Common arguments at home about Wi-Fi

In today’s digital age, Wi-Fi has become an essential part of our daily lives. We use it to work, study, entertain ourselves, and stay connected with the world.

However, this increased reliance on Wi-Fi has also led to an increase in arguments and disagreements. Did you know that nearly a third of those living in the UK admit to arguing about the internet? In this blog, we will explore the common causes of arguments at home about Wi-Fi, who might be taking up the bandwidth and how to stop the disagreements.

Slow Internet Speeds

One of the main causes of arguments at home is slow internet speeds and Wi-Fi connectivity issues, which can frustrate users and lead to disagreements over who is using the network and for what purposes as well as having too many devices competing for bandwidth.

A recent study by Uswitch stated that slow internet speeds are the primary cause of frustration among users. The study found that most users experience slow internet speeds at least once a day, and 40% experience it multiple times a day.

Here are some of the other issues and how they can affect your Wi-Fi speed.

Network connectivity issues

One of the common causes of arguments at home is network connectivity issues. These issues can include dropped connections, weak signals, and intermittent service. The second most common cause of customer complaints about their internet service providers (ISPs), accounting for 20% of all complaints.

Bandwidth hogging

Bandwidth hogging occurs when one user on the network uses an excessive amount of data, causing the network to slow down or even crash. This could be attributed to someone downloading a large gaming file, or event streaming content at peak times in the evening.

Password sharing

Password sharing occurs when users share their Wi-Fi router passwords with others outside of their household, leading to slow speeds and potential security risks. According to a survey by YouGov, 28% of respondents admitted to sharing their Wi-Fi passwords with friends and family members who did not live with them.

Parental controls

Parental controls can also be a source of arguments at home about Wi-Fi. Parental controls allow parents to restrict access to certain websites and content for their children. However, disagreements can arise over what content should be restricted and how strict the controls should be. According to a survey by NortonLifeLock, 59% of parents reported having arguments with their children over internet usage.

What is the benefit of parental controls on my router?

Setting up parental controls can be quite straightforward. You set up a separate Wi-Fi connection for your children’s devices and enable the parental controls within the router which monitors what they can (and can’t) view online, time spent on their device and can set schedules of time for those devices.

How can parental controls slow down my Wi-Fi?

Some of the best features within parental controls could limit the performance of specific devices connected through the Wi-Fi. When you enable them you can set certain restrictions to websites or even schedules of devices, but these could have an impact on the speed leading to more arguments and some unhappy children.

Who uses the most bandwidth in your home?

As we bring more devices into our homes, sign up for more streaming services and enjoy activities at home through Wi-Fi you begin to absorb more of your internet bandwidth, but who in your family is using up all that wonderful Wi-Fi?.

Multiple device users

With the growth of second screening via tablet and mobile devices a lot of younger people are able to multitask while talking to friends, watching sports or even just scrolling through TikTok while watching Netflix on a smart TV. The more devices in the home, the increased demand on your Wi-Fi router.

Online gamers

Modern computer games files can range in size from 2Gbps to over 100Gbps and take time to download from the server, but playing online may only need about 5-20Mbps to ensure you don’t enter the lag zone. With gamers playing for hours, the toll it takes on your bandwidth can be noticeable, especially in the evenings.

Series streamers

Streaming has become a big part of our lives and with so many services available we are spoilt for choice. Standard definition streaming uses 3Mbps while high definition uses close to 8Mbps. If you have a 4K TV you could use up to 25 Mbps for streaming, but these speeds are based on your home having one 1 online activity at a time. With more devices, these numbers multiply taking up more bandwidth.

Anyone working from home

It’s estimated that if you are working from home you need at least 10Mbps download speed and 1Mbps upload speed as a minimum to work effectively. This is the basic speed required for video calls, connecting to cloud platforms, chat, emails and so forth but if you download larger assets or use intensive applications then you may need more bandwidth. If more than one person is working from home, then double the amount required.

Silver surfers

While the main demographic for families using Wi-Fi is ages 18-44 there has been a growing number of people over 65 also consuming more bandwidth. From video calls with family across the world, to streaming classic songs, more silver surfers are using the internet and have it available if the grandkids visit.

How can I boost my Wi-Fi?

There are certain actions you can take to improve the performance of your home Wi-Fi with the use of some Wi-Fi boosters, getting updates on your router or moving to another internet provider with a better package.

Firstly, test your Wi-Fi speeds to make sure you are getting the speed you are paying for. This can be done with a simple speed test using an app. We recommend running the test from your PC connected to your router and then via the Wi-Fi at different times.

This will help determine if you are getting the speeds you are paying for or if you need a new router or some Wi-Fi boosters.

Is it time to change my Wi-Fi router?

If your router is over 5 years old, then it’s time to get a new router with the latest features to support a smart home and all its devices. If you have been with your provider for some time, it might be a good idea to get in touch with them and ask them to update or replace your Wi-Fi router to get the speeds and performance that you are paying for.

 How to stop Wi-Fi arguments at home?

A survey by ISP Review highlighted that nearly 90% of people agreed that Wi-Fi is essential in their homes and that they don’t expect this level to drop anytime soon.

With more devices and services coming online disagreements about Wi-Fi, and speed can occur at times so it might be time to contact your service provider or shop around for a new provider to see if they can offer you faster speeds, updates to your router to ensure everyone in your home has enough bandwidth to suit all their needs.

Jurassic Fibre is committed to connecting communities

Jurassic Fibre started in 2018 with a mission to provide ultrafast full fibre connectivity across the South West. We have implemented ultrafast full fibre broadband in Taunton which provides most residents with gigabit speeds from 150Mbps all the way up to 950Mbps.

Check your post code with Jurassic Fibre, you’ll get:

• Local support – A friendly local team deals with all enquiries.
• Simple contracts – Fixed-price or monthly rolling contracts, you choose the perfect package for you.
• Flexible terms – Upgrade or downgrade packages monthly.

Sound good to you?

Switch to Jurassic Fibre and get full-fibre broadband speeds direct to your home. Call our team today on 01392 345600 to find out all your options and go over the process.