5 Frequently Asked Questions About Residential Networking
All You Need to Know About Getting Fast, Reliable Internet
In this week’s blog post, we’re diving into residential networking—and no, we don’t mean a cocktail hour at a residence. We’re talking about Internet networks—Wi-Fi, routers, and all things online.
If you’re struggling with poor, unreliable Wi-Fi in your Indianapolis home, all hope isn’t lost. Below, we answer five commonly asked questions to help improve your network connection at home.
SEE ALSO: How to Get More Bandwidth and Better Wi-Fi
1. What Is a Home Network?
If you’re reading this online at home, you already have a home network! A home network is a type of local area network (LAN) that facilitates communication between your devices and the Internet.
2. What Components Make a Home Network?
All home networks start with a router and Ethernet cabling. In a wired setup, you directly connect your devices to your router via Ethernet cables. With a wireless network, the cabling is connected to wireless access points that distribute Wi-Fi throughout your home and which are hardwired back to your router. Finally, your internet service provider (ISP) provides a modem to connect your router and other connected devices out to the internet.
To extend Wi-Fi coverage, you may need one wireless access point for up to every 1,500 square feet in your home. All the devices you use with the Internet, from your laptop, mobile devices, home security, and even a smart thermostat, are part of the network, too.
3. What Causes Wi-Fi Issues?
Many factors can lead to slow or unreliable Internet connection, including:
- Living in a large home with many rooms or multiple floors
- Having stone, concrete, or brick walls
- Many people on the network at the same time
- Owning many wireless smart devices
- Interfering devices like microwaves, baby monitors, and satellite dishes
- Running outdated networking hardware like routers and access points
4. How Can I Get Strong Internet Across the Whole House?
All hope isn’t lost if your Wi-Fi is slow or unpredictable. To improve your Wi-Fi performance, one smart place to start is upgrading the router. New Wi-Fi 6 routers run at much higher speeds and can communicate with more devices at once. If certain areas receive a weak Wi-Fi signal, wireless access points can extend coverage.
But if there are any devices you can wire to the network, we highly recommend it. The fewer devices you have on Wi-Fi, the faster it will run. If you have a desktop computer, home theater, or TV where you play video games or stream online, wiring to the network will ensure smoother performance and less latency.
5. Can Your Home Network Be Hacked?
Yes, home networks are just as vulnerable to cyber attacks as commercial networks. Most out-of-the-box routers and devices lack protection, and hackers will break through passwords to get onto your network.
To prevent hacking, we suggest routinely updating the software on your router and devices and installing a firewall that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic. Your network installer, The Premier Group, can help with this!
How Can I Upgrade My Home Network Today?
If you’re in Indianapolis, The Premier Group is here to help bring your home network up to speed. We design and install custom networking solutions tailored to your needs. Contact us here to get started today!
