Are you a regular remote worker working from the comfort of your own home, relying on your Wi-Fi connection for Zoom meetings and video conferencing? Or do you mostly use your home internet for a Netflix binge to unwind after a long day?
Either way, having your connection buffer is not what you need – Whether it’s that all-important Zoom call or half way through the last epic episode of Stranger Things.
You need a fast, reliable connection. If this is something you are struggling with in your home office then installing Ethernet cables could help.
Our Wi-Fi experts can design a network to suit your home and requirements and implement it, giving you the strongest, most reliable Wi-Fi connection possible for your house.
Why can home networks struggle with Wi-Fi connections?
Where home networks tend to struggle is when the wireless connection doesn’t reach every part of the house. Not great if your home office happens to be in one of those black spots! Homes that are particularly large tend to struggle the most.
If your router is downstairs, most commonly next to the telephone or television, then it might struggle to reach your home office if it’s a floor or two up or out in the garden. The noise of family life might not reach you – But neither will your internet connection! That distance could be slowing you down.
It’s not just larger homes that struggle. Even some smaller houses can get Wi-Fi blackspots, particularly if they use modern foil insulation.
What can you do about slow internet at home?
The frustratingly slow internet connections you get from Wi-Fi black spots at home can fortunately be combated with Ethernet cables.
All we hear about when it comes to Wi-Fi is wireless, wireless, wireless. Everything nowadays seems to be wireless! But in situations where you need to stream lots of videos, transfer data or utilise video conferencing, there could be a better way.
Hang on a minute, what is this blasphemy against wireless? Well, Ethernet cables. If your Wi-Fi is struggling to reach your home office, and you’re relying on it for video calls and data transfers then Ethernet cables are going to be your friend.
If you’re wondering whether or not you should opt for Ethernet cables over wireless then you might find this previous blog of ours a helpful read.
With the current heatwave we’re experiencing in Hampshire, London and all across the South East of England currently then we wouldn’t blame you for trying to soak up some sunshine whilst working! If you are wanting a reliable internet connection in your outdoor home office or out in the garden for working from home, then running an Ethernet cable would be our first suggestion.
There are different types of Ethernet cables – Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat7. You can read more about the types of Ethernet cables in our previous blog here as well as a comparison between Cat6 and Cat 7 here. The main things to know are:
- Cat5: A bit older and slower
- Cat5e: Faster and with less interference
- Cat6: Even faster, but not always completely necessary
- Cat7: Faster again with higher frequency and bandwidth
The blogs linked above go into more detail and how to choose the best one for your needs. Or you could just leave it to the Wi-Fi experts, couldn’t you?
How much will it cost to install Ethernet cables in my home office?
Every home is different, so the requirements to ensure a strong internet connection will vary slightly house to house.
When it comes to a home network there are various things to consider that will affect the network design and total cost:
- Whether the network is wireless or wired
- Cable installation
- Access to the internet
- Configuration
- Hardware installation
- Software installation
Once all of this is installed and configured, you should find that your connection is faster and more reliable – No more buffering mid Zoom conversation!
Price wise you are likely looking at between approximately £200 and £500. The lower end of the price range would be for installing an extra Ethernet port in an internal home office, with the higher price point for cabling from the home to an outside home office.
Of course, as we said above, the price will depend on individual requirements as well as the size of your home and easy it would be to wire.
At the end of the day, installing Ethernet cables for your home office will likely improve how reliable your internet connection is. And if slow internet is causing you daily frustration then resolving the issue with the cost of installing Ethernet cables will be so worth it, won’t it?
Get in touch with our Wi-Fi Experts
If you are wondering whether Ethernet cables could help solve your Wi-Fi woes and get reliable internet into your home office then do get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts here at Geekabit. We can help advise what would work best for you and get a network designed and installed for your individual needs. You get in touch on 0203 322 2443 (London), 01962 657 390 (Hampshire) or 02920 676712 (Cardiff).
