Category: Vox 4 Thought

Whether you have slow speeds, dropped connections or dead zones, diagnosing your home network’s problems is one of the greatest tech frustrations. 

You’re now working remotely. It’s Monday morning and you have an important meeting that you have been preparing for over the weekend. You log on and within seconds your worst nightmare is realised – your “superfast” Wi-Fi connection has failed you and you have six other people waiting on the other side. Panic!

Now that more of us are working from home, it’s important to have a basic understanding of how to diagnose and fix your network problems – and the good news is that you’ll be surprised at just how simple it is.

Problem 1: No connection

Make sure the device is not the problem

Check to see whether the issue may be with your specific device or whether the issue is from your service provider’s side. The simplest way to check this is to try and check your Internet connection from a different device, such as your phone.

If the second device connects, then your problem is with the original device and not the service in which case you can follow some easy troubleshooting steps as follows:

• Check that the Wi-Fi is turned on
• Ensure that the device is not in “airplane mode”
• Restart the device to establish whether it resets
• Check that there are no passwords preventing you from connecting.

If none of these solve the problem, then the problem may be on your Internet connection.

Reset your modem and router

To check if the connection issue is coming from the router, plug your device, such as your laptop, into the router using an Ethernet cable. If you are able to connect, then the Wi-Fi issue is related to your router.

Troubleshoot by unplugging the router, wait 30-60 seconds and plug it back in again. The router has now reset, and you should have overcome your connection issues.

If that doesn’t work, try plugging your device directly into the router using an Ethernet cable and again follow the previous steps by unplugging, waiting and plugging in again.

If all this fails, your Internet may be down altogether, in which case you will need to contact your ISP.

Problem 2: Slow speeds

Check your device

Do you have multiple tabs open? Perhaps you have other programmes running in the background?  And maybe you’re also trying to stream while you’re working?

These will all contribute towards slowing down your connection. Your first bet is to run a speed test, which tells you what your upload and download speeds are. After doing this exercise, compare it to what you are getting on other devices such as your phone, and if these speeds are not the same, then the issue could be with your device. It might be time to consider upgrading to a newer model.

Related: Vox adds Wi-Fi router options to FTTH

Move around – get closer to your router

Wi-Fi signals get weaker the further away you are from the router and can also be deteriorated by barriers such as thick walls. Try moving closer to the router to see if you can get a better connection.

If you get slow or no connection in specific areas or rooms in the house, try moving to an area where your device can directly communicate with the router and run another speed test.

If it’s going faster, it’s because you are not getting a strong enough signal from where you normally connect.

If possible, the best option is to move your router to a more centralised location – the closer your router is to the centre of your coverage area, the better your reception will be throughout the house.

Alternatively, a range extender or booster is an option. A range extender is used to expand the reach of your existing wireless network but can cause other issues in the process.

If your home or work area is substantially large and requires consistent network speeds, then it might be a better option to consider getting a mesh Wi-Fi system which, unlike a Wi-Fi extender, is designed to create larger coverage with more bandwidth.

Problem 3: Connection drops at random times

Have you noticed a pattern of some sort? Perhaps your connection drops when you use the microwave or other household devices such as baby monitors and Bluetooth speakers. As crazy as it sounds, some routers do experience interference with certain devices or networks.

It could be that someone else, such as a neighbor, is Wi-Fi heavy at a particular time of the day, thus causing you to slow down. Consider changing your router’s channels by logging into the router’s management console and editing the Wi-Fi settings.

Prevention is better than cure. Here are some additional troubleshooting tips:

Stay on top of security

Change default passwords on your home Wi-Fi router to prevent hackers from accessing your network. Practice regularly changing your router password if it has previously been shared with others. Use strong and unique passwords (at least 10 characters including special characters such as @#$&).

Update your router’s firmware

Like any other device’s operating system, this is software that should be updated regularly to ensure that you are equipped with the latest versions and features as well as security updates. The exact steps in which to run this depend on your router’s make and model, so check the router manufacturer’s support site for detailed directions.

