People are just realizing Wi-Fi ‘speed suckers’ are killing your internet

INTERNET users have been warned about platforms that can eat up a lot of their Wi-Fi bandwidth.

It can be very frustrating when your Wi-Fi connection lags or dramatically slows down.

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What many people don’t know is that sometimes certain activities and devices can consume a lot more data.

When this data, or bandwidth is used up, it keeps it from other devices or activities, resulting in lags.

Bandwidth refers to the capacity at which a network can transmit data.

This is known as “bandwidth hogging,” and there are many services and activities that do this.

COMMON BANDWIDTH HOGS

The highest consumer of bandwidth today is video streaming services, particularly Netflix.

“Netflix tends to be the top offender, in part due to its popularity and vast library of content,” internet provider Daystarr Communications revealed in a blog post.

People tend to stream Netflix on many devices in a household – and this adds up, especially if you live with multiple people.

YouTube and other video-based social media platforms like TikTok are also up there with bandwidth consumption.

A second user of bandwidth is smart TVs because they tend to be equipped with enhanced technology.

“High-definition, 4K, and 4K Ultra-HD TVs produce stunning imagery and hog lots of bandwidth in the process,” Daystarr said.

A third bandwidth hod is online gaming, which can be very detrimental to Wi-Fi connectivity.

“Online gaming is incredibly problematic from a bandwidth perspective because information is shared—from the player back to the server and the server back to the player,” Daystarr noted.

“It often jams the internet connection for gamers and others in the house.”

WHAT CAN I DO?

The best thing you can do to avoid bandwidth hogs without giving up gaming or streaming is to upgrade to fiber internet.

“DSL, cable, and satellite internet don’t have fiber’s high speeds or bandwidth capacity because fiber’s innovative design and cutting-edge materials allow for data to transfer faster and in much higher volumes,” Daystarr added.

If you already have fiber internet and want to better your Wi-Fi connection, you can increase your plan’s maximum speeds.