PHILIPSBURG--The Department of Communication DComm in cooperation with the Bureau Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten (BTP) offers the community tips to enhance their Internet performance, as residents stay at home in order to protect the people of St. Maarten and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In a press release on Thursday, residents were urged to protect their Wi-Fi password. This prevents other people from connecting to your network without your knowledge or consent, which can ultimately cause speeds to drop.
Minimise the number of devices on your network during the daytime. “Your Wi-Fi network can only handle a certain amount of traffic before it slows down,” said the release. Unplug video game consoles, Smart TVs, tablets, and other (smart) devices and restrict other users on your Internet connection from using video-streaming, online gaming, video-conferencing and music-streaming during the daytime. This will free-up bandwidth for home working or e-learning.
Persons are advised to connect directly via their Ethernet cable. Try connecting your laptop or desktop computer to your router with an Ethernet cable, if possible. This will enhance the Internet performance. Please note that not all laptops have Ethernet ports.
Find the ideal position for your router. There are many factors that can impact the strength of a wireless signal, such as interior walls, doors, microwaves and metal objects.
Ideally, Wi-Fi routers should be positioned high up on a bookshelf or mounted on a wall and be centrally located in the house/office. Avoid placing it near a microwave oven, near metal objects, on the ground or in a small room with concrete walls.
Decrease the distance between your computer and your router. For a good Internet performance, it is recommended to stay as close as possible to your router. Your signal and Internet speed may drop as you move further away from your router.
There should be a line of sight between your computer and the router. “If your router’s signal has to travel through a wall or appliances such as a refrigerator, its signal will be weakened. It is recommended to have your router visible from where you are using your computer or laptop at all times,” said the release.
Perform software updates, security scans, virus- and malware scans and remove harmful programmes from your computer. Malware and viruses can interfere with your computer’s ability to access the Internet.
Make note to close down non-essential applications. There are often a large variety of applications on your computer that are running in the background and using the Internet without your knowledge. To boost your Internet speed, shut down applications that you are not actively using.
Update your Internet browser. An out-of-date Internet browser can result in slow webpage load, poor video quality and other Internet issues. It is also recommended to delete old files and clear your browser history from your web browser options menu.
Contact your provider to learn more about alternative Internet plans and their latest offers. You may want to consider an upgrade to a higher package – if available – and budget allows.
The BTP falls under the Ministry of Tourism and Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (Ministry TEATT).
