So, your Internet speeds used to be just fine, but aren’t keeping up now that you’re working from home? There are a few reasons why this might be.
Firstly, if you’re spending a lot of time on video calls, remember they’re happening in real time and don’t download ahead (buffer) to smooth out the slow spots like streaming movies do. Plus, if you’re using a VPN (virtual private network) the extra encryption and connection to a remote server can slow you down.
Secondly, your Internet speed is shared with all the people and devices connected to it, even if they’re not actively using the Internet while you are. That means every kid, roommate, smart home device, speaker, and so on. Plus, other Wi-Fi signals – like from your neighbours – and electronics around you can interfere with your connection and slow you down. You’ll notice this most on older devices.
Finally, how far you are from your modem really affects your speed. If your modem is near the TV or gaming console, but you’re working in another room with walls or heavy furniture between you and the modem, you might not be getting the best Wi-Fi signal.
So, what can you do about it? Here are some easy fixes:
Use the Bell Wi-Fi app 
to see all the devices connected to your Wi-Fi and the strength of the signal they’re getting. You can even walk around with your device and recheck the signal strength to see where the best place to work is – most likely where you have a clear line of sight to your modem.
- Turn off any devices you’re not using or disconnect them from Wi-Fi, so they don’t hog bandwidth. You can also use the Bell Wi-Fi app to set schedules for Wi-Fi access and make sure no one starts gaming before you’re done your workday. Learn more about using the Bell Wi-Fi app.
- Change the Wi-Fi frequency your device is using to connect. The 5 GHz band gives you the best speeds but doesn’t reach far, whereas 2.4 GHz has a stronger signal farther from the modem. Try turning your device’s Wi-Fi off and back on to get it to pick the best frequency.
- Reduce the viewing quality of streaming services like Netflix and YouTube that are competing for bandwidth.
- Go audio-only for your video calls. Improving your connection is a great excuse to turn off video.
- Try a wired connection to your modem, think about extending your Wi-Fi range with a mesh system or Bell Wi-Fi pods, or consider whether your Internet package speed is really enough for your needs.
And, if you think you’re having a problem with your Bell Internet connection, use our speed test to check it out, or our Virtual repair tool to troubleshoot.
