News & Articles

Your top priority is keeping your family and home protected and safe from harm. 

Thankfully, today’s technology can help you feel safe by making you more aware of what’s happening outside your home, no matter where you are. And smart home technology can help deter crime, as well.

Your neighbors at Northcentral Connect understand your concerns and desire to keep your family safe. We are also a part of our community and are proud to help serve and keep people informed, connected, healthy and secure. That’s why we’ve put together this brief guide to smart home security that anyone connected to our high-speed fiber network can learn from and put to good use.

This concise overview highlights some of the most well-regarded smart home security measures and technology recommended by home safety experts. 

Smart Doorbells

Smart doorbells help you see who is at your door before you answer. They also monitor any activity on your doorstep, front porch, driveway and even on the street in some cases. These devices can help prevent deliveries and packages from being stolen and deter suspicious activity at your home.

Smart Security Cameras

A smart security camera setup is a must for those looking for more robust security. 

You can install a smart security camera system anywhere in or outside your home, from the driveway to the backyard. Many smart security cameras are designed with motion sensors, so any time a person—or even larger wildlife—is detected, you will know it. 

You can also use smart security cameras with motion-sensing outdoor lighting, which will also help deter unwanted visitors. Best of all, smart security cameras connect to your home’s WiFi and all your devices, keeping you notified of activity outside your home.

Smart Lighting and Glass-Break Detectors

Other state-of-the-art smart home tools can improve safety and security. 

For example, glass-break detectors can alert you to intruders. Because they connect to your home’s fiber network, your family will be notified of a break-in. 

And smart lights detect motion and send notifications to your phone or tablet, alerting you to be on your guard.

Personal Medical Alert and Emergency Devices

Seniors and others with mobility limitations or chronic health problems need quick communication with first responders.  

When there’s an acute health emergency or other safety concern, personal medical alert and emergency devices can connect people to first responders at the touch of a button. During an emergency, there’s no need for seniors to locate and use a phone, as making contact with emergency personnel is simple and fast with these outstanding devices.

Don’t Forget About Network and Online Security

At Northcentral Connect, we take the security and stability of our network very seriously. Our engineers and technicians constantly work to keep the network safe from attacks.  But there are also some steps you can take to protect your data and online privacy.

Keep your home network safe from hackers and phishing attacks by using strong anti-virus software and apps on all your devices, as well as password managers to safeguard your accounts. 

And be sure to use a complex password that is difficult to guess—and not the same as all of your other passwords! Ad blockers can also save both aggravation and the unseemly tendency of advertisers to track your online activity.

These are just some innovative devices and services available to put Smart Home technology to good use for home safety and security. But as always, practice common sense in and around your home and online.

Keep front and back doors locked (and car doors, too). And avoid clicking on suspicious emails or untrustworthy links, so you don’t become a victim of a security breach. 

Don’t forget that smart technology and intelligent decision-making keep our neighborhoods and communities safer.

Follow Northcentral Connect’s social pages to learn more about how smart home technology can help make your home more efficient and safer.

We’ve all experienced occasional slower internet speeds from time to time.

And too often, this happens at the worst times, like when you’ve finally gotten a moment to binge that show everyone is always harping on about! For some of us, though, slower internet speeds and poor streaming are regular occurrences.

We get the frustration. And just because you have the fast and reliable fiber internet provided by Northcentral Connect there can be many reasons why you still get slower speeds and poorer performance.

Below we discuss some of the sneaky suspects that slow down your speed and recommend ways to improve it. 

We discuss the problem of continuing to use outdated technology. We then go through the next most common issue: WiFi router placement and two kinds of interference that can cause slowdowns, physical interference and signal interference. 

With a few simple changes, you’ll experience consistently faster internet speeds.

Older Routers Don’t Handle Higher Internet Speed Capabilities

Let’s start with the most common culprit for Wi-Fi problems and slower internet speeds: an out dated router.

Everyone knows technology changes quickly. But most of us don’t upgrade that technology yearly, including our WiFi routers. So while many people get a new smartphone or tablet every couple of years, too many of us have not upgraded our WiFi routers to keep up.

Newer WiFi routers, especially those made after 2019, can handle and disperse much higher internet speeds than older models. Specifically, be sure to look for routers that utilize at least 802.11ac technology, more commonly called Wireless AC or WiFi 5.

Better yet, the latest Wi-Fi technology is called 802.11ax, or WiFi 6. This upgraded equipment can greatly increase internet performance and capacity, allowing WiFi speeds to exceed one gigabit or more per second. However, as you will see below, newer equipment is not the only thing that matters!

