New Devices? You May Need More Bandwidth.

Now that we are well into the new year, you might be noticing a difference in the way your Wi-Fi is running. With all the new gadgets, smartwatches and new home devices you received over the holidays, your bandwidth might not be cutting it anymore.

But how is that possible? You thought your plan had plenty of Mbps for your household.

There are a couple of things to check before you call your service provider for tech support.

Number of devices

The first thing to consider is how many devices you currently have connected to your Wi-Fi. At first look, you might think it’s only your phone, computer and maybe your TV that are using Wi-Fi, but with today’s technology, it’s very likely you have a lot more. Smartwatches, Google Home, Amazon Echo, tablets, gaming consoles like an Xbox or Nintendo Switch and sometimes even new stoves and appliances have Wi-Fi connections.

That’s a lot of different gadgets taking up bandwidth which will affect your speed. If this is the issue you are running into it’s probably time to upgrade to a faster bandwidth speed.

Active users

Now that we’ve established that the number of devices connected will slow down your internet, it’s time to look at how many people are actively using the internet. Today, it’s quite common for households to have more than one TV. This allows for more active streaming on Netflix or Disney+ while someone else is simultaneously gaming online with their friends. Plus, you can’t forget your social surfers who love sharing their favorite TikToks or posting updates on their Instagram stories. All of these platforms will use up those precious Mbps. When your internet gets overloaded, it’s similar to a freeway getting backed up during rush hour. Even though the freeway has five lanes and a 75 mph speed limit, with too many cars trying to enter and exit everything slows down drastically. The same thing happens to your bandwidth.

Make sure your Wi-Fi is also password protected. Otherwise, you may be providing your neighbor with free internet which will also add to your bandwidth overload.

Need more help understanding what bandwidth is? Check out our previous blog explaining Bandwidth vs. Speed.

Router placement

One of the last things that can really slow down your Wi-Fi is where your router is located. If it’s on one side of your house, the other side may very well have a delayed connection. That’s why a central spot in your home is highly recommended. Routers also tend to send the signal downward, so the higher the better. Consider placing it on the top of a bookshelf or even mounting it to the wall.

Lastly, make sure your router isn’t too close to other large electronics or magnets as those can affect its ability to run smoothly as well.

Still having issues

Did you check each of these and none seem to be the source of your problem?

Test your internet speeds with our speed test tool and feel free to visit our website or contact Beehive Broadband specialist at 844-390-3310 for support. To optimize results with the speed test tool, it is best to use a device with a 1G compatible port and plug in with an ethernet cable versus testing over Wi-Fi. Give us a call! We are here to help whenever you need us.

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