Let’s face it, when it comes to internet at your business, more is more. With Alpine High-Speed Internet, you can do more, connect more, and experience more, faster.
Customers frequently ask, “how much internet speed do I need?” For some customers, a download speed of up to 5 Mbps may work fine. However, most businesses need a download speed of up to 30 Mbps or more to keep everyone’s productivity at optimum.
To select the best internet speed for your business, it’s important to consider these factors:
- How many devices do you have in your business? Take a look around and add up all the internet-connected devices you own including computers, tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, media devices and smart appliances. The more devices you have, the more speed you need.
- How do you use the Internet? If you only have a desktop computers used to check email and browse the internet, then a relatively slow internet connection may suffice. However, if you have a multiple employees simultaneously using your Internet connection for data-intensive activities — such as video conferencing, and cloud storage — then you’re only going to be happy with an upper-level speed.
- What are your performance expectations? If you only occasionally video conference, you may be willing to tolerate slow load times and buffering. But if streaming content or online conferencing are part of your regular workflow, you’ll be frustrated by slow speeds and the annoying lag that comes with them. Make sure the internet speed you choose is in line with it’s affect on your business activities.
Use the chart below to guide you to the right package for your home or business needs.
How to Improve the Speed of Your Wi-Fi Network
If your Wi-Fi router is out of date or not set up correctly, it could be slowing down your internet speed. Here are some tips to help you maximize router performance:
Buy a new router that supports 802.11ac. One of the best ways to make sure your network is as fast and reliable as possible is to use up-to-date hardware that supports the latest standards. With all the devices in your home, it’s more important than ever to have a wireless router that can handle the increased demand for Wi-Fi connectivity.
Move your router to its ideal position. For the best signal and coverage, put your router in an open space near the center of your home. Keep it away from thick walls made of brick or concrete, and make sure it’s not around metal items which can reflect Wi-Fi signals.
Make sure your router is secured using WPA2 with AES. The latest two standards, 802.11n and 802.11ac, don’t operate at the highest possible rates when either the client or router use WPA or TKIP. Putting a password on your router or limiting which devices can access your network will keep other people in the neighborhood from using your network and slowing it down.
Reduce interference by removing or minimizing the use of interfering devices. These include baby monitors, older cordless phones, microwave ovens, wireless speakers, and some security cameras.
Make sure your router is configured to automatically identify and use the least congested frequency. Or you can manually choose the best non-overlapping channel. Slow Wi-Fi speeds may be the result of interference from your neighbors’ Wi-Fi networks as all the devices compete to use the same channel. For example, if neighbors are downloading a Netflix movie using the same Wi-Fi channel as your home’s Wi-Fi router, your router and devices may only get thin slices of “air time” to talk.
Stop by Alpine Communications at 923 Humphrey Street, Elkader or call 563-245-4000 for help selecting a new router. We stock and install a variety of routers designed to meet a customer’s individual needs.
Tech Tip – Power Cycling Your Modem and Router
Are you having trouble connecting to the internet? You can fix certain internet connectivity issues by power cycling your modem* and wireless router. Follow these steps to power cycle your modem and wireless router:
- Shut down your computer.
- Unplug the modem from the electrical outlet.
- Unplug your wireless router from the electrical outlet.
- Wait 30 seconds, then plug the modem back into the electrical outlet.
- Wait 60 seconds, then plug your router back in.
- Wait 30 seconds, then turn your computer back on.
If your Alpine High-Speed Internet service connection isn’t restored, please contact our 24×7 Technical Support at 1-888-264-2908 for additional assistance.
*If you have Fusion fiber-optic internet, you do not have a modem, so follow steps 1, 3, 5, and 6.
