Smart Home Wifi

When it comes to connecting your technology and creating a smart home, a strong Wi-Fi connection is essential if you don’t want to be restarting your router frequently. So, before you even think about automation options, check out your smart home Wi-Fi to ensure it can withstand the pressure.

Here are a few things to consider:

  • Switch to a Faster Internet Plan

Chances are, you’re paying for an internet package that’s not as fast as it should be, so think about investing in a faster internet plan. Believe it or not, this isn’t always more costly. It might just take a bit of digging to find out what your service provider is offering.

If you’re really serious about smart home Wi-Fi installation that’ll cope with all of your smart home needs, you might also consider upgrading to Wi-Fi 6. Wi-Fi 6 routers employ several new technologies that are designed to boost overall performance by offering increased throughput speeds. What’s also really cool about Wi-Fi 6 is that it uses Target Wake Time (TWT), which allows devices to determine when they will normally wake up to begin sending and receiving data. This extends the battery life of mobile devices, as well as battery-powered smart home devices such as security cameras and video doorbells.

  • Upgrade Your Router or Modem

If your current internet setup is knocking on a bit, it might be time for an upgrade. Older systems are typically not great at handling faster internet speeds and multiple connected devices, so it might be worth buying your own equipment. When buying new routers or modems, however, be sure to check the maximum download speeds they can handle. This is usually on the box or online product description. Look for something that’ll be able to deal with smart plugs, smart lights, smart speakers, smart locks and more without grinding your Wi-Fi to a halt.

  • Position Your Router Carefully

For your router to work properly, it should be positioned in an open space so that the Wi-Fi signal is as clear as possible. Avoid hiding it behind furniture or placing it in a living room cabinet as this could cause signal interference. Also, be aware that if the signal needs to penetrate walls, wood, books and such like, it’s going to be a lot weaker.

Find out how our smart home installers at New Wave AV can help.

Frequently Asked Questions

The more devices you connect to your Wi-Fi, the more pressure you’ll put on the system. Unless you’ve upgraded to a faster package with impressive download speeds then your internet might be affected.

As a general rule of thumb, for every 10 to 12 smart devices, add around 5 Mbps to your internet plan and another 5 Mbps if you want to install cameras.

Wi-Fi 6 is the most recent iteration of the Wi-Fi network protocol. Also known as 802.11ax), it brings faster throughput speeds, better battery life, and less bandwidth congestion than you get with Wi-Fi 5.

Article by Damien Smith

I have been in the AV industry for over 20 years, working alongside some very high profile brands. More recently I have been heavily involved in Smart Home Technology, Home Cinema & Lighting Control which I very much enjoy discussing with clients, as well as providing CPD's for a variety of construction partners.

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