How Can I Improve My Broadband Speeds?

Most people would think that once you have a broadband connection installed in your home, that that’s all there is to it.  

However, once you have your fibre broadband connection there can be a little extra effort required by each homeowner to ensure that their Wi-Fi is optimised and that they can achieve the best service and speeds.  

At its’ most basic there are five easy ways to ensure you get the most out of your internet connection.

1. Check Your Router Position

Did you know that the position and placement of a router or modem in your home can affect its speed and performance?  

For example, having your router close to a window, or blocked by items in a corner (books, ornaments, photo frames etc.) will impact the speeds you’ll achieve.  

Having your router close to a radio, microwave, or baby monitor may affect your broadband speeds.  

Naturally, the closer you are to your router, the faster your speeds will be. You should keep your router elevated, and in a position where it can reach most devices. This will reduce the risk of your broadband speed being affected.  

2. Update Your Router or Modem

You may be thinking, what’s the difference between a router and a modem? 

A router communicates between your devices and the internet to bring your devices on net. If you do not have many devices, you will not need a router. It’s worth considering though, as it may affect your broadband speeds if you have a variety of devices on your network.   

A modem is the box that connects you to your ISP (Internet Service Provider), and is typically used for wireless connections, broadcasting signals to devices across the homes.  

For SIRO customers, the modem will be connected to the ONT (Optical Network Terminal). The latter connects the fibre that has been wired to the outside of your house, to your modem. The ONT is a small white plastic box that will be placed on your internal wall. 

If you are experiencing ongoing drops in your internet connection, you may need to consider contacting your retailer for an updated modem or consider establishing a home network using a cable router.  

3. Consider Using Ethernet Connections

While SIRO’s fibre broadband (as well as cable, and DSL offerings) can be used wirelessly, it’s worth considering utilising its wired capabilities to connect your laptop, PC or console.  

The benefits of using an Ethernet connection include:  

• Speed (faster downloads, uploads and data transfers.) 
• Lower Latency (this means improved game experience.) 
• Energy Efficiency (on average, ethernet cables are the most energy efficient for data-transferring.)  
• Security (Your data is more secured using a wired, cable connection.)  

While the newest ethernet cables available are CAT8 and can transfer the most amount of data in a short amount of time, CAT6 cables are the standard for home and office connections and are backwards compatible with CAT5e and CAT5 cables.  

4. Password Protect and Safeguard Your Wi-Fi

This might seem obvious, but the more users on your network, the less bandwidth available for those who need it! By setting up a strong password for your wi-fi, you can make sure that your network is secure, and ward off unnecessarily connected devices (including those who might be piggybacking on your connection).  

Alternatively, you can track what devices are being used on your network by searching their MAC (Media Access Control) address.  A MAC address is the physical address of a device and is visible when connected to a private or public network.  

By viewing the MAC addresses on your network, you may be able to weed out potential Wi-Fi thieves!  

A full guide on MAC addresses is available here.  

5. Switch to Fibre

It may sound obvious, but have you tried switching to fibre? Fibre broadband offers the best broadband speeds, reliability, and resilience available in Ireland today. Copper lines, once the mainstay of connectivity in Ireland, is now an outdated technology that is rapidly being overtaken by fibre broadband, as network rollouts like SIRO’s gathers pace across Ireland.  

SIRO’s 100% Fibre broadband is the fastest available on the market and has a range of 20 retailers offering our services across 470,000 homes, with plans to connect 770,000 by 2026.  

SIRO’s fibre broadband has countless benefits: 

• Future-proofed, once it’s installed, it requires minimal equipment to upgrade for future demand. 

• Resilient, as it’s built on the ESB network, our fibre broadband is much more resistant to extreme weather events. 
• Energy Efficient, as it has 60% lower energy usage and 80% less maintenance required for FTTH versus copper networks, allowing users to also play their part in protecting our planet. 

For homes, speeds of up to 2 gigabits are available, while enterprises can reach speeds of up to 10 gigabits. SIRO’s fibre network has the potential to reach speeds of up to 25 gigabit per second to meet demand in the years ahead.