March 19, 2024
Starting this week, and continuing through April 8, millions of Americans will be gathering in rec rooms, basements and pretty much any other communal space that can accommodate a few couches, some TVs and multiple platters of pizza, chips and chicken wings. Yes, basketball tournament mayhem is upon us along with all the opportunities for socializing that come with it.
And if you’re hosting one of these gatherings, there’s a good chance you’ll be putting your internet to the test – streaming to multiple screens for hours and days on end, tracking the action on tablets and laptops, ordering fresh snacks from your favorite app, and on and on. If your broadband connection isn’t up to the task, it can bring the fun to a grinding halt in a hurry.
Why it matters: Inadequate connectivity can result in all sorts of problems – degraded video quality, frozen screens, and lagging or lost wifi, to name just a few. And, once you start encountering problems, they’ll start to snowball as soon as more friends show up and try to connect to your network. Fortunately, this is a problem that can be solved today.
What you should be asking: Here are a few proactive troubleshooting questions that will help you take action before the first tipoff:
How fast is your internet service? Companies like Cox offer a variety of speed packages over their fiber-powered networks, most commonly 500 Mbps, but all the way up to multi-gig. Cox is America’s fastest internet provider*, with median download speeds faster than 260 Mbps across the country, which should be more than enough to keep your party rolling.
Have you tested your internet speed? Cox recommends running regular tests, available via Speedtest by Ookla at speedtest.net.
How many connected devices are you using? The average home today runs more than 25 internet-connected devices – everything from iPads to smart bulbs to wifi-enabled refrigerators. Each one of these devices demands a piece of your network. If you’re not getting the experience you expect, make sure you’re not wasting precious bandwidth with connections you never use.
How’s your wifi? The bigger the home, the weaker the signal as you get further away from your wifi hub. There are a few easy fixes to this:
- Make sure you’re not using outdated equipment. If you are, consider upgrading to the latest hardware – devices like Cox’s Panoramic Wifi Gateway deliver a fast and reliable signal to every device in the house.
- If your home is bigger and more spacious, consider boosting your wifi with a mesh system. These systems, strategically placed, will extend and enhance your wifi signal and eliminate “dead zones.” You can find highly rated options online, at your nearest electronics retailer, or possibly, through your internet provider. Cox offers plug-and-play Panoramic Wifi Pods that require nothing more than an available electrical outlet.
Are you “dialed in?” For those trying to stay on top the action away from the home network, is your mobile service up to the challenge? Cox Mobile offers plans at a great value – even better when bundled with Cox internet – that will keep you connected with the same unbeatable 5G network reliability that more than 100 million already count on.
By the numbers: Tens of millions of fans are expected to tune in every weekend over the next month to watch the very best collegiate men and women vie for their championships, many of them, as noted, gathering in one place to follow along. There’s still time for the party planners out there to make sure they’ll be giving their friends the best experience they can from game one all the way through game 63. It all starts with hooking up to the best possible network – and just think about how the same network bringing the fiber power to the Men’s semifinal and championship rounds can deliver to your living room.
* America's Fastest Download Speeds: Based on analysis by Ookla®️ of Speedtest Intelligence®️ data for fixed median download speeds, United States, Q4 2023. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission.
