Slow Internet and WiFi speeds are the #1 Support call that ISP's (Internet Service Providers) like Comcast Xfinity and CenturyLink receive. Today's modern home has massive amounts of internet connected devices, smart home devices, zoom calls, gaming and streaming on multiple devices at the same time. This means you need to have the right WiFi and Streaming hardware to support it.
The problem is when you call into your Internet provider that you are paying for service every month, you either get the run around or bad advice... Xfinity is famous for telling you that you need more speed, need their rental equipment or need unlimited data. Why? Because they want to charge you more money every month...
StreamWise Solutions is not a service provider and our experts have decades of experience. So you can trust us to give you straight answers to your internet and WiFi problems. Internet, WiFi and Networking are complex, so the best thing to do is a process of elimination and check off all of the requirements to fix your internet and WiFi in this order. To experience hassle free WiFi you need ALL of these things!
- Reboot your modem, WiFi router/mesh & hardware/streaming device This is the quick easy solution that fixes most issues. Unplug from power and restart/reboot NOT pushing buttons to reset! If nothing is lighting up green, you can check with your neighbors or ISP to make sure they are not having issues in your area.
- Make sure you have a minimum internet speed of 50+ MBPS from your ISP (higher for more people/internet connected devices - 200-300 MBPS is recommended). Remember if CL says you are paying for 40 MB you are likely getting 34 MB hardwired, which will be 10-20 MB via WiFi...
- Get a newer modem Xfinity & CenturyLink are notorious for charging you to rent old crappy refurbished modems/router gateways. Even if you bought it, if its over 4-5 years old, its time for new technology. CL makes you use theirs, we have recommended modems you can buy wo having to deal with Xfinity.
- Get a newer & better WiFi 6 Mesh Network See above, the Xfinity or CenturyLink modem router gateway is not good, especially if its older. Not only is WiFi 6 Mesh a newer and better technology, but you can put 2-4 Mesh pucks in different locations around the home, to eliminate dead spots.
- Update your hardware/streaming device/PC Older devices will have older WiFi receivers, which are not as fast or strong and cant receive signals from further away. IE if you are having streaming issues we recommend you upgrade to the latest WiFi 6 Streaming Device.
- Call your ISP Check online or call your current ISP to see if a faster speed is available at your address, if not it will be worth switching to a different Internet provider in your area that offers faster speed. If you already have a fast speed you can check with them to make sure they dont have any issues on your line or in your area. They will need to send a tech out if you have gone through all of the other steps below and are still having issues.
Please also realize internet TV streams & the quality is dependent on a lot of factors: content provider, internet speed, wifi router, network, number of devices on the network, wireless interference, etc. so can vary greatly by home & device. As an example, WiFi speeds can vary a lot depending on the layout of your home and the devices you are using. WiFi speed won't always match your Internet speed. This is normal. The good news is you don't need your WiFi to be as fast as your Internet connection to have reliable video streaming.
Remember the speed of your internet connection, is not your WiFi speed. This should be close to the speed you are paying for from your Internet Service Provider. If it's not, I would start by rebooting your Modem, WiFi router, etc and if it's still problematic, you should contact your ISP for help. Don't let them talk you into upgrading your speed just because you have buffering. If you have Internet speeds over 50 Mbps, you generally shouldn't see buffering unless you have a lot of TVs streaming at the same time or possible have an ISP issue in your neighborhood on the lines at your home.
Dont have time to figure it out or not techy? Simply reply to this email and we can schedule a paid expert in person visit to troubleshoot and get you fixed up ASAP!