The Best Internet for Working from Home

Top Internet for Working From Home

More people than ever are working from home. If you recently left the office or have permanently joined the many who are remaining remote as pandemic restrictions loosen, you may be wondering how to optimize your home Internet. This guide will help you weigh your Internet options and needs, so you don’t overspend and end up with pricier Internet than your work-from-home role requires, or underspend and get Internet that lets you down when you need to get your job done.

Most remote work situations need an Internet plan that can provide 50 – 100 Mbps download and upload speeds. However, some instances may require higher upload speeds, depending on the type of work you do and the number of Internet users in your household.

Before we dive into the best Internet options for working from home, you should perform an Internet speed test to get an idea of the Internet speed you’re currently working with.

Working From Home With 50 Mbps

The Internet speed that will work best for you depends on a few different factors. For starters, is it just you at home all day while you’re working, or does your spouse also work from home? For one or two people using the Internet for tasks such as checking emails, working in Google Workspace, and attending the occasional video conference call, you should be able to get away with the lower cost of a 50 Mbps plan. These plans can start at or below $50 per month, depending on the provider.

While this plan will work for many home offices, if there are more devices connected at home, more downloading and uploading of large files taking place, and any smart home device needs, then higher speeds will likely be required.

Working From Home With 100 Mbps

If you are often downloading large files, watching live videos on YouTube, or listening to music on a streaming service platform, then you probably need to upgrade to at least a speed of 100 Mbps. Opting for the higher speed will make sure your multitasking doesn’t skip a beat.

Working From Home With 200 Mbps

While most remote workers won’t need 200 Mbps solely to do their job, a faster speed might be necessary if more than one remote worker is in the household or if children, or others, stream videos or music or play online games during work hours. 

What can you do without any problems at 200 Mbps? You can:

• Video conference
• Email large files
• Transfer large files
• Game without glitches
• Download HD videos

However, if more than four to five devices are connected at a time on a 200 Mbps Internet plan, latency issues and sluggishness will result. What’s a household with a lot of devices and people to do?

Higher Speeds for Multi-Use Households

If you have a smart home, or if your household has more than five connected devices in use at a time you’re going to need more than your average work-from-home Internet plan. 

To make sure that all your devices and the people who use them are happy in a multi-use household, you’ll need an Internet connection of  500 – 1,000 Mbps. These speeds will keep your household connected without many disruptions. Depending on the ISP, the type of Internet, bundling options, and where you’re located,  500 – 1,000 Mbps Internet can be had at prices ranging from about $50 – $130 per month. 

Tips to Improve Internet Speed and Performance

Regardless of the Internet plan you choose as you work from home, there are some ways to maximize speed and bandwidth, while reducing latency. 

First, consider using an ethernet cable for wired connection. This helps ensure that there’s no signal loss, which can occur when relying on a wireless router connection.

If an ethernet cable isn’t an option for you, then make sure you’re as close as possible to your router. If your home is large or has WiFi dead spots, you can also look into getting a WiFi repeater or extender to maximize your Internet’s performance.  

On Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) at Home

Many companies use a VPN to create a single shared network between multiple office locations across the country, or to give their remote employees access to private data through a secure connection. Doing so keeps private information and data away from third parties and prying eyes. It is possible that you could experience some latency periods in your connection when using a secure VPN, but generally speaking, a VPN should not impact the amount of data being transferred. You can talk to your company’s network administrator for more information.

Other Considerations for Working From Home

Now that you have a sense of the Internet speed you might need while working from home, you should consider the options available based on your location. 

Do you live and work in a large city, the suburbs, or a rural area? Depending on where you live, there may be fewer options for high speed Internet available. If you live in a rural part of the U.S., this guide on the best Internet options for rural areas will help you find the optimal connection and speed available in your area.

Have you permanently started working from home and want to explore your Internet options? Let SmartMove help you find what you need at the price you’re looking for today.