Distance learning has become the new normal, especially in Connecticut where every public school is required to offer distance learning options for students. Whether your children are participating in distance learning for 100% or taking a hybrid approach of in-person and online schooling, your home technology needs have shifted. What was once a seamless home network may be bogged down with added devices accessing your home WiFi network.
While replicating an in-person classroom experience is challenging, it’s important to have the right tools that are conducive to distance learning. Set your children up for success and support their online schooling efforts by ensuring your home WiFi network is efficient. Here are a few important considerations for remote learning technology requirements for your home.
Internet Speed
What once was sufficient for your household for internet speed may now be unreliable and slow. Internet bandwidth refers to the volume of information that can be sent and received over a connection. Internet bandwidth is calculated in megabit per second or Mbps. For distance learning, students should have at least 50+ Mbps internet speed as a minimum requirement. This level of speed ensures that there is enough internet bandwidth to support downloading large files, class videoconferencing and email. You can check what your internet bandwidth is by using testing sites, such as speedtest.net
If your internet bandwidth falls below the recommended Mbps speed, you may experience slow internet page loading, disruptions in videoconferencing and video play and overall slow internet performance. If this is occurring, you may need to make alternative plans for completing your coursework.
Multiple Users
Adding new users and devices puts your home WiFi network to the test. If you have more than one child that is participating in distance learning, it’s important to also consider how this will affect the bandwidth of your home network as having multiple users on the internet at the same time may result in slower internet performance. This is why you may need multiple access points. Having various access points throughout the house where several users can get full power, is a must-have.
Parental Controls
Whether your children are using a loaner laptop or iPad from the school or using their own device, it’s essential that the proper privacy settings are in place. Even though your school may have addressed control settings when lending their devices, it’s a good idea to verify this. When you partner with a professional in home networking security, they can help you set up parental controls that automatically filter websites from your child’s computer. In addition, parental control settings can extend beyond home computers, able to restrict children’s wireless access during certain periods of the day, for example from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. when children may be sleeping.
Popular solutions for parental controls and content filtering are offered by Disney Circle or Router Limits. With parental control services, you can control how much time your family spends online, website visits and app usage.
Coverage
Is there one spot in your home that is prone to dropped calls or internet outages? If so, you may not have the optimum coverage for your home. Ensure the area your children are using for their remote learning is not in one of these “dead zones.” If this occurs, you may need a whole home network upgrade if it’s been more than five years since your last network upgrade. Or, it can be as simple as relocating the WiFi access point to a more central location in your home.
Internet Security
It may be your child’s first time using the computer without supervision. It’s a big step! As such, it’s vital to teach them the basics of internet security. There are common phishing scams in Connecticut for you and your family to be aware of. It’s important to remember that phishing scams are only successful if you take action and provide personal information, so always be wary of an unknown website that is prompting personal information.
Having a professional home network system gives you peace of mind when it comes to your home’s internet security. With a professional enterprise-grade WiFi solution, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and firewalls are built to secure your network.
Partner with a Professional in Home Networking
Lifetronic Systems guarantees 100% fast, next-generation wireless networking both inside and out of your home. And we will never leave your home until you are 100% satisfied. We are experts in the professional installation and configuration of enterprise-grade home WiFi networks. If you’re ready to learn more about a wireless network upgrade for your home, contact us here.
