How to help ease network demand and get the most out of your connection during COVID-19.
Due to recommended social distancing measures as result of COVID-19, more Australians are working, studying and staying at home than ever before.
This increased use puts pressure on our networks and can test your home Wi-Fi set up. But there are things that you can do to help relieve that pressure and get the most out of your home or mobile internet connection. If possible:
- Download patches or updates, including gaming updates, overnight.
- Turn off or unplug internet connected devices that you are not currently using. Unplug gaming consoles, such as Xbox and PlayStation, as these consoles can download game updates while in standby mode.
- Make sure your wireless router or modem has clear line of sight to devices and is elevated.
- Reduce the video resolution when watching videos online, use video for online meetings when necessary and mute the microphone when not talking. All of these things will help to reduce the bandwidth on your home network.
- If you are having online meetings, start them at different times in the hour (i.e. 9:15), instead of on the hour or half-hour when more people might be trying to use the same service.
- Close all applications and web pages you are not currently using on your device, as many of these consume surprising amounts of your internet bandwidth even when not in use.
- Download documents to work on "offline" rather than trying to edit "online", if your tasks can accommodate this.
- Some browsers including Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer support "turbo mode" that compresses data before it sends it over the internet. Find the control and turn this on, as this can speed some internet tasks up.
These tips are generally applicable to wireless mobile connections as well as fixed line connections.
If you have specific questions about your internet connection or service, you should contact your provider. Before contacting your provider by phone, you could try accessing online self-help tools or advice where possible.
Communications Alliance and the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association have also published information that you may also find useful.