Streaming and screaming? Survive school holiday WiFi woes

If you’re contending with school holidays, that means more time at home, more devices online, a lot more streaming, and plenty of screaming! If your internet feels stretched to its limit, you’re not alone.

Home WiFi is working overtime for families everywhere. But you don’t have to put up with buffering and dropped video calls all summer. A simple speed boost could make all the difference.

Do you need a speed boost?

Follow this quick checklist to see if your broadband’s keeping up:

• Are the phrases “buffering” or “the WiFi’s down!” popping up more than usual?
• Are your video calls patchy when the kids are watching YouTube or gaming?
• Has movie night become a stuttering mess?
• Does your connection slow right down at busy times?

If any of these things sound familiar, it might be time to think about faster broadband.

Quick tips for surviving peak WiFi season

But before you make any big changes, see if these simple tips help first:

• Move your router somewhere central for better coverage.
• Check your router settings to see if you can give priority to important devices or activities.
• Pause big downloads or updates during important moments like calls or family movie nights.
• If your WiFi doesn’t quite reach every corner of the house, consider a mesh system like Zen EveryRoom for stronger coverage throughout your home.

These little changes can make a difference, but sometimes there’s only so much you can do when everyone wants a slice of your broadband and things start to slow down. When demand starts to exceed supply, it’s probably time to look at a faster connection.

Why a speed boost helps

When everyone’s online at once, your connection can get overloaded fast. But a speed boost means your household can do everything online, all at once. And you can give slowdowns the boot.

Work calls, streaming, downloads and gaming can all happen together, without anyone getting in each other’s way. And movie nights and smart home gadgets just work, with plenty of speed left for whatever comes next.

Boost your speed – or upgrade to full fibre if you haven’t already

If you’re finding your current speeds aren’t cutting it, upgrading to a faster broadband tier could make all the difference. And if you’ve not yet made the move to full fibre – and it’s available where you live – now’s a great time to make the switch.

With speeds up to 1,600 Mbps now available, there’s a speed boost for even the busiest homes. And don’t worry – switching is much simpler than you might think.

If you’re not sure what speeds are available at your address, the best place to start is with our online postcode checker. Just pop in your postcode, and you’ll see your available options in seconds.

Ready for a smoother connection?

Upgrading your broadband speed means less waiting, more doing, and WiFi that works for everyone at home – even when life gets really busy. If you’re curious about what a speed boost could do for your home, read our articles here and here.

Or check your options now and see how easy it is to get started.