Internet connectivity has pretty much become a necessity both at work and at home. Anytime the internet goes out or there’s a connectivity issue, it leads to stress, frustration, and loss of productivity.
The number of people working and going to school from home has amplified connectivity issues that home networks may have had. There are now more devices than ever fighting for that precious bandwidth.
Both businesses and homes in Framingham, MA rely on fast and reliable internet as one of their most important technology services. They’re expecting to be online without problems like buffering and dropped connections, even though new gadgets might be connecting all the time.
Every second, there are 127 new IoT devices connected to the internet.
Typical issues that can happen when devices battle for bandwidth are:
- Someone’s large download causes your video conference to freeze
- A work VoIP phone system drops calls because someone is gaming online
- Report uploads get interrupted because of a server update being downloaded
What if you could put a traffic monitor in place to tell devices and apps how much bandwidth they could use? That’s exactly what using Quality of Service (QoS) settings on a wireless router can do for you.
Benefits of Managing Bandwidth with QoS
Quality of Service is a feature on a router that allows you to control which applications get priority and how bandwidth is apportioned between all the devices and applications on the network.
For example, if you’re working remotely from home, you could prioritize video conferencing and VoIP applications, so their performance didn’t degrade due to someone else at home streaming Netflix.
The default setting for bandwidth traffic is first come, first served. But this can cause packet losses, lag time, and loss of connectivity if you have too many devices wanting the bandwidth all at the same time.
Using QoS settings is beneficial both for businesses and for homes. Instead of allowing the “wild west” of a land grab when it comes to your internet connection, you can tell your router which applications are most important and should be pushed to the front of the line.
Here are several benefits of deploying QoS on your wireless router.
Keep Video Chats Streaming Smoothly
Video meetings have become the norm during the pandemic. Applications like Zoom have seen skyrocketing use and revenue. Zoom’s revenue rose 355% during Q2 2020.
Few things are as frustrating as those jittery and frozen images with sound dropping in and out during important video calls.
By prioritizing your video conferencing application using QoS, you can ensure smooth meetings without any buffering problems.
Stop Downloads from Stopping Everything Else
Large downloads can cause the internet connection of everyone else on the network to stall as they hog up the bandwidth.
You can deprioritize these types of activities, only allowing them an allotted amount of bandwidth. The download may take longer to do, but It won’t end up ruining everyone else’s internet connection.
Prioritize Work Computers Over IoT or Mobile
Both offices and homes will typically have much of their important workload happening from a computer. There may also be other devices taking bandwidth from PCs, like an Alexa voice assistant or smart coffee maker.
Using QoS, you can put your work computers to the front of the bandwidth line by prioritizing them over other devices that aren’t work critical.
Keep Your VoIP Phone Line Clear
VoIP phone systems, like PTG Voice, are becoming standard in offices and for remote workers. These cloud systems allow calls to be answered from anywhere and are a key component of a good business continuity plan.
But they do require a good internet connection to ensure good call quality and keep things like jitter, latency, and packet loss from ruining a caller experience.
You can use QoS to ensure your VoIP application gets high priority and calls aren’t impacted by downloads or other devices taking up the bandwidth.
Where to Look for QoS Settings
To use Quality of Service, you’ll need a router that has the QoS feature. You’ll want to log into your router administration panel to see if yours has this option.
Each router manufacturer may have QoS in a different area. On a NETGEAR router, you can find QoS by going to Advanced > Setup > QoS Setup.
If you have more than one network running on your router (i.e. a guest network and a main network), then you will need to choose the network you’d like to use with QoS.
From there, you should see an area that allows you to set up QoS rules. This is where you can prioritize certain applications or devices and also limit bandwidth to others.
Get Help With Expert Wi-Fi Network Setup from Pro Tech Guy
Your wireless network is one of the most important parts of your technology environment. Make sure yours is running efficiently!
Contact us today to get expert help with your Wi-Fi network. Call 508-364-8189 or reach us online.