WiFi Router Placement Problems Due to Physical Interference

Poor WiFi router placement is one of the most common problems that plague homes with slow internet.

To begin with, it’s important to remember that WiFi disperses its signal both horizontally and vertically (straight ahead and up and down).

Objects that are physically “in the way” of that signal can interfere with the quality and strength of the Wi-Fi signal before it reaches your devices. Below are the most common physical interferences in many homes that lead to slow internet speeds. 

Glass and Windows

One of the biggest slow internet speed culprits is glass and windows.

Glass and windows can cause significant interference. Avoid WiFi router placement too close to windows or other glass, as that can “deplete” too much signal and waste precious internet speed your smart TV needs to stream your favorite content.

Walls and Similar Obstructions

Fireplaces, wall units, cabinets and similar obstructions will interfere with the WiFi signal. Reinforced concrete, which some walls in your home may consist of, is a particularly obstructing material. With this in mind, choose your WiFi router’s location, and try to minimize interference with these sneaky speed-stealing objects. 

Televisions and Other Electronic Equipment

A TV is another typical problem for Wi-Fi.

 In many homes the WiFi router is located near the television; and perhaps behind it so it’s hidden from view.  This is a big no-no, as your television is loaded with electronic equipment that blocks Wi-Fi signal and its ability to spread throughout your home.

Do your best to give your router as wide a berth as possible from your television and other electronics-heavy equipment like receivers and DVD players. 

Signal Interference

Beyond the physical objects that interfere with Wi-Fi, other items in your home put off signals that can cause slower internet speeds, too. Three of the most common are highlighted below, and you should take care when placing your WiFi router too closely to any of them.

 Microwave Ovens

In many homes, the WiFi router is in the kitchen. And it’s likely your microwave oven is slowing down your Wi-Fi.

Microwaves operate at the same frequency as many Wi-Fi routers—2.4GHz. That means that microwaves can interfere with WiFi signal. Provide your router with as much distance from your microwave as possible, and consider relocating it out from the kitchen if the interference continues.

Bluetooth Devices

You should also know that Bluetooth devices can obstruct WiFi signals and slow down internet speeds as they “hop” around different frequencies.

There may be many more Bluetooth devices active in your home than the common ones you’re probably thinking of, such as your smartphone and tablet. A Bluetooth mouse, ear buds, speakers and even toothbrushes are typical in nearly every home. So be mindful of using too many Bluetooth devices simultaneously if your internet speeds are slow.

Baby Monitors and Walkie-Talkies

This one surprises many people, but baby monitors and similar devices that transmit sound waves over a distance can interfere with WiFi! 

Like microwave ovens, baby monitors and walkie-talkies operate on the same frequency as WiFi. Try to be careful where you place baby monitors in the house, or consider moving your router if the interference persists.

When you upgrade your Wi-Fi router to the latest, higher-speed capacity technology and wisely locate it, you can significantly improve your internet speeds.

But don’t forget that appliances, devices and equipment cause slowdowns, too! Doing so will make your streaming and browsing experience much more satisfying.

To learn more ways to improve your home’s internet speed and performance, follow Northcentral Connect’s social pages!

Online gaming is no longer just a leisure activity for teenagers and young adults. It is big business, with a market value worth tens of billions of dollars a year, employing thousands of digital programmers, engineers, designers, and artists, and an increasingly growing online competition sector called “esports.”

While online gaming continues to be as fun as it’s always been, and new processing power and intensifying graphic technology make video games more life-like and spectacular than ever before, advanced streaming platforms, esports and gaming tournaments are taking online gaming to a new level.

And thanks to improved fiber internet technology, such as the fiber network provided by Northcentral Connect, more players in literally every corner of America—and the entire world—can get in on the online gaming action.

Read on to learn more about the streaming gaming phenomenon and why it’s worth checking out!

Online Gaming in the Cloud Elevates Video Games to New Heights

Cloud-based gaming technology enables players to test their skill against competitors worldwide.

Whether “massively multiplayer online games” consisting of hundreds or even thousands of simultaneous players or simple one-on-one duels, gamers simply need to access their accounts, select their game, find their opponents or teammates and start playing. 

And the variety of games available to play is astounding. From simulated sports like football and soccer, to idyllic fantasy worlds to explore and survive, to designing and engineering buildings and even entire cities or civilizations, to war games and battlefield tactics, there is a game to satisfy just about anyone’s tastes.

But online gaming also provides a social component that had been conspicuously absent in previous video game eras.