Update your technology

Perhaps your router is several years old and its time to upgrade. Older and cheaper routers usually only have 2,4GHz Wi-Fi radios configured with older Wi-Fi standards. Newer and more expensive routers are equipped with dual band radios, working on both 2,4 and 5 GHz and with the most up to date Wi-Fi standards.

Understand your router

Most routers have similar icons which include three primary status gauges:

• Globe: normally green and solid when the modem is connected
• Wi-Fi: solid when Wi-Fi is being broadcast without any issues
• Ethernet: solid when Ethernet cables are connected and functioning properly

When everything is working properly, icons are solid or have blinking blue or green lights. When there is a connection issue, icons are red or orange.

Separate guests and children onto different networks

With kids being home and continuously online over lockdown, you may want to put them on a separate network and create special rules and settings, thereby blocking inappropriate sites and content and easing the burden on your bandwidth.

Some Wi-Fi routers offer advanced features allowing you to create a “Guest Network” for visitors, ensuring that your shared files and content remains private.

If all else fails, it’s time to contact your service provider. And in case of emergency, you can always try your mobile cellular network by using the phone’s hotspot feature to connect.

But remember: data costs are pricey and this will not be a viable permanent solution.

We may not be in the office, but it’s still absolutely essential to be prepared and ensure that meetings continue to be conducted in a professional manner, especially now that we can’t unsee that recording!

Even after global lockdowns end, it is very likely that a lot of business meetings will continue taking place via video conferencing – be it Teams, Skype, Zoom or Vox Air.

We have all seen the videos of video conferences where participants’ children are running in and speaking to the parent, or their pets keep interrupting. Even worse is unknowingly ending up in a situation like Ben. Yes, that Ben.

While these video clips bring smiles or even laughter to millions, these incidents can be quite disruptive for other participants during the actual call, and can take away valuable time from getting actual work done.

Here are a few tips to ensuring that you have a professional and productive video conferencing meeting at home:

1. Create your own workspace

In this new way of working, we have to educate housemates, spouses or kids to be respectful of our workspace, and be more attentive when it comes to noise and interruptions. If need be, get a “do not disturb” sign or stick a note on your door.

2. Be prepared

Just because you are working from a more casual environment, it doesn’t mean that meeting preparation should be any different – besides, it’s disrespectful towards other participants if you are not prepared. Make notes ahead of time – perhaps even provide an agenda before the meeting – and bookmark anything that you may need for reference during the meeting.

3. Dress appropriately

Wear something that would be appropriate for a face-to-face meeting.  As tempting as it might be to stay in your pyjamas or sweats all day, remember that you still need to look professional for video conferences you may be attending.

4. Tidy up

Create a neat and tidy work environment, steer away from clutter and ensure that your wall art, for example, is work appropriate. Some applications allow for virtual backgrounds or the ability to blur the background, so make use of them.

5. Check your equipment

Don’t be that person that delays the entire meeting because your tech is not working correctly.  Test your equipment ahead of time, e.g. WiFi connection, microphone, camera and speakers, and if necessary, do a couple of test runs ahead of time. If you use a Bluetooth headset or earbuds, ensure that they are paired and switched on.

6. Be on time

Better to be early than late! And while it’s easy to sneak into a physical meeting late, on a video conference, everything is a lot more visible.  When in a group call, remember to introduce yourself before you talk. And if you are running late or unable to make the meeting, ensure that you communicate this timeously to the person leading the meeting.

7. Maintain eye contact

Even though it’s natural to want to look at other participants on the screen to gauge interest in what you are saying – one of the reasons why you’re having a video conference and not conference phone call – you should look at your camera, especially when speaking. Looking directly at the lens is the same as looking into someone’s eyes, which helps you come across as more professional and engaging.

8. Mute yourself

If you are not speaking, mute your microphone. Background noise can be very distracting. By the same token, also remember to disable notifications during meetings – no one wants to hear your rings and dings!

