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ImOn NEWS & EVENTS
Originally published in The Gazette on Sunday, May 19th.
How to optimize your Wi-Fi setup for the ultimate Internet experience in your new residence.
Nearly 60% of moves in the United States happen between May and August. In the Iowa-City Cedar Rapids Corridor, moves surge at the end of July, when leases expire for thousands of students and renters.
Amidst the frenzy of boxes and packing, one commonly overlooked task is setting up utilities in your new home, such as Internet service.
To have Internet available on day one in your new place, you’ll need to act sooner rather than later. This article explores how to set up Internet at your new address, including tips on how to configure your Wi-Fi in your new home for the best Internet experience.
Waiting until moving day to contact an Internet provider will likely mean going without Internet service during the first few days in your new place. To avoid this lapse in service, begin researching providers one month before the scheduled move.
This gives you time to determine who provides service at your new address and to explore plans and pricing. Even if you’re happy with your current Internet company, still compare rates with other providers; many companies offer special deals for new customers.
If you are buying a home, ask your REALTOR® or the previous owners who supplied their Internet. The house will already be wired for this company’s service, which will make installation easier and faster.
However, it may still be worth it to choose a company that’s not already connected to your new home. For example, fiber Internet can increase a single-family home’s value by up to 4.9%, according to a recent study from the Fiber Broadband Association.
If you are renting, ask your property management company or homeowners’ association what providers are available. Some apartment complexes and HOAs have a primary provider they partner with, so your options may be limited.
A great online resource is the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) National Broadband Map. This map will show what providers are available at your new address, what type of Internet they supply – fiber, cable, satellite – and what the upload and download speeds are.
Once you’ve selected a provider, contact them 2 weeks prior to your move to set up installation. Installation schedules fill up quickly this time of year.
Router placement is key to ensure a strong signal throughout your home. This is something your technician should consider during your installation.
However, some providers choose convenience over performance during installations. Even if you don’t know exactly where you’ll position devices in your new home, it’s a good idea to scout out router locations before installation, in case you need to provide a suggestion to your technician.
Choose a central location where all rooms with devices are in range of the signal. The fewer walls and floors between your router and your devices, the better. Materials in your walls and floors, like metal, concrete, brick, wood, tile, and plaster can absorb and diminish your Wi-Fi signal.
For the same reason, raise your router off the floor by placing it on a shelf, table, or desk. This prevents the signal from traveling directly into the ground.
Wi-Fi signals operate using electromagnetic waves that travel along one of two frequency bands: 2.4GHz (gigahertz) or 5 GHz.
2.4 GHz is the most common frequency used in Wi-Fi, but it’s also the most common frequency used by other devices and appliances in your home. These devices compete with your Wi-Fi for the 2.4GHz frequency band, causing interference and weaking your Wi-Fi signal.
The most common culprits are microwaves, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, and cordless phones. When getting settled in your new home, avoid placing these items between your router and your devices.
When you connect your devices to your new Internet, you will likely see two options: 2.4GHz 5GHz. Which network you choose matters.
The signal from your 2.4GHz network covers a larger area at a lower speed. As a result, the 2.4GHz network is best for devices that frequently move from room to room, like cellphones, tablets, laptops, and Nintendo Switches; devices located far from the router, like video doorbell cameras; or devices that don’t need much speed, like wireless printers.
The 5GHz network signal covers a smaller area at a faster speed. Fewer household items can use 5 GHz frequency, so it’s less congested than the 2.4GHz band and less prone to interference.
This makes the 5GHz network ideal for stationary devices that need a larger bandwidth, such as smart TVs, gaming PCs, gaming consoles like an Xbox or PlayStation, and desktop computers. Your device needs to be located within 50 feet of your router to experience the full speed of the 5GHz frequency.
Moving is a hassle, but with the right provider, setting up Internet service in your new home will be hassle-free. At ImOn Communications, we handle every step of the switch so you can focus on the important things – like packing. Our experts go the extra mile to fine-tune your Wi-Fi setup in your new home for the ultimate Internet experience.
To see if ImOn fiber Internet is available at your home, call ImOn at 319-298-6484 or visit ImOn.net. We would be happy to help you stay connected in your future home.