It’s your favorite night of the week. You had a long, productive day at work and now, after a hot shower and a satisfying supper, you’re ready for some “R&R”. Not just rest and relaxation, but recordings and reception. Your favorite shows await you and nothing will stop you from cashing in on your latest drama or reality show. Except for, of course, commercials and connectivity issues. There’s nothing more annoying than a lagging mid-media binge. Then it happens… the dreaded buffering or ‘failed network connection’. Wait, what?! You’ve just paid for the fastest and most reliable wireless package in your neighborhood – why is this happening? Well, experiencing slow connections happens to the best of us and is usually something that we can correct on-the-spot. Here we break down some tips on how to make CenturyLink internet faster in your home and on your devices.
Turn Your Wireless Router Off & On Again
We know, it kind of borders on the comical, no-brainer side of, “Well, is it plugged in?” But the truth of the matter is that turning your router off for 10 seconds can make all the difference. In a fast-paced world with your interrupted show keeping you on edge, we know 10 seconds can feel like 10 minutes. But a lot of modern technology contains capacitors, which serve like energy buckets and need a moment to “refill”. When these little batteries get the 10 seconds they need to fill up with a current, they can then use that to power back up your electronics. So, first and foremost, give your router a rest with an initial and easy-to-implement reboot that can make your CenturyLink internet faster.
Bump Bandwidth Hogging Apps
You don’t have to boycott your favorite background-running apps forever, but file-syncing services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive tend to download data consistently, which can eat up your bandwidth and slow down your internet connection. Check these, and other bandwidth-hungry apps to see if you can limit their download and upload rates. This could, in turn, free up space for you to return to your reality series without any added drama.
Try A New DNS Server
Try a new what? In the tech world, we have a term known as DNS or Domain Name System. When you type an address into your browser, your computer uses DNS to look up and translate that into a computer-friendly IP address. However, with all technology, it is possible that this too can have issues, or go down entirely.
Fortunately for you, there are other options to give a try that are both fast and free. You can also test what is the fastest option in your vicinity with Namebench. A better DNS may just speed up average web page loading time so you can get back to streaming your steamy show or catching up on your team’s timely touchdowns.
Check Your CenturyLink Internet Plan
Sadly, sometimes, your internet connection is slow because you’re paying for less-than-optimal internet. Log onto your provider’s website to find out what plan you have. Then head on over to fast.com to run a speed test. If what your results display matches close to what you’re paying for, then your network is working fine and your internet plan just isn’t very fast. The best way to speed it up will be to upgrade. Want to get your best bang for your buck? Consider picking a perfect internet package that offers more of what you’re in need of.
Call the Pro’s… We’ll Make Your CenturyLink Internet Faster
If the above tips and tricks aren’t working, call Channel Choice! Maybe your family has outgrown its current bandwidth. You’ve got needs to keep laptops at lightning speed and mobile devices media-ready. Not to mention everyone in the house is now slinging smartphones with wearable watches. And lest we forget, the at-home wi-fi enabled printers and digital frames. You have far more connections in your house than just your smart TVs. Not only can Channel Choice walk you through the troubleshooting options, but also give you details about rock bottom pricing and packages that are ideal for your household’s many internet needs.
