Back to School WiFi Cleanup

Back to school prep time is here, but with all of the shopping, scheduling, and organizing, are you neglecting something that covers every inch of your home? In many cases, a WiFi network is the backbone of many modern households and an essential tool for everyone – especially school-aged children.

Is your home getting the WiFi “spruce up” it needs?

To help, here are some home WiFi tune up tips to get your home ready for the back-to-school season:

• Take inventory: Every month (or at least every season) check to see what devices are on your home’s WiFi network. Disconnect unrecognized devices from your network (with just a tap using Xfinity’s xFi platform) and ensure all your devices have updated software. It takes a few minutes and you might have to restart a device, but it’s worth it to know which devices are sharing your bandwidth.
• Guarantee that your kids can connect: Ensure that your home WiFi works where and when you truly need it (i.e. homework time). Place your router in a central location for the best coverage throughout your home. If you’re still experiencing inconsistent connectivity or “dead zones”, due to structural challenges and other factors, consider WiFi-extending solutions such as xFi Pods.
• Confirm you have the latest router: If you bought your router yourself and it’s more than four years old, consider replacing it. If you are leasing a router from Comcast, use the xFi mobile app to make sure you have the latest wireless gateway. If it’s time for an upgrade, Comcast will ship you a new gateway right away.
• Change passwords to protect your family’s devices: Most network devices, including wireless access points, are pre-configured with default administrator passwords. Changing default passwords makes it harder for attackers to take control of a device. Consider passwords that combines both letters and symbols and are no less than eight characters long. For extra protection, change them every few months.
• Check Parental Control Settings: Your kids are a year older and it may be time to adjust the settings so they can visit certain online sites or watch programs that were previously not right for them.
• Update Security Solutions: At least once a year, make sure your devices have the latest software updates and the security solutions to combat viruses. Many Internet service providers like Comcast offer security solutions at no cost to their customers.