Fiber Internet Optimization
How to Optimize your Internet Service
Getting fiber Internet at your home or business is just the first step in having a great Internet experience. Choosing the right plan and optimizing the wireless Wi-Fi network are the next steps to ensure your service works as intended and you do not experience delays, disconnects, or video buffering.
Step 1 – Choose the Right Plan
We have four Internet plans for customers to choose from:
- Connected & Protected – 300 Mbps – Ideal for small families with young children, virtual workers, and occasional gamers.
- Trailblazer – 1 Gig – Ideal for large families with tweens and teens, remote workers/small business owners, avid gamers, ultimate streamers, smart home owners, and early adopters.
- Tech Titan – 2 Gig – Ideal for high-tech adopters, entrepreneurs, and pro gamers.
- Nex-Gen Navigator – 5 Gig
You can find more information about our Internet plans by clicking here. Once you select the correct package, the next step is optimizing the wireless Wi-Fi network at your location. LTC Connect provides the latest in Wi-Fi technology when we install your Internet service. We include free managed Wi-Fi- as part of your service. This means that we own the router in your home and take on the responsibility of making sure your home Wi-Fi network works well. Other providers may charge extra for routers or supporting the Wi-Fi network, but we include this as part of your plan.
Step 2 – Optimize your Wireless Network
- Router Location – The router sends out wireless signals that your devices use to connect to the Internet. The farther away your device is from the router, the weaker the signal will be and the slower the connection to that device will be. For this reason, it is best to locate your router in the center of your location, so it can be as close as possible to all the areas where you need a Wi-Fi connection. Sometimes it is difficult or impossible to locate the router in the center of the location and mesh extenders should be used to provide an adequate Wi-Fi signal everywhere you need it.
- Use 5 Gigahertz Wi-Fi Whenever Possible
- The most widespread problem we see customers having today is they have a Gigacenter router and are connecting too many devices to the 2.4 Gig Wi-Fi at their location. This creates all kinds of problems. The routers we provide use two different types of Wi-Fi networks. One transmits at a 2.4 Gigahertz frequency and one transmits at a 5 Gigahertz frequency. The 2.4 network will provide a signal farther away from the router, but it is slower and prone to interference and congestion from other devices. The 5 network will not reach as far, but it has much greater speed and capacity. The 5 network is almost always the preferred network to use. Some older devices, or low-bandwidth usage devices like Wi-Fi light switches, may not have 5 Gig capability.
Each location may be setup differently, but in general if you have a Gigacenter router that looks like the image on the right, you will usually see two Wi-Fi networks that you can connect to. The 2.4 network will have 2.4 at the end and the 5 network will have 5 at the end. (Example: CXNK00111111-2.4 and CXNK00111111-5)- It is very important if you have a Gigacenter to always connect your devices to the 5 Gigahertz network if possible. For video streaming and gaming, you especially want to make sure you are connecting to the 5 network. If you cannot get a 5 Gigahertz connection on these devices, you should consider moving your router closer to these devices or adding mesh extenders to extend the 5 Gigahertz network to these devices. *Do this now if you have a Gigacenter. Go to each device at your location and change the network settings to use the 5 network if possible.
- If you have one of our newer GigaSpire routers that looks like this, there will usually only be one Wi-Fi network to connect to and the router will determine which frequency to use so you do not have to choose between 2.4 or 5. *If a customer is having video streaming issues with a GigaSpire, sometimes we will turn on an additional 5 Gig network that has IPTV in the name to make sure the device always connects to a 5 Gig network that has priority over other traffic at the location. If video streaming devices cannot receive the 5 Gig signal, we recommend moving the router or adding Gigamesh extenders to improve the signal at the location.
