School holiday streaming: maintaining a good network connection

Posted in: Networking
Cheerful little boy lying on cozy sofa and watch educational program with his parents while his elder sister wrapped up in playing computer game, interior of studio apartment on background

Your internet bandwidth - and you, for that matter - have been in training the last three months for this: it’s the school holidays. 

Normally, it’s the two-week period where your internet connection and modem takes a real thrashing, with three devices to a person (okay, two, plus a constant fight for the tele), each streaming something different. Of course, this year has been a little different, but there are still a few amendments you can make to maintain the peace and continuous streaming.

Whether your kids are battling their way through Fortnight, or your teens are streaming episode after episode of Riverdale on Netflix Premium, you’ll require a reliable HDMI® cable for unrivalled video resolution.

When searching for HDMI® cables, pay attention to the variable refresh rate: the higher the refresh rate, the less buffering when streaming and minimal lagging when playing on a console (these often start around 30Hz). At 4Cabling, premium high-speed HDMI cables support 4K video resolution up to 60Hz, while ultra high-speed HDMI cables achieve 4K video resolution up to 120Hz. Both are compatible with many TVs, DVD players, BluRay, PS4, Xbox One and more; choose premium high-speed HDMI cables between 0.5 metres and 20 metres and ultra high-speed HDMI cables between 0.5 metres and 2 metres.  

Both ranges include an ethernet channel too so you can connect to the internet, once you connect to an ethernet source, without the need for a separate cable (please note, only devices that feature HDMI Ethernet Channel functionality are compatible). 

A bad network connection can put you at a disadvantage when playing a game - a short few seconds can make all the difference between a win and a lose. Don’t even get us started on streaming; the buffering wheel right at an episode or film’s climax? No, thanks.

High-speed Wi-Fi offers a flexible solution to connectivity issues: if your network is a bit patchy, or drops out completely in some rooms, the Mercku Wi-Fi MESH System will amplify your existing connection. The system works by connecting a ‘queen’ node via an ethernet connection and plugging it into a power source, then plugging in ‘swarm’ nodes around the home; you then connect to these via an app. The system can support up to 60 devices, with no degradation of the Wi-Fi experience! Great for those multitasking teens. 

Want some time away from your partner or kids? Step out into the garden, we won’t tell. A stable home Wi-Fi connection may not reach out there though, so grab a portable 3G wireless router instead. All you need to do is plug the router into a power source and then connect to a 3G/4G USB modem, such as your mobile phone. You’ll be able to share the 3G or 4G connection, achieving speeds of up to 150Mbps. 

Downloading large files quickly, as well as achieving a higher picture and sound quality, is made a lot easier using high-speed ethernet cables. Ethernet connections are more reliable and provide a more secure network to transfer data than Wi-Fi connections, as you connect directly to the ethernet source via copper cabling.  

At 4Cabling, choose between CAT5ECAT6 or CAT6A cables: CAT5E cables serve speeds of up to 1Gbps to five meters; CAT6 cables offer 10Gbps to five meters; and CAT6A cables serves up to 10Gbps for even longer distances, operating at 500MHz (compared to the regular 250MHz).

4Cabling. Quality products for a connected world. 

2021-09-25 23:40:00
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