Having several users or devices on a single WiFi connection tends to make everything run a little slower. Websites take longer to load, videos tend to buffer, and games become difficult to play. You might not notice an extra device (or two), but if you have a large family, lots of visitors, many devices, or a tendency toward high-bandwidth activities, the problem is not something you will want to ignore.
Stop Streaming
The obvious solution is to stop streaming whenever possible — and this strategy can work well in an office situation. However, blocking or limiting access to streaming sites is not going to be an option at home and, most importantly, your problem may not be that obvious. While streaming video does consume more bandwidth than many other web-based activities, like checking email or browsing Facebook, your bandwidth problem could start behind the scene.
Control Cloud Backups
First, consider how your systems back up data to the cloud. Conducting regular backups is smart because it lets you back up smaller files periodically, sometimes many times a day, and that makes the upload sizes small. The problem happens when you or one of your children first starts backing up to the cloud. The size of this packet can be huge. Subsequent updates tend to be smaller. If your system does not have a throttling mechanism, it will eat up as much WiFi as it possibly can and cause your entire system to slow down, so your first step should always be to check the way your cloud backup solution throttles.
Scan for Viruses Regularly
Also, scan for viruses, malware, and other applications that could be running in the background without your knowledge. These programs can eat up your entire bandwidth. Cleaning your system will help. However, remember to dig deeper. While you could have malware infecting your system, you could also have a broken program that needs repairing or deleted and reinstalled.
You Get What You Pay For
Remember, when it comes to Internet bandwidth, you get exactly that for which you pay. It is entirely possible that you need to upgrade your Internet connection. A good rule of thumb is that you need 10 Mbps for each person in your home, but that really only accounts for those people streaming video or audio, checking social media, and surfing the Internet. If one of the people in your household is a gamer, you could need a lot more.
Pay Attention to How Many Devices a Router Can Handle
Every device that connects to the WiFi in your home will get its own IP address when it connects. While some of those items will use a ton of bandwidth, like a gaming system, others do not, like a smart bulb. It all adds up. Although you do need to consider the total bandwidth you are using in your home at any given time, you also need to pay attention to how many devices are connecting at once. Your router may not be set up to accommodate the number of devices you have on at a given time. If this is the case, buying a new router can do wonders.
Getting the Fastest Home Internet Possible
With seemingly everything being online and content getting richer, everyday activities are burning up more bandwidth than ever before. Make sure that you are prepared by controlling your backups and scanning for viruses regularly. Also, make sure you buy enough bandwidth for your needs and that you have a router that can handle it all. Your family will thank you!