Work From Home WiFi Speed
If you work from home, you might be wondering how fast your WiFi speed needs to be. From endless videoconferences to multiple deadlines, if you are like many, you’re likely still working from home. For this reason, you might be wondering if your WiFi speed is enough to get your work done. Chances are, it’s not especially if own a large home or you’re getting less than 40Mbps. So, what you don’t want to do is ignore slow Internet issues. Especially when there is something you can do about it.
Whether you are a freelancer, a company part-timer, or a full-time employee who just goes into the office on certain days, having enough speed to get things done is key if you want to be and stay productive. The problem is, most people don’t know where to start. And, Judging by the amount of searches done for the term “speed test” there seems to be a bit of an obsession with Internet speed. For this reason, we offer some insight on the WiFi speed you need to work from home and how to get it.
A Work from Home Guide to WiFi Speed
Working from home is often more complicated than it sounds. That’s because not every home is set up to double as a home and a workplace. Just like you wouldn’t go into the office without the right equipment. You’ll want to ensure that your home workspace is an environment that is well suited to get your job done. And, your experience working from home will depend a lot on your WiFi speed. For this reason, now might be the time to access your home network infrastructure. Because, when it comes to working from home there are many factors that determine the Internet speed you will need.
How Much Speed Do I Need?
If you work from home, you might be wondering how fast your WiFi speed needs to be in order to do your work. The bottom line: most households need Internet speeds of at least 25 Mbps. But, when it comes to working from home it will depend on the layout of your home and the materials used in its construction. Other things like the amount of users and devices connecting to you home network at the same time are also important. There is no one size fits all when it comes how much speed you need to work from home. It really boils down to how much bandwidth you need to perform certain tasks.
What internet speed do I need for working from home?
- Email and basic programs: 3-4 Mbps
- Group video calls: 10+ Mbps
- Large file transfers: 40+ Mbps
- Zoom 1:1 video calling
- 1.2 Mbps (up/down) for 720p HD video
- Receiving 1080p HD video requires 1.8 Mbps (up/down)
- Sending 1080p HD video requires 1.8 Mbps (up/down)
- GoToMeeting amount of bandwidth that GoToMeeting uses during a session will vary depending on the features that are being used
- Computer audio (VoIP): 0.04 Mbps (40 Kbps)
- Webcam sharing (HDFaces): 0.7 Mbps (700 Kbps) to 2Mbps, depending on number and size of webcams in use
- Screen sharing: 0.04 Mbps (40 Kbps) to 8 Mbps, depending on the size and rate of changes happening on screen
Compare Typical Activities with the Minimum WiFi Speed Needed Below:
| Activity | Minimum Speed (Mbps) |
| General Usage | |
| General Browsing and Email | 1 |
| Streaming Online Radio | Less than 0.5 |
| VoIP Calls | Less than 0.5 |
| Student | 5 – 25 |
| Telecommuting | 5 – 25 |
| File Downloading | 10 |
| Social Media | 1 |
| Watching Video | |
| Streaming Standard Definition Video | 3 – 4 |
| Streaming High Definition (HD) Video | 5 – 8 |
| Streaming Ultra HD 4K Video | 25 |
| Video Conferencing | |
| Standard Personal Video Call | 1 |
| HD Personal Video Call | 1.5 |
| HD Video Teleconferencing | 6 |
| Gaming | |
| Game Console Connecting to the Internet | 3 |
| Online Multiplayer | 4 |
Get the Internet Speed you Need
For those running into problems with their internet connection and slow speeds are to blame, the first thing you need to do is run an internet speed test to make sure you’re getting close to your plan’s advertised speeds. To see if you are getting what you pay for simply perform the test from in every room of your home (this way you can also see where your WiFi signal is weaker).
How To Perform The Test:
- No matter where you are testing from the way to perform the test is the same
- Simply click on start test and wait for your results
From Your:
- Smartphone click on this link https://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/
- Laptop click on this link https://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/
- Desktop click on this link https://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/
While your ISP (Internet Service Provider) determines your maximum Internet speed (the speed you pay for), your wireless router is what has the most significant impact on your WiFi speed. For this reason, it might be time to upgrade your home network equipment. Below are some of the basic things you will need to consider.
Router
Despite how important a Wi-Fi router is to your home, it probably doesn’t get much attention. In fact, most people have Wi-Fi routers that are at least a few years old, if not older. This is especially true if you are using the one that was provided to you by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The wireless router is perhaps the single most important piece of technology in our homes. And, there’s no question that the Internet is the foundation of our lives.
Wireless Access Point
When it comes to networking, you probably don’t want to run network cables all over your house, making Wi-Fi a great alternative. Unfortunately there are some places, such as the guest house or backyard, that a Wi-Fi signal won’t reach. Because it’s too far away or because there are thick concrete walls in between them. In this case, the best solution is adding wireless access points (for the best result, use a WiFi 6 access point).
Networking Switches
Think of your home network like a highway. A wired network is just like a multilane highway. Each car has it’s own lane and can travel at any speed without impacting others. But a wireless system is like a two lane highway, unless you have a router that supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz (giving you two more lanes). To help lighten the load of your wireless network and enable it to function more reliably, you need some of your connections to be wired. And, the only way to do this right, is by using networking switches.
Use Wired Connections
WiFi is great, but it tends to lose strength if you put a lot of distance and objects between your device and the router. If you want the fastest Internet speeds you can get, nothing beats a wired connection. Although it can make things more convenient, it does not mean everything in your home should be using a wireless connection. To put things into perspective, wired connections offer higher bandwidth, less latency and more speed than a wireless connection does. For this reason, you should always use a combination of the two methods. Here’s how to do that…
When To Use A Wired Connection
The best way to remember what you should wire: if the device has an Ethernet port, use it. But when doing so, do not forget to turn off the Wi-Fi connection to the wired device.
When To Use A Wireless Connection
Obviously, no one’s connecting their smartphones to the Ethernet, so for mobile devices, Wi-Fi is the clear choice. Remember, if the device does not offer an Ethernet port, you’ll being using Wi-Fi.
San Diego Home WiFi Network Installation
You’re already paying your internet provider for a fast connection. So, it only makes sense to have hardware that can deliver it, and the right team to install and configure it! We are a team of highly trained system designers and installers, qualified to help build the wireless home network of your dreams. Not sure what you need? We want to make certain you are getting the exact solution that you need for your home. Let us help you get the most out of your home network. We are happy to come out free of charge to assess your current wireless capabilities. For the best home network installation services in San Diego, call (760) 505-7461 to get started, or click on the button below to fill out a contact for
