Offices need reliable Internet speeds to allow employees to complete their day-to-day work and to help their customers efficiently. Some of the fixes are very easy, while others require more work or the purchase of new materials. Here are five ways to increase office Internet speed.

Run a Speed Test First

Before you begin messing around with any of the hardware, you need to know two things. The first is what your Internet service is supposed to be providing. Then, you need to run a speed test to see what you’re actually getting. This gives you a baseline to measure from once you make changes.

Check Your Router

It may seem a little silly, but the moving your router to a different location may be one of the most effective ways to increase office Internet speed. This is because a number of things affects the router’s connection. Some of these include appliances, walls, doors, and so on. Essentially, you want to place your router in a central location that’s about equidistant from each connection point.

Power Down

So many office spaces are skeptical about shutting down their computers, modems, and routers. However, this just means the devices are working a lot more than they need to, decreasing their lifespan and connection over time. Employees don’t need to power down their devices after every shift, but they could start powering down over the weekend.

Use the Right Cabling

Another important factor is having up to date Ethernet cables. Many office buildings don’t even realize that there are different types of cables or that they can change over time. At the very least, setting up a Cat5e patch cable is recommended. However, depending on the size of your organization and the amount of devices, you may need Cat6 or 6a cables.

Upgrade Your Internet Service

If you’ve checked off all the previous points, then the last step you should consider is upgrading your Internet service. If your company has been growing and you’ve found yourself adding more devices for new hires, you may just be at capacity for your current service. However, keep in mind that if you’ve checked off all these points, you’re still under capacity, and you’re still not getting the speed you’re paying for, then it may be time to call the servicer and see what’s going on.

Overall, it comes down to your servicer first and then your hardware—including the cables. In addition, one of the best things you can do is reduce barriers for the router and keep it in a centralized location. That way, no device is out of the router’s reach.