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!