What Makes Your Internet Faster?

This is a question that often gets asked. There’s nothing worse than trying to stream the latest movie release or hopping on some Call of Duty with your friends only to encounter slow internet, lag and buffering. So, how do you make your internet faster?

The first thing to do is check your data cap. Your ISP places limits on how much data you can use per month; exceed this cap, and they can often place limits on your internet speed. If this isn’t the case, try resetting your router. This refreshes your connection and can often resolve slow internet speeds.

Repositioning your router can also help, as the signal from the router degrades over distance and for every object or wall it must pass through. If it’s an option, always opt for an ethernet connection. Cabled connections will always be faster and more stable than wireless ones.

You should ensure your anti-virus and malware scanners are up to date, as viruses and malware can often slow your internet speed. You can also try clearing your internet browser’s cache – this consists of bits of information about you, usually in the form of cookies. Cookies accumulate and can slow down your internet speed.

And if all else fails, speak to your ISP to see if they have a better plan to suit your needs.

How Fast Should Your Internet Be for Gaming?

Every gamer knows all too well the frustration felt when you lag while playing or time out of a server entirely. Fast, reliable, responsive internet could be the difference between bagging that last kill on Call of Duty and losing the game for your entire team. To ensure the best performance, you need speed, which means bandwidth, on your connection. If your download and upload speeds are fast enough, the exchange of data will be fast enough to ensure a smooth experience.

That’s not to say you won’t experience lag or server time-outs, but this won’t be because of YOUR internet. While you can theoretically game on most internet connections, for the best performance, it’s suggested that your internet speed be faster than 3Mb. You should ideally account for variations in the service throughout the day and the demands placed on the connection by other users in your household.

The best option for gaming is fibre broadband. This uses fibre optics which provides light-speed data. There is theoretically no speed limit, and your setup is futureproofed, as only the hardware at either end needs upgrading. Speed-wise, a 35Mb connection is enough to serve most of your gaming needs.

However, if you want the best experience and share a house with others who might be gaming or streaming in 4K, we recommend going for 50Mb. For more information, speak to our home automation specialists by calling Abacus Aerials today!

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Does the Time of Day Affect Your Internet Speed?

Absolutely! It should be no surprise that the fastest internet speeds are usually at night. That’s because most people are asleep, so there’s far less demand for bandwidth. Bandwidth speeds can drop by as much as 35% during the evening ‘rush hour’. This is usually between 7 pm and 9 pm, as this coincides with people getting home from work and proceeding to stream or surf the web.

Some ISPs instigate ISP throttling during busy hours in addition to this volume-related slowdown. They do this to give each customer a portion of the bandwidth, and depending on your internet speed; this might impact gaming or streaming performance. That’s why it’s always good to consider such factors when choosing the right speed for your needs.

Ultimately, if you want the best gaming or streaming experience, your best bet is to access the internet during quieter periods. That’s not to say you shouldn’t use the internet during busy periods, just don’t be surprised if there’s a little more lag than usual or drops in stream quality.

How Fast Should Your Internet Be to Stream 4k?

Streaming 4K is less intensive than gaming, though still intensive enough to warrant a decent connection. Ideally, you should be looking at around 25Mbps to ensure you don’t experience technical hiccups, such as buffering or the stream crashing. However, as discussed above, you must also consider other factors.

For instance, during busier periods, your allocated bandwidth may be lower. And if other people in your household are also streaming in 4K or gaming, this can quickly eat into those 25mbps. No internet service provides constant speed; speed fluctuates throughout the day. So, to account for this, we recommend at least a 50mbps connection for streaming 4K while allowing for dips in bandwidth because of volume-related slowdown, ISP throttling, and household usage.

As part of our home cinema setup service, we’ll check your connection to ensure its sufficient and upgrade it if necessary.

Check Out Our Installations Services

We handle all installations at Abacus Aerials, providing first-class results at affordable rates. From home automation to home cinema setups, we do it all. We’ll tailor the service we provide to your requirements. Part of this is checking your connection to ensure it’s fast enough to handle the increased demand.

If you’d like to learn more about our installation service, call Abacus Aerials today on 07780 186 085!

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