Getting the Most Out of Your Home Network

High-Speed Fiber Internet service is great, but if your home network isn’t optimized, you still might have spotty or slow service. Numerous devices connected to your network, outdated equipment, and less efficient wired connections can all slow down your home network. That’s why it’s important to optimize your technology so that you can do what you love – work, stream, or game faster and without interruptions!

Keep reading to learn some simple tricks that can optimize your home network and help you get the most out of your GoNetspeed service.

Your network adapter settings.

Over time it’s not hard to change the settings of your home network without realizing it. It’s very easy to do– something as simple as enabling file sharing without meaning to can slow down your connection. While it’s very technical, here are two easy ways you may be able to speed up your home network:

  1. Disable file and printer sharing. Unless you have two Microsoft computers that file share, this isn’t necessary.  Many wireless printers have their own app to make printing and scanning easy. While this feature may be necessary for printer models that don’t have that, for a lot of homes it isn’t.
  2. Manually change your DNS server. While there are default settings with this, it’s worthwhile to research and find out if the DNS server your network is using is best for your needs or if you need to switch to something else.

Use a WiFi booster.

Your home construction, and even how furniture is laid out, can impact how far your WiFi signal reaches and how strong it is. Things like metal shelving, plastic, glass or a microwave can weaken or disrupt your WiFi signal altogether. So, it’s important to pick a location that’s as open as possible.

For larger homes or spaces where that’s not an option, consider investing in a WiFi booster. These devices plug into an outlet or sit on a surface and capture the signal from the router and then boost it to other parts of the house. Typically, WiFi boosters have a stronger antenna, allowing more coverage into areas with a poor signal.

Secure your network.

You can make the most out of your home network by making sure uninvited guests don’t access it. An open network is easy, but it also invites anyone to get on your network and stream to their heart’s content, not to mention make your personal data more vulnerable. Making your network password protected is a simple fix, but effective for keeping others from slowing down your network.

Making the switch to High-Speed Fiber Internet is a great decision as it can support your connectivity needs, but it’s also important to ensure that your home network can also support your household’s devices and the demands that come with day-to-day Internet access.

Now that we’ve gone over a few of the ways you can make small changes to get the most out of your home network, we’d love to help you get faster, better internet!

If you’re already a customer and need some help optimizing your network, give our technical support team a call at 855-891-7291.

Thinking about cutting the cord and ready to give High-Speed Fiber Internet a try? Check here to see if GoNetspeed is available in your area.