2016 has been an incredible year for home technology. New tech which has enhanced our entertainment, convenience and connectivity this year have included voice control gateways, virtual reality headsets and affordable 4K TV. On our recent smart home installation projects we've seen a huge increase in the amount of devices connected to your home broadband and experienced the issues this causes your "freebie" router supplied by your internet provider. This Christmas we're expecting to see record levels of internet connected devices under the tree or in your stockings. Is your router ready for them?
Popular festive tech gifts this year will be media streamers from Amazon, Apple and Google, games consoles from the usual suspects like Sony and Xbox and thousands of living rooms across the country will be treated to a 4K TV upgrade. I'm highlighting these particular products because they represent the most broadband demanding devices in your home. All of these products rely heavily on On-Demand TV apps to deliver your content and in a lot of cases this is in data sapping Full HD or Ultra HD formats. In most households nowadays, every evening, there will be at least one person connecting to a TV streaming service for their daily dose of their favourite box set or catching up with previous days TV. I'm sure you've already experienced what it's like when two or three people are streaming or downloading from the internet. It has a huge detrimental effect on your wi-fi connection and broadband speeds.
There are several methods for ensuring better connectivity for all the devices in your home. Some are simple but others require professional intervention by Technologists like Customised. Here's our tips for home tech harmony:
Invest in a new router. It will bring enhanced security features, better device management and improved wireless coverage.
Wire where you can. If a device has an Ethernet port then hard wire it to your router. Non-mobile devices like televisions, set top boxes and games consoles are prime candidates for a wired connection.
Get rid of range extenders. Seek out wireless access points or meshing wi-fi systems like Eero, Amplifi or Luma. A professional installer will improve wireless coverage in your home in a matter of hours.
Use dual frequency wi-fi. Recently purchased devices like smartphones, tablets or media streamers will now employ both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz wireless technology. Make sure your router uses both speeds too.
Pester your provider. Don't take slow broadband speeds in your town or village lying down. Work as a community and harness the power of a crowd to pressure the service providers to improve connectivity in your area.
Seek out a professional. Instead of dabbling with your home tech and getting yourself into further tangles, employ the services of a Technologist. Use the Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) website to search for a local professional in your area.
Customised are Norfolk based, CEDIA certified Technologists. From our base in South Norfolk we cover the whole of East Anglia.