How to optimize your network.

Boosting your speed or throughput.

Wired connection.

The quickest way to boost your connection speed is to wire your laptop directly to your modem. This immediately eliminate all wireless problems and can improve connection speed to 5-10x faster. Ethernet cables can be cheaply purchased online in varying length. Just ensure it is CAT 5e or CAT 6 rated.

Upgrade your internet connection.

You may need an internet speed upgrade from your ISP. To utilize web conferencing and eLearning systems we recommend a minimum of 25Mbps. If you have multiple people utilizing high bandwidth apps like web conferencing, eLearning, gaming, or VPN you should have at least 75Mbps. If you are unsure what speed you are provided by your ISP you can check your bill or do a speed test using: https://fast.com.

Boosting your wireless range.

Position your modem/router.

Your router should be in the most central location possible. The location should be in an open area with minimal obstruction. This helps signal spread evenly amongst the entire residence

*You may need to move your modem/router to another coax jack if available. If you have a separate modem and router you can use a longer Ethernet cable between the two.

Use a repeater to boost your signal.

In large homes you might need a signal boost in part of your home. This can be achieved with a wireless repeater positioned between your router and the dead spot. We suggest buying a repeater that is the same brand and series as your router for compatibility.

Boosting your routers performance.

Splitting your network bands.

There are two types of wireless signals coming from most routers, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. 5GHz has less interference and faster speeds. Therefore, you should prefer using 5GHz unless you are far away from the router. Most routers combine these networks into one name, but usually provide a way to separate them. We suggest to separate these networks naming 2.4GHz something like “Home-Network” and 5GHz “Home-Network5”. If you rent your modem/router your ISP can assist you with this or if you own your own router do a web search for “BrandName router separate wireless channels”.

Quality of service.

Quality of service is a fancy way of saying prioritization. Many routers have options to change QOS settings. You can usually choose to prioritize by applications or by device. We recommend setting the prioritization to your work or eLearning device first, or web conferencing if applications are the only option. You can find more information on how to achieve this by doing a web search for “Enable QOS BrandName router”.

Other options.

Should I upgrade my router?

Just like your computer your router sometimes has new features and bug fixes. If you rent your modem/router from your ISP, this process is done automatically. If not, you can find upgrade instructions by doing a web search for “BRANDNAME router firmware upgrade”

*Note: upgrading firmware incorrectly can render the device unusable. Please seek assistance if you are unsure of what you are doing.

How to optimize your network.

Boosting your speed or throughput.

Wired connection.

Upgrade your internet connection.

Boosting your wireless range.

Position your modem/router.

Use a repeater to boost your signal.

Boosting your routers performance.

Splitting your network bands.

Quality of service.

Other options.

Should I upgrade my router?

Modify Windows wireless settings.

Support and Contacting your ISP for more assistance.

Altice (Optimum)

AT&T

Century Link

Charter/Spectrum

Comcast

Cox

Frontier

Mediacom

Verizon