“What is a good signal level or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for Wi-Fi” is one of the most common questions in online forums. Typical answers are along the lines of “SNRs of 24-40 dB are considered good” but they do not explain the compromise in speeds you are potentially making due to the adaptive modulation and coding built into Wi-Fi technology. For the best Wi-Fi speeds, signal strengths of -50 dBm or greater or signal-to-noise ratios of 41 dB or greater are necessary. […] . Click here to read the full article.
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The 2020 Guide to Setting the Best and Fastest DNS Servers for PS4
If you want to make the broadband connection to your PS4 quicker and more reliable, here’s how to manually change the DNS server settings to the best and fastest DNS servers available in your location. Amazingly, there can be 10,000 or more DNS look-ups taking place on a home network every day and each one creates a delay. Changing DNS settings on the PS4 is really easy to do and can make a huge difference if your broadband provider’s DNS servers […] . Click here to read the full article.
How to Disable Wi-Fi with Sky Q and Use Ethernet Instead
Despite Sky Q boxes being equipped with Ethernet ports many Sky engineers set boxes up to use Wi-Fi even when Ethernet is available. Using Wi-Fi to transport bandwidth-intensive media to fixed devices makes absolutely no sense and wastes valuable 5 GHz spectrum. Here is how to disable Wi-Fi on Sky Q boxes to use Ethernet instead. It’s more reliable and can potentially free up four 20 MHz Wi-Fi channels for your own Wi-Fi network to improve speeds and performance. How […] . Click here to read the full article.
TV and Video Will Triple Average Home Monthly Internet Usage to Beyond 1 TB By 2025
Figure 1: Forecast for Average Monthly Home Internet Use (2013-2025) Over the next five years, average home monthly Internet usage in the UK will triple from its 2019 level, surpassing 1 TB per month by 2025, as shown in our forecast shown above. This growth, which is in line with usage growth predicted for the USA, will be primarily driven by TV and video services delivered via superfast and ultrafast broadband networks. To take full advantage of the broadening […] . Click here to read the full article.
Disney Plus in the UK Finally Matches Bit Rates in the USA
The exciting launch of Disney Plus in the UK in March 2020 was sadly hampered by the widespread reduction in bit rates among streamed TV providers requested by the European Commissioner Thierry Breton due to the coronavirus pandemic. This resulted in 4k content not being delivered in true 3840 x 2160 resolution and the removal of high-quality Dolby Atmos soundtracks, as reported in our article Review of Disney Plus in the UK: Shame About the Picture and Sound Quality. We believe […] . Click here to read the full article.
Review: Sky Finally Launches HDR With Its Ultra HD 4k Service and It’s Fantastic But…
It’s finally here – High Dynamic Range (HDR) on Sky – but not for everyone with a Sky Q box! Finally, Sky offers a ‘full-fat’ 4k service. While Sky has offered Ultra HD 4k programming for several years via its Sky Q set-top box, Sky has lagged behind its online streaming rivals Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime by not offering HDR. HDR makes pictures more vivid and realistic, with more intense colours and, for many viewers, HDR makes […] . Click here to read the full article.
Online Speed Tests: The Best and Worst and How to Use Them
Updated May 2020: We’ve lost count of the number of people that have told us that their broadband connection is not working properly because an online speed test has reported low or highly variable speeds. We identify the best and worst online speed tests. You need to be very cautious with online speed tests. In most cases, because of the many factors involved, they may indicate that your broadband connection is performing much worse than it really is. It’s not […] . Click here to read the full article.
How To Speed Up DNS Look-ups for Faster Performance
Updated July 2020: DNS or Domain Name System look-ups play a huge role in defining how fast your broadband connection really is with ‘real world’ applications such as browsing. In this article, we’ll be show you how to speed up DNS look-ups easily and for free by choosing the best and fastest DNS server(s) for your particular broadband connection. For more tips and guides in improving your broadband, visit our Increase Broadband Speed Guide. What is the Domain Name System […] . Click here to read the full article.
Chart of Fibre Broadband (FTTC) Speed Versus Distance From the Cabinet
‘Fibre broadband’, or Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) as it is more formally known, is the technology that delivers the vast majority of superfast broadband connections in the UK currently. Often, the term ‘VDSL2’ is also used. The technology has two major weaknesses – by using the copper wires between you and the street cabinet, speeds diminish the further you are located from the street cabinet and the the technology is sensitive to a certain type of interference called ‘crosstalk’. This means that the […] . Click here to read the full article.
Review of Disney Plus in the UK: Shame About the Picture and Sound Quality
New! As of 29th June 2020, Disney bit rates have improved and Dolby Atmos is now available. Here is our latest review: Finally Disney Plus in the UK Matches Bit Rates Used in the USA. After launching in the USA in November 2019, Disney Plus has finally arrived in the UK at one of the most challenging periods for the UK and the world. Disney has scaled back bit rates, which means that the promised Ultra HD 4k content – […] . Click here to read the full article.