10 Things to Try If Your Office Business Internet Is Slow
In the 21st century office environment, high-speed business Internet has gone from being a luxury to a necessity. Business processes now operate at an incredible pace with tighter deadlines. Slow business Internet in the office will cause great frustrations, diminish productivity and may eventually lead to losses. You need to fix it.
Are you currently experiencing slow business Internet? Are the upload and download speed significantly lower than what your Internet service provider (ISP) promised? There are many things you can try to identify and fix the problem. Here are ten important steps you can take to resolve the issue:
Check Your Speed
This is the very first step to take. Speed testing will let you determine the download and upload speeds, identify issues with your network, and understand the best line of action. One of the best speed tests you can do quickly is the free Metro Wireless Speed Test. It will let you perform a comprehensive speed test of your business internet effectively. Download, upload, ping and jitter all tested in one place effectively.
Check Your Hardware Limitations
In many instances of slow Internet speed, the problem is with the devices being used. No matter how fast the Internet package you are subscribed to, the limitations of your office devices will ultimately undermine the speed you expect to enjoy.
In addition to your computers and mobile devices, the primary Wi-Fi router significantly influences office Internet speed. Check the network specifications of your devices to make sure they are capable of going faster. You should always go for a great router and buy up-to-date computers and other connecting devices when your business counts on it.
Give Your Hardware a Quick Universal Fix
Fixing the problem of slow office Internet can be as simple as giving your hardware the universal fix recommended for most electronic devices. If the problem is not limited to few computers or other devices in the office, you should give your modem and router a quick reset (turn off the modem and router and turn them on again). This solves the problem in many instances.
Fix Your Wi-Fi Signal
There are instances where the Wi-Fi signal is the problem with office Internet speed. If the router and Internet are great, but the signal is weak, the speed will be poor until you fix it. You may just need to reposition or boost your router with a few tricks. You can place the router in a central position, consider a Wi-Fi mesh system, attempt some simple hacks to increase the range, and use third-party firmware to boost the signal. Whatever you attempt, make sure it is safe for your network.
Control What Uses Your Wireless Internet
The Internet speed you will enjoy in your office will also depend on the number of devices you connect to your network. In many offices where the trendy Bring Your Own Devices policy is practiced, the business Internet can be overburdened. This is besides the security risks associated with the policy. Even if you have the policy in place, there should be limitations to the number of devices an employee can connect. Enforce these limitations to make sure that most of your bandwidth is used by company devices.
Control What Is Accessed Over Your Business Internet
You also need to control the sites that are accessed by the devices connected to your wireless Internet. Such activities as live streaming of sports events or any kind of streaming at all can place a huge burden on your business Internet. There is a need to restrict what can be accessed by staff once their devices are connected to the office network during business hours. This will ensure that the bandwidth is used for business only, and the speed will be optimized.
Limit Bandwidth-Hogging Plugins and Apps
Different programs may be hogging the connection and undermining your high-speed business Internet. If you are downloading big files from BitTorrent, for instance, the speed of regular web browsing can be severely affected. To limit some of the most notorious bandwidth-hogging ads, animations, and videos, consider installing extensions like AdBlocker Plus and Privacy Badger. Opt for trusted browsers and plugins only.
Keep Your IT Security Updated
There are many things rogue software or viruses can do to your computer system, and a slow Internet connection is one of them. You need to ensure that your IT security is up to date at all times. Your PC, web, and email antivirus programs must be updated at all times. Again, use firewalls and restrict changes to your office PCs. If you are sure you have an issue with malware, call in the right cybersecurity experts to tighten up your IT security.
Call Your Internet Service Provider
If you attempt every other point here without any real improvement, it is time to call your Internet service provider. There are chances that the problem is from their end, but don’t get into a confrontation immediately. It is unlikely that the customer service representative can solve your problem, so you should explain your problem in detail and explain what troubleshooting you have done. You may be called and asked more questions about your devices and network. If there is a problem from their side, it may take a little while to fix it, and you should be patient.
Upgrade to Something Faster
Sometimes your business Internet plan is just not good enough for your business needs. If you notice that this is the case, you should upgrade to something better. Business Internet availability is evolving at an impressive pace, and you need to hook up with what suits your organization. Your favorite ISP, Metro Wireless, will undoubtedly have something that will suit your needs perfectly, whether that is for a primary or backup connection.
Slow Internet connectivity in an office setting can be super frustrating. You don’t have to accept such frustration or subject your employees to it. From performing the all-important speed test to opting for a more reliable high-speed business Internet in your area, we have discussed ten things you can try when you are facing the problem. Also, you shouldn’t hesitate to get the experts involved if you need them.
Something else to consider that is recommended is having two Internet connections. Having backup Internet at your place of business is the most reliable way to protect yourself from slowness and outages. Internet slow downs and outages kill productivity and cause frustration, and with backup links you can prevent it all. Choosing diverse connections in the event of failure provides extra protection for your business.
For more information about our services, contact us today at Metro Wireless. Our services are affordable, reliable and available nationwide. We guarantee you quality and excellent services with a personalized solution for your business Internet needs.