Today’s streaming gaming platforms allow players to communicate, strategize, and even form friendships in a way that was impossible before. Apps like Twitch and Discord even let players record and broadcast their games widely, and allow fans to watch their every intricate move and tactic.

And the more competitive aspects of gaming help build teams and collaboration beyond individual skills. Thus, today’s online gaming is more than just about “owns” or putting up “W’s” or even economic gains—it’s about interaction and problem-solving among like-minded individuals working toward a common goal.

In this way, online gaming is not dissimilar to playing in little league or youth soccer or on the office’s softball team!

Popular Streaming Gaming Services

Online gaming among multiple players takes place on streaming platforms that enable players from different zip codes and time zones—even continents—to play against each other on the same gaming server in real-time. Some of the most common streaming services include those developed and maintained by the largest video game companies in the world.

Sony, which makes the PlayStation 5, has its own streaming platform, PlayStation Plus (which now includes the previously called PlayStation Now). Xbox and its Games Pass allow players to test their prowess on Xbox’s extensive library of acclaimed games. A membership with Nintendo Switch Online is required to play Nintendo games online, but it also offers up classic Nintendo 64 games to play.

Fostering Community–and Improving the Local Economy

Because online gaming isn’t just about the individual gamer but about forging connections and building community, online gaming also provides an opportunity for broader economic development to help towns and cities grow.

According to industry estimates, the economic “spillover effect” of sponsoring and hosting esports tournaments and other online gaming events is considerable.

In 2022, the economic impact of hosting an esports competition in Atlanta, Georgia and Raleigh, North Carolina, was $1.78 million and $1.45 million, respectively.

In addition, thousands of gamers attended each event, helping small businesses like restaurants and shops thrive. Even state governments recognize the value of esports and online gaming tournaments to the broader economy, as legislation is being considered in North Carolina to incentivize and encourage more esports events.

More gamers and gaming groups and clubs are needed in our towns and cities to continue the industry’s growth.

These gamers need reliable, high-speed fiber internet to participate in online gaming events, locally-hosted and remotely played. And communities need high-speed fiber internet to serve and attract gamers and gaming tournaments.

At Northcentral Connect, we are proud of our efforts to provide the most reliable fiber network available and benefit both the growing online gaming phenomenon and our community’s broader economy.

It’s easy to see both the local and the global reach—and importance—of online gaming. And as technology develops and internet speeds and connectivity improve, online gaming will become an even more significant part of the world’s economy and broader culture.

Be sure to follow Northcentral Connect’s social pages to learn more about our high-speed fiber network and how it can help keep you connected to online gaming and the broader global economy, too!

That’s Not Normal: Five Signs You Need Better Internet

Slow, interrupted, or choppy internet can be a frustrating experience. And if you and your family experience it when everyone is at home and streaming shows or movies, you know how it can ruin your evening.  Subpar internet can also make everyday communications with friends and co-workers difficult and negatively impact your productivity, as well.

Having fast, reliable, and consistent internet throughout your day (and night) throughout your home is essential—almost as necessary as all the other utilities. It can help keep the peace at home, too!

But you may have experienced enough consistent problems to wonder if something is “wrong” with your internet. While slowdowns and unstable signal are often due to your Wi-Fi hardware being older or not updated, your internet may be slow because your internet service is not as reliable and fast as current technology can provide.

The good news is that you can upgrade to fiber internet—the fastest, most reliable internet you can find! And Northcentral Connect and its team of expert technicians can help get you on the road to high-speed fiber internet starting with one phone call.

Before we explain how fiber can turn around your frustrating internet experience, we discuss five warning signs that indicate it’s time for an upgrade. From “dead zones” in your house to not being able to stream on multiple devices simultaneously, we will help you troubleshoot so you can make the right adjustments and improvements.

1) Slow Speed Tests

The fastest way to determine if you’re not getting enough internet signal is to run a speed test.

Speed tests can be checked on a cell phone in any room in your house. Start your internet troubleshooting by running a speed test anywhere and anytime you experience choppy or slow internet. Take note of the times of the day these slowdowns most frequently occur. It’s a great first step to turning your internet around.

2) Needing to Regularly Restart Your Router

If you frequently restart your router, it could indicate your internet needs an upgrade. While it’s recommended to reboot your router every few months to improve connections, doing so routinely (weekly or more often) is likely a sign your internet service is just not fast enough, rather than the router not working properly.

3) “Dead Zones”—Or Not Getting Adequate Wi-Fi Signal in Particular Rooms

Many homes have the dreaded “dead zone,” where your internet only has a weak or lifeless signal, rendering it useless to stream music, TV, and movies or even check your email.

