Are You Having Home Internet Connectivity Issues?

Remote working and distance learning often depends on the quality of the Internet service to your house or remote worksite. In general, you will need upload and download speeds of at least 2Mbps for services like Zoom and Canvas to work. You can check your Internet connection using this site: https://www.speedtest.net/.

Tips to get the best WiFi experience possible:

  • Move your device as close as possible to your WiFi router.
  • When you are close, you may also have the option to select a faster network. Some routers have a slower service that transmits further and a faster network that works when you are close. Check your WiFi preferences, and choose the home network with the highest bandwidth (5GHz is preferred over 2.4GHz).
  • Turn off the WiFi on all other devices (phones, tablets, etc.), and ask others on the WiFi router to turn off their WiFi, too.
  • If you experience a poor Internet connection while using Zoom, consider stopping your video, or asking participants to turn off their camera (webcam) feed to free up bandwidth.
  • The Internet is full of many other tips for speeding up WiFi and Internet connections.

Georgetown will not reimburse the purchase of routers, WiFi extenders, or other equipment.

Use a Wired Ethernet Connection whenever available:

Generally, a wired connection from your home computer plugged directly into your router with an Ethernet cable is better and more reliable than wireless connections. Wireless connections can be spotty, and may lack the necessary bandwidth to allow for screen sharing, good-quality video (webcam), and uninterrupted audio.

  • Plug an Ethernet cable into your computer. Some computers do not have Ethernet ports, but most can be connected to Ethernet using dongles or adapters from their USB connections or—for Macs—from their Thunderbolt (USB-C) connections. If you need a USB-C Ethernet connection, you may contact help@georgetown.edu, UIS has a limited number in stock.
  • Be sure to also turn off WiFi on the computer, because otherwise it could still be using WiFi even with Ethernet plugged in.

Use a Mobile WiFi hotspot:

If you do not have a reliable internet or WiFi connection, you can turn on your smartphone’s “personal hotspot” (iPhone | Android), and connect your computer to your phone’s data connection. If you have good cell coverage, you can use your phone’s data plan to provide your computer with an alternative high-speed data connection.

Things to note:

  • We DO NOT recommend students take high-stakes exams or quizzes on a smartphone, nor while your computer is connected to your phone’s hotspot.
  • If you experience a poor internet connection while using Zoom, consider stopping your video (webcam) feed to free up bandwidth. Check out out guide on how to improve your Zoom experience for more information.

To enable your smartphone hotspot:

  • If you have a GU-issued cell phone with Verizon and an unlimited data plan, your account is already enabled with an option for a hotspot.  
    • On an iPhone, go to “Settings”–> “Personal Hotspot” and select “On”.
    • On an Android, go to “Settings → “Connections” → “Mobile Hotspot and Tethering” → “Mobile Hotspot”, and select “On”. 
    • On your computer, select the wireless icon on the top right hand side of your screen (MacOS) or lower title bar (Windows) and select your phone’s hotspot. 
  • If you have a GU-issued cell phone with AT&T, you can ask your department about upgrading your data plan to include a hotspot. AT&T hotspot data plans have limited data caps.
  • If you do not have a GU-issued cell phone, please contact your cell phone service carrier about options.

Faculty and Staff: If you do not have access to a personal hotspot on your phone, you may request a Mobile WiFi device by contacting help@georgetown.edu and we will work with your department.