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Are you ready to convert your home into a smart home? Great idea, welcome to the world of home tech. Before you buy smart speakers, smart locks and bulbs, make sure your home is ready for it. With a high-speed Internet connection, you can enjoy the perks of a smart home. If you don’t do that, you will just be spending most of your time restarting the router.
Common Smart Devices in Smart Homes
A smart home consists of tech devices connected to the Internet. Here are some common smart devices that make smart homes:
- Home Automation: These includes appliances, coffee machines, and washing machines, etc. You can control them remotely from your smartphone. You can also operate them outside your house.
- Home Security: These include motion sensors, smoke alarms, CCTV that let you protect your home and constantly monitor for intruders.
- Energy Management: You can control the thermostat of your home. When you are about to arrive home, you can turn up the temperature. It also allows you to monitor the temperature in real-time and make your home energy efficient.
Do You Need Faster Internet Speed?
Generally, smart homes don’t require a lot of bandwidth. The smart devices usually use the Internet in quick bursts i.e. when you have to execute a command. For instance, if you are using Amazon Alexa and you want to dim the lights in the living room, then your Echo device will use only the Internet when it receives a command.
However, some devices are an exception, for example, security cameras that have to stream videos. They require a lot of data. Even for a doorbell cam, you will need a fast Internet connection. It only records whenever it senses motion, but when it has to upload security footage, it requires at least 5 Mbps. Then for downloading the video on your phone, you will need more Mbps. Basically, any device with a camera needs a good chunk of bandwidth.
If your Internet speed is higher than 4 Mbps, then you don’t need to worry about the speed. On the other hand, if your DSL is low and its speed is 7 Mbps, then it could be a problem. Some Wi-Fi cams are able to create a low-quality recording even if the Internet connection is slow. But if the video isn’t clear even to provide you the context you need, it means you will have to upgrade the speed.
Check Your Internet Service
Before coming to a conclusion, check your Internet plan. You might be overpaying for slow Internet already.
Look up for a new plan on your ISP’s website. Who knows you are able to find a faster Internet connection at less price. This may sound too good to be true but you might get lucky. ISPs are not that proactive when it comes to reaching out to customers for advertising better prices and better services. It’s your job as a customer to contact them and inquire about the current plans.
Determine If Your Router/Modem Can Handle the New Speed
Since you are trying to build a smart home here, you need to have a modern and updated router or modem. New equipment is capable of handling a larger volume of devices and supports faster speed as well.
Your Wi-Fi will slow down if it is unable to accommodate all these devices. Is your current set up old? Then it’s recommended to upgrade it. You can also check if your current equipment is capable of handling the speed. In case everything is good, don’t for the upgrade. When shopping for a new modem, look for maximum download speed it can handle. It’s usually written on the product description.
How Much Internet Speed Is Required?
Long story short, you will need more bandwidth to operate smart devices. Even if you are using just a few of them for now, a time will come when you have to go full smart home. Therefore, it’s fair to question how much speed is required. 25 Mbps is considered to be the minimum broadband speed but it’s not that fast. Anything between 50 and one hundred Mbps would be perfect.
The smart home market is growing at a fast speed no doubt. More and more companies are launching products for improved security, to do chores and control our homes. If smart homes are to become mainstream, fast and reliable connections are pertinent. Therefore, better Internet speed means you will enjoy using your smart devices efficiently. If you can afford 100 Mbps, go for it.