9. Stay focused

Another temptation is to check email or surf the Internet whilst on video calls.  It’s very easy for other participants to pick up on whether or not you are focused and it’s simply rude. The same goes for “sneaking out” for a snack or letting the dog out – just don’t do it!  If you have a conflicting appointment, rather let everyone know at the beginning of the meeting.

10. Bring your old tech to life

You can improve your home office setup by reviving some old equipment you may have lying around. For example, turn an old tablet into a video chat piece or a second monitor for your PC.

Remember, it’s not only about appearance but preparedness. No one can predict how long the effects of the lockdown are going to continue and as such, remote working should be treated the same as if you were going into the office. Keep it clean. Keep it professional. Don’t be like Ben.

From a practical perspective, the lockdown has highlighted the importance of adopting a Cloud-first mindset when it comes to business operations.

Nowhere is this more evident than with the PBX of an organisation, its most fundamental customer engagement platform. With employees having to work from home until the end of April, the on-premise PBX becomes a wasted resource.

Businesses with advanced, expensive on-premise PBXs may potentially have the opportunity to implement some sort of mobile calling application for their users – but this may involve purchasing licenses or upgrading their PBX to cater for this new function.

So, unless the business has loaded a recorded message directing customers to a mobile number, the office number becomes null and void. Furthermore, whoever is responsible for fielding calls on that number will have to redirect customers again to phone the relevant employee on their mobile phones.

Not only is this a time-consuming and frustrating process for a customer, but an expensive one as well. Instead of phoning once, they need to make three separate calls.

Additionally, if the employee needs to phone customers, they are reliant on using their personal devices and claiming those funds back from the company once the lockdown ends.

Unfortunately, given the high cost of mobile voice and data, this will inevitably result in bill shock for both the employee and the business owner.

Furthermore, during lock-down, if there is a problem on the PBX, technicians are limited and if any hardware or software is required, you may be paying through the roof fees for imported parts that are affected by the volatile Rate Of Exchange (ROE).

All of this can be avoided by using a PBX in the Cloud.

Optimise resources

For one, a Cloud-based PBX can be managed from anywhere in the world. This means that if there is a problem, the service provider can easily fix it with minimal impact on the company’s business. It becomes as easy as logging a support ticket and carrying on as normal.

The past few weeks have driven home the importance of going the Cloud route. If a company is to maintain operations, it needs to use solutions that are more dynamic than what an on-premise system can deliver. This also means that expensive software updates or system upgrades are a thing of the past.

Take a call centre for example. Using a Cloud-based offering means agents can remain fully operational during the next several weeks. Not only does a voice app give them the ability to separate business calls from personal ones, but a Cloud environment means their laptops provide them with the same dashboard they would ordinarily have when sitting at the call centre.

Of course, the biggest issue around this will remain having reliable (and affordable) connectivity. This is where Fibre access becomes instrumental. Mobile voice and data must always be a last resort given its cost, high contention rates, and quality.

Hybrid world

Those businesses still reliant on on-premise PBX offerings might have very valid reasons for doing so. It might be that they are in an area where it is not possible to have Fibre, they might be coming to the end of their existing PBX contracts, or they might just be sweating off some old infrastructure and assets.

For those companies, there is an urgency around migrating at least some components to a Cloud environment.

The lockdown can even provide them with the opportune time to experiment with what a Cloud-based PBX would entail.

This could be through a softphone app such as Vox Vobi. This sees on-premise PBX calls get forwarded to employees at home. The app provides a secure and effective way to receive and make business calls during the lockdown at a fraction of the cost of more traditional cellphone calls.

See the table below for the current consumer call rates across the various networks in the country. Pricing is VAT inclusive and shown per minute:

It is all about thinking differently and identifying innovative ways of leveraging technology to empower employees to remain productive. Initially, a hybrid approach could assuage any concerns decision-makers might have about fully embracing the cloud.

But if the past few weeks has shown us anything, then it is the need to move away from a ‘business as usual’ approach into one more reflective of the digital age.

For more information click here.