Whether you are hosting the holidays or trying to prep your home for all of the new gadgets you’re going to get, you will want to make sure that your home network is ready. Here are five tips to get your WiFi at its best for the holidays:

1.    Talk with your internet service provider

Chances are that you already have internet, but it never hurts to cover the basics. First things first, make sure your internet service provider (ISP) is working for you not against you. That means making sure that you are getting what you pay for. Reputable ISPs will help you get set up and make sure that you get the speeds that you pay for. Which will come in handy when family and friends are all trying to connect to your internet at once over the holidays.

2.    Make sure your router is in top shape (and position)

Not all routers are the same. Some offer different maximum speeds (measured in Mbps)

If your router is old, you are going to want to update it. Not only will this make sure that your WiFi speeds are faster and your internet performance is better, but it will help protect you and all of your guests that connect to your home network from malware.

Make sure that your router is in a central location in your home and not tucked away in a corner. An updated router doesn’t do you any good if it’s being blocked. Things like appliances, walls or large metal objects can interfere with or block your Wi-Fi signal, causing slow speeds.

3.    Move older devices to a different channel

Unfortunately, this tip only works if your router has multiple channels, but it’s still a great tip to keep in mind. If you have older devices connected to your network, they can be slowing down your internet. There’s no reason to get rid of these devices if they still serve you, just move them to another channel dedicated to them. Then, reserve another channel for your new devices.

4.    Identify activities that take up the most data…do you need them?

There are two parts to this tip:

• Making sure programs are not running and soaking up all of your data
• Making sure your network is protected so unwanted guests are not connecting to it

Downloading files, sharing files and streaming content are all examples of activities that take up a lot of bandwidth. This can really slow down your WiFi. Keep your bandwidth wide open by making sure that there are not any programs running that will use a lot of your data.

Also, make sure that your home network is password protected with a strong password. This will keep your network secure and also keep any unwanted guests from connecting and crowding your network (which can also really slow things down).

5.    Give your WiFi a boost with WiFi extenders

Lastly, you can use a Wi-Fi booster or extender to eliminate the areas of your home with weak connections. These devices connect to your router and help transmit its signals further throughout your home without you having to purchase an additional router.

Check out some of our other content to learn more about how to get faster WiFi speeds and a strong WiFi signal.

Bonus tip: Manage your WiFi network

Since you’re looking to gear up for the holiday season, you might want to look into a WiFi home network management system, too. A great managed WiFi solution option is Optim. Home networking can be overwhelming and full of guess work, but it doesn’t have to be. A WiFi management system like Optim will help reduce some of the stress so you can put your focus elsewhere this holiday.

Stay in-the-know on more WiFi performance tips and the impacts of using a Wi-Fi management system and other developing news around the importance of managing and protecting your home network by following Actiontec’s featured Industry Articles or the Actiontec blog.