With today’s Wi-Fi technology (properly set up and situated), dead zones should be rare, if not extinct. So, if you find dead zones in particular areas of your home, it may be time to improve your internet service to get a stronger signal everywhere in the house.

4) Struggling to Stream on Multiple Devices Simultaneously

If your family is struggling to stream TV and movies simultaneously on different devices, your family is likely to…well…struggle.

We understand that keeping the peace at home is a top priority, and quality internet should be a non-contentious issue!  But difficulty streaming on multiple devices simultaneously is a sure sign of insufficient bandwidth which means you have outdated, poor internet service. So, if this issue keeps popping up, it’s time to consider an internet service upgrade!

5) Videos Buffering Too Long and Slow Streaming

Our final sign that you need an internet upgrade is probably the most obvious and exceedingly frustrating: your movies and TV buffering for way too long.

If you find this happening n, or if the picture quality is frequently pixelating, indicate your internet does not have sufficient speed or bandwidth to handle streaming.

Upgrading to Fiber Internet Can Make All the Difference

Any of these issues could indicate a problem with your internet service. Unfortunately, many customers experience more than one—or even all—of these problems and others we don’t list here.

This is where fiber internet technology, such as the service provided by Northcentral Connect comes in.

Fiber internet technology transfers its data (i.e., emails, music, movies, TV, voice and video calls, photos, files, etc.) through light, sometimes reaching around 70% of light speed! Traditional copper-based coaxial cable just cannot compete with fiber’s speed capabilities.

But it’s not just speed that makes the difference. Fiber also carries higher bandwidth capacities than cable or satellite internet. Taken together—increased speed and higher bandwidth—and fiber internet is the clear winner. With fiber internet from Northcentral Connect, you can get your family on the path to high-speed, high-picture-quality, and reliable internet throughout your home.

So, if you’re experiencing any of the frustrating warning signs outlined above, reach out to Northcentral Connect and its friendly and resourceful representatives. They’re happy to help you determine if upgrading to fiber is the right move for you, and to help you select a package of services that will greatly enhance your internet connection!

And check out Northcentral Connect’s social pages for more tips and advice on improving internet service in your home!

Roblox: What Parents Need to Know

Besides streaming entertainment and spending time on social media, it’s a good bet that gaming is one of your child’s favorite online pastimes. And thousands of different online games are available for them to enjoy.

It’s also likely that you’ve heard one particular “game” repeatedly mentioned more recently: Roblox. And if your kid happens to be obsessed with it, Roblox may be about all you hear them talk about!

While not as well known as Minecraft, at least until the last several years, Roblox pre-dates Minecraft, having launched in 2006. But since the late 2010s, Roblox’s popularity has exploded.

Though Roblox is just one online game your child can play on Northcentral Connect’s fiber network, we think it’s worthy of your attention. And before you think that learning more about Roblox isn’t worth it, consider this: over half of all children under 16 played Roblox in 2020 alone, a truly astounding statistic. And as recently as May 2022, 43 million people played it daily.

Read below to learn more about Roblox and some key features as we answer many parents’ questions about this online gaming phenomenon.

What Exactly Is Roblox, Anyway?

So first and foremost, technically speaking, Roblox is not a game itself. With an accompanying eye roll, there is a good chance your kid has already told you as much.

Rather, Roblox is a gaming platform. It’s an online place to create, develop, and share games and then play them.

Your child may develop a game when they are “playing” Roblox—and then play the game they built. Or they could play a game created by one of their friends or other players. Hence, Roblox’s platform has a creative and educational aspect that can yield benefits in ways other “games” may not.

Millions of Roblox games have been invented. Many of them are played every single day on the Roblox platform. From first-person shooters to pet adoption and caring-for games, to traditional treasure-seeking adventures, just about any game style can be found on Roblox.

Are There Costs and Monetization Involved in Roblox?

Technically, Roblox is free. There is no fee to join Roblox’s platform and games are free to play.

However, like many “free” online games, there are “in-app purchases” available to customize and improve the play of a game—and your kids may come begging you to let them make such purchases.

Additionally, there are ads in the game, so your children will be exposed to marketing materials. Also, keep in mind that many of these ads are clickable, taking your kids from the Roblox platform to a site outside the platform.

Is Roblox Safe?

Roblox includes messaging and chat features to enable interaction with other players in the games played on its platform. Remember that Roblox’s popularity extends beyond just kids; many adults can’t stop playing.

In theory, your child could interact not only with other kids their age but with grown-ups as well. Naturally, some parents are concerned about inappropriate conduct and communications of any kind, and Roblox has taken steps to address these concerns. They’ve even included a page on its website to help parents understand Roblox’s safety measures.

