So many of us are relying on the internet right now. From school, to work, to staying in contact with friends and family, many of us are spending a lot of time online. That also means many people are noticing slower internet speeds.
"We saw in March the increase in internet usage we projected for the entire year," said Cox Vice President of Public Affairs Chanelle Hawken. "Mornings and middle of the day are higher, much higher than they traditionally were."
Higher usage levels can mean slower speeds, so what can you do to boost your internet? Cox says some devices that you don't use during the day anymore, like security cameras, could be stealing your bandwidth.
"Those default to a very high bandwidth, especially with an HD camera," said Hawken. "[To free up space] customers can switch it over to a lower frequency, or set it to motion detection only."
Also if you're trying to download a large file, like a video game update, do it before bed so it can run overnight when usage is lower. That's because even if your in-home internet speeds are fine, it could be affecting the internet speed of homes around yours.
"To be a good neighbor, just like not hoarding toilet paper, we're asking customers to not hoard bandwidth," said Hawken. "It can really affect their neighbors' experience online."
Other ways to help boost your in-home internet speeds are to make sure unneeded devices are disconnected. This can help when you need a strong connection for important video calls. Look for devices like your child's computer tablet, or your cell phone; even closing the number of tabs you have open can help.
Local
NBC 7 Responds also reached out to Spectrum for ways people can boost their speed. For the more technically-minded, check the settings on your home's internet router.
"Your router has two different settings," wrote Spectrum's Dennis Johnson. "If network speed is your priority, 5 GHz performs better than 2.4 GHz. If wireless range is your priority, 2.4 GHz performs better than 5 GHz.
Spectrum also recommended making sure your router is in a central location in your home and that you regularly reboot it.
You can find more tips on Spectrum's website here.
