Home automation makes day-to-day life more convenient. From the comfort of your couch, you can monitor and control everything from surveillance cameras to your thermostat and window blinds. In order for these technologies to work, they must connect to a home network and the internet. If you’re considering installing or expanding your home automation tech, you need to know how much internet speed is needed for a smart home.
In addition to thinking about your smart home automation devices, you should also consider other devices that need to connect to the internet. For example, take a look at how many wifi-enabled computers, laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles, and other similar devices your family uses. It’s also important to consider how your family uses them. For example, streaming movies takes much more bandwidth than reading emails. Your home automation professional can help you assess all the devices that will use your internet service.
How do I know how much internet speed is needed for a smart home?
According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the minimum level of download speed to check email, browse the internet, and watch a video is 25Mbps. However, this recommendation is for only one device. If you have two devices, you’ll need more.
The bare minimum internet download speed you need to operate several smart devices plus stream a movie with high-quality 4K on one device is between 25 to 50 Mbps. However, that doesn’t give you much bandwidth for anything else.
Today, many sources recommend at least 100Mbps for typical internet needs. Ideally, if your household is using several wi-fi devices like PCs or tablets and enjoys streaming movies or playing online games, you really need 100 to 500 Mbps. It’s very likely that 500 Mbps will become the standard as new smart devices are introduced to consumers and more work and school is conducted remotely.
How do I find more internet speed?
It’s important to shop around the options available in your neighborhood. Often, people who live in higher-density areas will have more choices available to them than those who live in remote rural areas. You may find providers offering solutions from satellite internet to high-speed broadband internet. The good news is that more providers are entering the marketplace so you’ll have more packages and options to choose from.
If you’re still not sure, just ask the professionals.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the information about networking, bandwidth, and connectivity. Rather than try to sort it all out yourself, start by talking with the experts at Accurate Electronic Interiors. Our team members will work with you to assess your current and future needs to help ensure you have the right working equipment in place and the best internet connectivity to allow your devices to work properly.
There are so many “smart” tools at our disposal now to add convenience, comfort, and motivation to our lives. The best place to start creating your perfect smart home is with a quality foundational system. Our team will ensure your system will serve you well for decades to come.
Visit our AEI Showroom to feel what living in a smart home is like. Our team can help you decide which systems you’d like to have in your home and build a plan based on your budget to make it a reality.