Secure, fast internet for your home office
Working remotely is the new norm, whether your schedule is full-time or hybrid. If you’ve started working from home more regularly, you may want to upgrade your internet connection and home WiFi equipment with 360 WiFi. That’ll help maximize your productivity in various ways. You can improve videoconferencing, speed up file sharing, minimize load times, and reduce upload speeds for a safe, reliable connection.
What is a fast internet speed for working from home?
One of the main advantages of working from a traditional office is the speed and reliability of office internet services. Offices typically have multiple users, better security than home networks, and a high volume of large files moving across their networks. That’s why many business owners choose to invest in the fastest possible connections. So, what’s a good internet speed for working from home? And how can you get high-speed internet for your home office?
You’ll want to start with a 40 megabits per second (Mbps) baseline. That’s enough speed to perform high-def video conferencing without lag. But it might not be the boost you need if you have to share the connection with other devices (or a roommate or partner who also works from home). If you frequently work with large files, this can also pose an issue.
When it comes to home office internet, fiber is often the fastest and most reliable option. Fiber internet uses light pulses to transmit information. Once those light pulses leave the hub, they’re harder to disrupt than an electrical signal. As a result, you get a more stable and consistent connection. Fiber reaches speeds over 900 Mbps and can achieve internet speeds measured in gigabits rather than megabits per second.
Symmetrical internet speeds
One major drawback to most home internet is speeds are “asymmetrical.” That means the system is set up so download speeds are much faster than upload speeds. To put that into perspective, a cable connection with download speeds of 25 Mbps may have upload speeds of less than 1 Mbps.
Asymmetrical connections can cause serious interruptions and lag if you work from home. For instance, video conferencing requires a two-way data exchange. As your video stream uploads, the incoming one is downloading at the same time. As a result, if your job involves a lot of video calls, asymmetrical connections may not give you enough internet speed to work from home. That’s also the case if you regularly send large files, such as high-quality images, videos, and large amounts of data, to coworkers or clients.
That’s where a fiber optic internet connection comes in. Because fiber is much faster and more resistant to slowdowns than cable or DSL, it offers much higher upload speeds than other connections with similar maximum download speeds. A fiber connection’s more symmetrical speeds allow you to upload long videos or other sizeable files in seconds.
How do I know if my internet connection is secure?
To follow best security practices when working from home, you should always:
- Encrypt your devices
- Use a strong (unique) password on your home WiFi
- Make sure your WiFi is WPA2-encrypted
- Use a password manager
- Enable two-factor authentication on your work accounts
- Never use your work-issued devices for personal tasks such as shopping.
How to secure your home internet connection
You can further enhance your home network security by using a virtual private network (VPN). This software creates a secure, encrypted tunnel that makes it harder to intercept your data. VPNs are essential for connecting remotely to servers and other onsite resources at your workplace.
If you don’t already have a VPN for personal use, ask your employer to supply you with one. Many companies make them available to remote workers to help protect sensitive company data.
Other advantages of securing your home internet connection
Another benefit of VPN access is that it can protect your data while you’re on the go. If you travel for work, a VPN makes it more secure to work from coffee shops, hotels, and airports.
Many VPN services let you install the software on multiple devices. That way, you can enjoy the other benefits of a VPN on your personal devices as well.
Put fiber internet to work for your home office
Fiber internet gives you all the advantages of high-speed, secure internet at home. You’ll enjoy good internet speed for your home office—up to 940 Mbps—so you can enjoy high-definition video calls without lagging or losing connection, even when multiple parties are on the call. Quantum Fiber’s symmetrical upload speeds and 99.9% reliable* service make it easier to get your files to your client on time, regardless of how large they are. With Quantum Fiber in your workforce, you won’t have to stress over dropped calls, spotty video connections, and unsent files when you work from home.
*Based on network uptime or availability.
