The spotlight continues to shine on comfort and convenience these days. And so, more and more people are buying connected devices. According to Pew Research Center, about 84% of American households have at least one smartphone. On top of that, many people also own a tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. That’s not all. Nowadays, people also own smart door locks, smart hubs, smart thermostats, and such. Streaming services like Sonos, Apple TV, Netflix, HBO Max, and many others have become the norm.
There’s an obvious problem with this. The more internet-connected devices you have in your smart home, the more solid and reliable your network should be. Otherwise, many of these devices would not function to their full potential.
A few years ago, a single Wi-Fi router was enough. But that’s no longer the case. Smart home devices create tremendous demands on your home network. Thus, signals may not reach some of your devices. Also, you may need to replace the batteries of wireless devices more often. That’s because they consume more power if they constantly look for a signal or strain to keep their connection.
When this happens, it’s quite difficult to feel the comfort and convenience that smart homes promise. It feels like you just replaced your past problems with new problems, and your life has not become easier at all.
Thankfully, this is a problem that’s not without solutions. You can do some things to ensure you have a strong and stable internet connection.
Boosting Your Wi-Fi
Back in the day, Wi-Fi was not, but not necessary. However, many smart home devices use Wi-Fi to communicate with other devices. Thus, it is now a must-have. And to make things work as efficiently as possible, you need to strengthen your home Wi-Fi network.
Here are some things you can do to accomplish that:
Not Using The Router Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) Provides
Internet Service Providers often give you a free router as part of the deal. They can do that because these routers are cheap. That said, they can’t keep up with the demands of a smart home, deeming them unreliable. So, it is best to invest in a better Wi-Fi router.
Have Multiple Access Points in Your Home
Using a single router in your smart home, especially in bigger houses, is not enough. There will be Wi-Fi dead spots. These are areas that are supposedly covered by Wi-Fi but aren’t.
You can buy Wi-FI extenders or mesh Wi-Fi systems to solve this issue. Preferably, go with the latter option because it ensures the connection throughout your home is uniform. So, no matter where you – or your devices – are, you can enjoy a strong internet connection.
Check If Something Is Blocking Your Signal
When many networks are located closely together, they start affecting each other. Thus, your neighbor’s network could be slowing down your connection. However, you can’t do much about that, can you? So, look for other things that could be blocking your signal.
Do you have Bluetooth devices that are constantly on? When they skip to the frequency range of Wi-Fi devices, they can cause traffic and delay. So, as much as possible, limit your Bluetooth devices.
Physical obstacles can also block Wi-Fi signals. These could be concrete and masonry or thick timber walls. Big aquariums can block Wi-Fi signals, too, since they contain water. However, it’s rare to have an aquarium that’s so big that it affects your Wi-Fi connection.
Choosing A Great Service
Hiring a custom home automation solutions designer is not a bad idea if you are new to smart homes. They know the ins and outs of smart homes. Therefore, they can ensure you will get the luxurious, comfortable, and convenient lifestyle you want. They can configure your home network for you, so you can enjoy a strong internet connection wherever you are in the house.
Of course, different companies’ services vary. Needless to say, it is best to select one that offers fantastic service. Here are the factors you should consider:
Speed And Reliability
You should find providers that offer networks designed specifically to handle high bandwidth and low latency multimedia traffic. Their solution should be capable of gigabit throughputs, regardless of whether it is a single processor or dual-core design. Furthermore, the solution must remove lag, jitter, and buffering in streaming audio and video traffic.
With that, even if you have many smart home devices installed, you can enjoy streaming or surfing the internet without problems.
Scalability and Security
Your home network should be future-proof. It should be able to support not just today’s technologies but also the upcoming ones. Select a service whose network will not hold you back when you try to add more devices to your smart home.
Adding more devices to your smart home increases the chances of hacking, though. So, select services that make it a point to strengthen their network security.
Remote Network Management
Not all of us are tech-savvy. So, some would not know what to do when experiencing network problems. That said, opting for services that offer remote network management is recommended. These services would keep an eye on your network. Therefore, they can act immediately before the problem escalates.
How Important Is A Reliable Wi-Fi Network to Your Smart Home?
It is very important. “Connected devices” indicate that they need to be connected to each other. And Wi-Fi is its enabler.
The difference between a “dumb” home and a smart home shrinks when your Wi-Fi is unreliable. Your devices can’t keep connected, and there’s a lot of buffering when you are streaming. You would spend a lot of time trying to fix the issue. So, it feels like you did not eliminate inconvenience in your home. You just reshaped it.
So, ensure you have a reliable Wi-Fi network before adding more devices to your smart home. Consider prioritizing investing in a mesh Wi-Fi system. You would not have many worries after that.