Each location may be setup differently, but in general if you have a Gigacenter router that looks like the image on the right, you will usually see two Wi-Fi networks that you can connect to. The 2.4 network will have 2.4 at the end and the 5 network will have 5 at the end. (Example: CXNK00111111-2.4 and CXNK00111111-5)
If you have one of our newer GigaSpire routers that looks like this, there will usually only be one Wi-Fi network to connect to and the router will determine which frequency to use so you do not have to choose between 2.4 or 5. *If a customer is having video streaming issues with a GigaSpire, sometimes we will turn on an additional 5 Gig network that has IPTV in the name to make sure the device always connects to a 5 Gig network that has priority over other traffic at the location. If video streaming devices cannot receive the 5 Gig signal, we recommend moving the router or adding Gigamesh extenders to improve the signal at the location.3. Add Mesh Extenders – Sometimes locating the router in the center of the location is not possible, or some larger homes may need higher strength signals to reach all parts of the home or reach out to porches, patios, garages, or other outdoor areas. We offer Extended Indoor Wi-Fi Coverage where you can add additional Wi-Fi mesh extenders that link to your main router to improve Wi-Fi coverage throughout your location. Each indoor mesh extender costs $4.95 per month. We also offer Extended Outdoor Wi-Fi coverage for $9.95 per mesh unit. Our recommendations for when to add mesh extenders are as follows.
- Start with just the router if your coverage area is 2,200 square feet or less and you can place the router in the center of the home.
- Add 1 mesh unit for homes over 1,600 square feet if router cannot be placed in center of home. Place mesh unit on the opposite side of the home from the router near places where excellent Wi-Fi coverage is required.
- Add 1 mesh unit for homes between 2,200 and 3,800 square feet.
- Add additional mesh units for every 1,600 square feet over 3,800 square feet.
4. Use the LTC Connect Commander App – If you have a Gigacenter or a GigaSpire, we recommend you download the LTC Connect Commander app from your app store. We have both Apple and Google versions. The app will allow you to control connected devices, setup parental controls by setting time limits for specific apps, prioritize and set schedules by device and app, set Safe Search and YouTube restriction to block harmful content, block applications you deem inappropriate, be protected from viruses/malware/intrusions and get alerts when any unwanted visitors try to enter, configure your Wi-Fi network names and passwords, create guest networks, and view Wi-Fi signal strength for each of your devices and perform speed tests. Only basic features are available with the Gigacenter router, but look for upcoming promotions to upgrade those routers to the GigaSpire for free.
Click here to download LTC Commander on your Apple device
Click here to download LTC Commander on your Android device
5. Ask for Help – With a fiber optic connection and an optimized Wi-Fi network, you should have very few connection problems at your location. If you have devices that do not seem to be working as you think they should, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Our help desk is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 270-542-7709 or 270-934-2202. Through our free managed Wi-Fi service, our support team has the ability to see if your Internet plan provides enough capacity for all your devices, see the wireless signal strength of your devices, and determine if there is anything causing interference at your location. Our team can help you determine if you need to add mesh extenders to provide better Wi-Fi coverage and can make sure that each of your devices has a good wireless connection. You can also email our team at support@ltcconnect.com if you are having any connection issues. Just ask in the email for them to check your connection and Wi-Fi network, tell them which device you are having connection issues with, and give a description of the issues you are having. Our team will analyze your network and recommend changes that should fix any issues. *Sometimes older devices can cause issues themselves and need to be upgraded for you to have the best experience possible.
6. GigaSpire Upgrades –The new GigaSpire router provides the latest in Wi-Fi technology, includes support for the Wi-Fi 6 standard, provides more options in the LTC Commander app, and improves performance of mesh networks with advanced band steering and beam forming. We will be upgrading all Gigacenters to a GigaSpire for free. If the customer has any mesh extenders at the time of upgrade, LTC Connect will also upgrade extenders to the new Gigamesh extenders that, with the GigaSpire, provide the ultimate Wi-Fi experience available anywhere.
Conclusion: Following these steps should help optimize your network so you have the best Internet experience possible. We cannot emphasize enough that the biggest issue we see is customers connecting too many devices to 2.4 networks with Gigacenters. Move those devices to the 5 network today and consider adding mesh units if you need extended Wi-Fi coverage at your location. Contact us today for any questions you may have.