Virgin Media has just revealed some new hidden tips and tricks to help make sure your broadband connection is beamed around your home at its best possible speeds. If you want your next Zoom meeting to be crystal clear or your nightly Netflix binge to pass by without a stutter then it could be advice that’s well worth taking note of. Although Virgin’s latest help won’t make the physical speeds coming into your property any quicker – you’ll need to pay more for that – some simple changes can have a huge impact on how well things in every room perform.
So, if you are a Virgin Media user and want a free boost here’s the Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) top tips on how to make your broadband better.
First up Virgin says that it’s always a good idea to check your router as some easy changes to its position can vastly improve the internet in your home.
Find your Virgin Hub and check that it’s out in the open and away from any other gadgets that could interfere with it. Signals from baby monitors and cordless phones can be the worst offenders when it comes to breaking broadband signals so try and keep these away from your router.
Another top tip is to keep the Hub upright, with its lights facing into the room. That way your Hub’s strongest WiFi signal goes outwards – not into the floor.
Once you’re happy with where your router is positioned then the next thing that’s good to know about are the different signals that beam out of it.
Like most routers, the Virgin Hub has a standard 2.4GHz band which allows gadgets to connect to the web. This signal is used by most ISPs but, as Virgin explains, with so many people using the same band at the same time, there’s lots of congestion, making information travel slower.
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It’s also affected by other things, including baby monitors, cordless phones and microwaves because they use the same band to function.
Luckily, your Virgin router also has a 5GHz band. This less busy technology does have a much shorter range than 2.4GHz but if your router is right next to your TV or tablet you might find it’s a good idea to switch things over to it.
If your device is 5GHz compatible, it will automatically pick up both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wireless Network names (SSID). All you need to do is select the 5GHz SSID for compatible devices.
If you love streaming and find things are constantly buffering then Virgin also has some help for you. The firm says that it’s a good idea to reduce the streaming video quality for a smooth experience.
Admittedly, that means you won’t get a pin-sharp picture but at least the footage won’t keep buffering.
If you are sitting down for a night of 4K Netflix action then it’s also a good idea to switch off other devices. Every gadget connected to your broadband will reduce the available bandwidth, so hit the power button on everything that you are not using.
Finally, it’s worth thinking about your upload speeds as well as those all-important downloads. “Most people are concerned with their download speed, but a slow upload speed can wreak havoc with your video calls, live streaming and gaming,” Virgin says.
There are lots of things you can do at your end to potentially rectify this including checking your computer or mobile security firewall settings as this software might be blocking any outgoing data and traffic.
Another vital piece of advice is to update your PC as not doing so can slow things down.
Finally, if you have a really important call to the boss it might be a good idea to plug your PC straight into the router via an Ethernet cable so there is less chance signal interference.å