According to many in the real estate industry, the race for space has taken over from location, location, location.
Whether that’s from being stuck indoors for the past 18 months or the urge to spread our wings, it seems we are all trying to go large.
Installing broadband in larger homes presents a few challenges but they can be overcome with the right advice.
That’s what we are going to explore in this article. We’ll outline the process of connecting a large home to broadband and offer actionable solutions to a couple of key challenges you might face.
What broadband speed do you need for a large property?
The first question to ask yourself when moving home is what broadband speed do you need?
Is what you have now enough or do you need more? Do you fully utilise the broadband you have at the moment?
The answers to these two questions will influence your decision. If you need faster broadband, that should be your priority when shopping for a new broadband deal. If you don’t have the need for speed, you can prioritise saving money.
How much is enough?
How much broadband you need also depends on how many people there are in your household. The more people who use the internet, the more benefit you’ll gain from faster speeds.
As a rough guide, allow 10Mbps speed per person, plus 10Mbps for every person who will use the connection for demanding activities such as video streaming and downloading.
We recommend larger families opt for fibre broadband if it’s available. That should give you a minimum of 35Mbps for BT Openreach or 50Mbps for Virgin Media and other networks.
But you may be able to get much faster than that. Perform a postcode check for your new address to see what’s available.
Some parts of the country have fibre to the premises (FTTP, also known as Fibre To The Home or FTTH), which offers ultrafast speeds with a fibre optic connection all the way up to your house.
Coverage is limited right now but if available it represents the fastest broadband you can get. For more information, read Broadband Genie’s guide to fibre broadband.
Can you move with your current provider?
You can, and may have to, move with your current broadband provider. Use the postcode checker to see if they provide services at your new address and at what speed and cost.
If they provide services, it can be easier to have them move your current connection to your new home.
If you’re within the fixed term part of your broadband contract, you may have to do that anyway. Otherwise, you will likely be charged an early termination fee.
You can always start with your current provider and switch once your contract is up!
If your current provider doesn’t offer broadband at your new address, you can negotiate with them to leave early. Some providers will let you out for free, others may levy a charge.
How do you switch broadband?
Switching broadband is easy. As long as you’re not within the fixed term part of your contract, you can select another deal, sign up and your new provider will coordinate everything with your old provider.
Otherwise:
Sign up for your new broadband deal and arrange an installation date
Contact your existing provider and give them notice that you’re leaving
That’s it.
Is it worth getting a second line?
If your new address doesn’t have fibre to the premises or superfast broadband, a second line is an option. An expensive option to be sure but one that could provide the bandwidth you need to keep everyone happy.
You could:
Use a second line as a dedicated work connection if you work from home.
Or,
Use mobile broadband as a backup for when your primary connection is busy.
Both options will cost extra but can provide the speed, bandwidth and reliability you may need.
Wi-Fi in larger properties
One key challenge with larger properties is Wi-Fi coverage. Even the best routers in the world can only send a signal so far.
So, what are your options?
See if your provider offers a mesh kit or WiFi booster
Some broadband providers offer mesh kits, Wi-Fi boosters or secondary routers to help spread Wi-Fi around your property. They usually cost more but they can be worth it for a solid signal throughout your house.
Use a second router
You could use a second Wi-Fi router to boost the signal to areas of your property not covered by your ISP router.
Use a Wi-Fi booster
Wi-Fi boosters are small devices that plug into the mains and boost the Wi-Fi signal provided by your router. They are cheap, easy to set up and usually have a display showing you how strong the signal is.
Use a mesh kit
A mesh kit is made up of a router and signal boosters. They join your main Wi-Fi network and amplify the signal throughout your property much like a Wi-Fi booster.
Jamie Kavanagh is a contributor at BroadbandGenie.co.uk
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Very good advice. A simple and easy explanation. Thank you.