When choosing the best Wifi for your lifestyle, there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all solution. There’s so much to consider — internet connectivity, Wifi access points, signal strength, and upload/download speeds — and it can all get confusing without the right kind of guidance on how to make the best choice for your unique situation.
But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with a few points to consider that will help you make the best choice when choosing a Wifi setup and Internet Service Provider (ISP) for your home.
How Many People Will Be Using the Wifi Signal?
Do you live in a single-person household? Are there multiple family members or roommates who will be using the internet on a daily basis? This is the first question you should ask when determining the best Wifi for your situation.
For example, Netflix suggests that you should have a minimum of 5 Mbps to stream HD content and 25 Mbps for 4K Ultra HD content. However, if multiple devices will be accessing the internet while streaming services are being used, faster speeds will be required to avoid lag time.
Is Your Work/Education Affected by the Pandemic?
The COVID-19 pandemic saw close to 70 percent of full-time workers working from home. After the pandemic is over, 92 percent of the American workforce is expected to work from home at least one day per week. That’s according to some of the most recent statistics acquired by Owl Labs when analyzing the “new normal” of a remote workforce and the technology that will be required to sustain it.
If you’ve been part of these statistics over the last few years, you’re likely well versed in the struggles with connectivity that many have faced. This is also true of any student who has attended online school during the pandemic. One lagging Zoom meeting can mean failing to get the assignment done on time, miscommunication, and falling behind on your work. Much of these problems can be solved with new Wifi technology, such as Wifi 6, which offers a faster, more reliable connection.
Do You Have Gamers in Your Home?
Most game manufacturers provide recommended speeds as minimum requirements, but if you or someone in your home plays some of the top online multiplayer games like Fortnite or Overwatch, those minimums won’t offer a smooth gaming experience. This is especially true if there will be others using the Wifi signal while a gamer is playing, which is likely to cause lag in the game unless 300 Mbps or more download speed is achieved. However, if you know anything about Wifi 6, you’ll know that this new standard for high-speed Wifi provides up to 75 percent less latency, offering maximum speeds for online gaming.
What is the Minimum Recommended Download Speed You’ll Need?
As a general rule of thumb, the more Mbps you can get on your Wifi signal, the better. However, you’ll only need speeds of more than 200 Mbps if you have multiple 4K video streamers or online multiplayer gamers in your home. In other situations, you’ll find the minimum download speeds to be much lower, and based primarily on the amount of use. With the recommended speeds we’ve suggested below, consider “light use” to be things like checking email, web browsing, basic video, or streaming music. “Moderate use” is the use of high-demand applications like HD videos and video conferencing. Finally, “heavy use” includes the use of multiple high-demand applications.
One user/device
Light use: 3-8 Mbps
Moderate use: 3-8 Mbps
Heavy use: 3-8 Mbps
Two users/devices
Light use: 3-8 Mbps
Moderate use: 12-25 Mbps
Heavy use: 25 Mbps
Three users/devices
Light use: 12-25 Mbps
Moderate use: 12-25 Mbps
Heavy use: 25 Mbps
Four users/devices
Light use: 25 Mbps
Moderate use: 25 Mbps
Heavy use: 25 Mbps
