Your Guide to the Best Internet Setup for Working from Home

In the past two years, more people have started working remotely without the intention to go back to the office even after the pandemic ends. So many companies have learned to function smoothly during this transition, and many have actually become much more productive precisely because they’ve switched to working from home.

The increased accessibility and convenience of home-based work inspires employees to feel better, more satisfied, and to use their time more wisely to get more done without worrying about commutes or traffic jams. However, you still need a reliable setup to work from home seamlessly and to avoid interruptions caused by technical issues, most commonly by your internet connection.

Let’s go over a few essential steps you can take to set up your home internet for best performance and optimal productivity.

Remember you can connect to the router

We’re so used to Wi-Fi that we often forget that the router we have at home can be used differently. You can, for example, connect directly to the router with a cable and avoid the iffy Wi-Fi connection to begin with. That means a more stable internet connection, and you can use it especially during important calls, to make sure that you don’t drop off the call or lose the signal.

You can also use a Wi-Fi booster attached to your computer or laptop, in case someone else is using the cable connection. Just make sure you get a quality booster if you plan on using it for important processes in your work to stay connected.

Keep track of the number of connected devices

Now that you’re working from home, and you’re likely sharing your Wi-Fi connection with other people in your house, you should know that your internet speed and the quality of the connection depend on the number of devices using the internet.

Make sure that you disconnect all the idle devices such as your phone, tablet, Kindle, or your kids’ devices, when you’re expecting a team meeting. Too many devices put too much pressure on the connection, especially if your kids are uploading or downloading things while you’re on a call.

Use your mobile data package

With so many perks of working from home, we tend to forget that being able to connect and stay online is now our responsibility, without our normal access to our office network. Knowing that, you should be prepared for unexpected situations, such as when your Wi-Fi suddenly gives up on you in the middle of the day, or in case there are some issues that your provider is resolving.

In such scenarios, you can use your mobile internet package to organize and attend meetings on your phone, exchange files, or create a hotspot for your computer. That means that your mobile data can serve as a backup connection for important meetings and performing your duties, or so that you can work on the go while you pick up your kids from school.

Organize meetings at “strange” times

Sometimes you can have the finest router, the best laptop, and the simplest possible content to load for your meeting – but the network is just overloaded with others trying to connect at the same time. That’s because so many meetings are organized in the hour and half past, so you most likely organize your own meetings then, too.

While you cannot change how other companies work or when other businesses set up their video calls, and you cannot affect the bandwidth of your provider, you can absolutely schedule meetings differently. Talk it over with your colleagues, chances are they will appreciate the suggestion and they’d love to meet at odd times just to make sure you can communicate without delays or interruptions.

Set up the router properly

Although you might not be the most tech-savvy person in the world and you’d rather leave the hardware setup to the pros, you should at least know the basics of what your router can or cannot do for you. For example, if you keep your router tucked away on a shelf behind a bunch of other things, or even in a closet, you risk weakening the signal significantly. Such a small change can make a huge difference in how your video conferencing goes.

Also, check the quality of the router itself. Perhaps you have an outdated version, or one that has been in use for a few years, so now you could benefit from an upgrade. Talk to your provider and their support team. Depending on the size of your apartment and your connectivity needs, they might point you towards a good solution.

So many people have been focusing on improving productivity while working from home with the help of a slew of different tools and gadgets. From project management software to picking out ergonomic furniture, remote workers are doing their best to refine their home setup.

It’s vital that you don’t disregard your internet connection as the basis of your remote collaboration. A good internet setup will help you stay productive and communicate smoothly with your colleagues, enabling you to enjoy remote work more than ever.

Author Bio

Lilly Miller is a freelance writer, who focuses on the latest business trends, commercial design, and environmental issues. She also loves to experiment on daring new home decor trends and write about it as a regular contributor to Smooth Decorator. Settled in Sydney for the time being, Lilly shares home with two loving dogs and a gecko named Rodney. You can find her hanging out on Twitter.