread these activities out across multiple spaces and into kids’ bedrooms, but if you lack space or want to monitor your kids’ internet usage more keenly, consider creating a multi-functional area for everyone. During the day, parents can work from home using this space, and in the evening, kids can hop online to talk with friends, watch YouTube or catch Victory Royales galore.
What Each Activity Needs
Each of these activities has different needs, both with respect to your internet connection and beyond. For example, when joining remote meetings, a steady and consistent connection is needed both ways; meanwhile, for the little ones and their Disney+ subscription, fast download speeds are key. It’s important for you to figure out what’s most important overall, and then opt for the most suitable broadband phone and TV deal accordingly.
Keeping Everyone Connected
If your various pursuits are indeed spread across the house, then you can likely expect more than one thing to be happening simultaneously. Keeping everyone connected can become tricky when some rooms are further removed from the router than others, or when high-demand things happen at the same time. Avoid distance issues by using WiFi boosters, some of which can be incorporated into your home’s wiring, to extend the range. Alternatively, if you have ethernet cables running through your home, you can ensure solid connectivity to each room with wired LAN connections.
Don’t Forget to Set Up Parental Controls
As a final note, it’s important some controls are put in place to ensure the safety of younger children online. The new Online Safety Act is not the solution that some parents might think! Most devices now come with parent locks and censorship controls that are extremely easy to set up. This enables you to limit searches and access to inappropriate content, as well as enforce screen time limits.