Roblox has robust parental controls, especially for children under 12. For example, parents can prohibit any “friends” and contacts from messaging their child, which may give some parents extra peace of mind. Other features include chat filters (to detect inappropriate communications or conduct) and an impressive reporting system.

Given Roblox’s wild popularity, parents and kids will likely encounter it at some point. Parents should exercise caution and maintain a general awareness of their child’s internet use (as with any online activity). But there is an educational, or maybe even vocational, value to Roblox. So take some time to engage with your kid’s experience on Roblox, and who knows—maybe you’ll join in the fun, too!

And to learn more about Northcentral Connect and how its fiber internet can greatly improve your family’s daily life, follow our social pages!

America’s economy is more competitive and globally interconnected than ever. And advanced internet technology is a massive part of decades of worldwide economic growth. But some areas of the country do not have access to high-speed internet and all of its advantages, like large metropolitan areas.

Small towns and cities, especially rural areas, have been particularly underserved and sometimes even left behind in the new global economy. Thanks to fiber internet, however, that’s quickly changing.

At Northcentral Connect, we are proud to deliver the fast and reliable internet service only fiber can provide. And we are even more proud of how our service is helping invest in our community.

Fiber is future-proof because it’s comprised of materials to keep up with technological advances and increasing bandwidth capacity and speeds; fiber is an investment that will yield dividends for our community for decades to come.

Below we discuss four fundamental ways that Northcentral Connect’s fiber internet invests in our community’s future—and the next generation.

1. Fiber Helps You Work and Live Where You Love

Without high-speed internet, small-town America would be left behind. Small businesses and farms could not compete, and families were missing out on many essential benefits of faster, more reliable internet, like streaming entertainment or video calls with loved ones.

The expansion of fiber internet infrastructure is altering the landscape, putting small-town America on a level playing field with more densely-populated regions. Fiber internet also allows smaller communities to attract new businesses and investment, attractive well-educated and highly skilled younger people who previously departed for larger cities.

With fiber, you and your family are far less likely to choose between a great job opportunity hundreds or thousands of miles away and your hometown. Fiber internet technology doesn’t just help you stay connected to other people—it’s also helping you stay in your community and keep the ones you love closer.

2. Remote Work and Relocation Fuels Job and Economic Growth

Online and internet-based jobs are no longer “the careers of the future”—they are the jobs of the present.

Recent estimates indicate that between a quarter and a third of all workers now work at least a substantial amount of their regular hours remotely. Northcentral Connect’s fiber internet is helping to fuel the remote working trend—and helping attract new workers right to our community.

Relocation—or “recruiting” remote workers away from major cities and to smaller and often more scenic, relaxed regions, is another significant trend in American life. And relocation, made possible by fiber internet, can be an engine to power sustainable economic growth to help our community thrive.

Today’s workforce depends on fast, reliable internet. So, fiber internet draws talent to our small communities to work their jobs from home or even the local coffee shop. Fiber internet helps keep our families together and attracts new families into our community, too! As a result, the local economy is boosted, from restaurants and shops to other small businesses and service providers.

3. Improved Schools and Educational Benefits

Today’s schools go well beyond chalkboards and desks. Resource-rich curriculums bring a swath of learning materials from all over the world into the classroom via the internet.

 Fiber’s reliable internet means teachers can easily access and share resources with their students, greatly enriching the learning environment and improving educational outcomes for our children. By bringing these critical educational materials and tools to our schools, fiber internet makes perhaps its most crucial—and longest lasting—investment in our community.

4. Fiber Enhances Farms and Keeps Agri-Businesses Competitive

Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural-related businesses also benefit from access to fiber internet. From up-to-the-minute weather information to soil and moisture data and access to global markets, fiber helps small farms and rural communities thrive.

Fiber improves connections to governmental and regulatory agencies, speeding up permitting and sharing crucial information. Even handling claims and communicating with insurance companies is faster and easier with fiber internet.

Farmers and ranchers can also learn from the endless amounts of online knowledge, from more efficient growing and irrigation methods to veterinary first aid for livestock. Fiber also connects agri-businesses to cost-cutting tips and commodities analysts to learn about shifting market trends so our farmers don’t fall behind their global competitors.

The above are just four ways Northcentral Connect and its fiber network is investing in our community and the next generation. Whether helping to grow our economy, grow young minds, or grow agricultural products, Northcentral Connect’s high-speed, reliable fiber internet will sustain them all.

And to learn more about Northcentral Connect and how its fiber internet can greatly improve your family’s daily life, follow our social pages!