Eskom announced severe load-shedding recently and by all indicators load-shedding and even load reduction is something that will be with us for at least the next few years perhaps, which of course besides the incredible inconvenience also have other issues popping up, such as our dearly beloved internet access, which for many has become an absolute indispensable tool for home, work and life in general, and as a result many questions are being asked on how we can adjust or prepare so that at least we have good internet.
Now there are a number of factors to consider when looking at your internet, the issues of speed, reliability, interference and range of others, here we are going to try and cover each aspect so that you have good insights and understanding, and also where you can play a role in managing your internet quality and that may be in your control.
What is covered in this article?
Where the Internet comes from and how does it get to you
Speed of the Internet
Things to consider when selecting a service provider
Speed and data volumes explained
Upload and download speeds
How much data you need a month
What speed you need
Load-shedding impact on your internet connection
Load-shedding impact on your router
Selecting and understanding a UPS for backup power for your router
Router interference and how to fix it
Router installation tips
Router buying tips
How to check your internet speed and latency
Where does the Internet come from and how does it get to me?
First we going to look at where the Internet comes from, how it gets to your house or office and what all the relevant touch-points or role players are.
There are several different routes that internet data can take to reach your home, and several different role players involved in making this happen.
First, internet data is transmitted from websites and servers to internet service providers (ISPs) through a network of backbone providers. These backbone providers own and operate the high-speed fiber-optic cables and other infrastructure that make up the backbone of the internet.
Next, ISPs then transport the data to a local exchange point or data center where the data is then routed to the end-users (you) through last-mile connections. The last-mile connections can be done through copper wires (DSL) or coaxial cables (cable internet), fiber-optics, or wireless (fixed wireless or satellite).
The last step of the route is the connection to the user's device, this can be done through a modem and a router, that converts the signal into a form that can be used by the devices.
Role players involved in this process are:
The website or server that you are trying to access
The backbone providers that own and operate the high-speed fiber-optic cables and other infrastructure that make up the backbone of the internet
The ISPs (Internet Service Provider) that provides internet access to the end-users
The equipment vendors that provide the modems and routers used to connect the devices to the internet.
Overall, the internet gets to your house through a complex network of infrastructure and services provided by multiple roleplayers working together to ensure that you have fast and reliable access to the internet.
Now lets look at the speed of your Internet
Speed is determined at each level of the internet connection process through a combination of factors including the technology used, the capacity of the infrastructure, and the amount of traffic on the network.
Backbone providers: The speed of data transmission on the backbone of the internet is determined by the technology used to transmit the data, such as fiber-optic cables, which can transmit data at very high speeds. Additionally, the capacity of the infrastructure, such as the number of fibers in a cable, and the number of routers and switches in the network, also plays a role in determining the speed of data transmission.
ISPs: ISPs determine the speed of data transmission to the local exchange point or data center based on the capacity of their network and the amount of traffic on the network. ISPs typically offer different plans with varying speeds, and the speed you receive will depend on the plan you have chosen.
Last-mile connections: The last-mile connection speed is determined by the technology used. Copper-based DSL, for example, has a slower speed than fiber-optic cables or coaxial cables. Additionally, the distance from the local exchange point or data center to your house can also affect the speed you receive.
Modems and routers: The speed of data transmission to the devices is determined by the modem and router you are using, as well as the number of devices connected to the network. The modem or router converts the signal into a form that can be used by the device, and the capacity of the modem or router can affect the speed of data transmission.
Selecting your Service Provider
As you can see the parts that you can influence relates to the ISP that you select, the backbone provider they use to get data from different servers, the route the ISP then takes to deliver the data to your house, such as the fiber you see at dug up pavements everywhere or the small towers in your area, the actual package that you buy from the internet provider that serves you and , and then finally the router you select to provide wifi or cable connection to your computer or mobile device.
So lets start with what you need to look for when selecting a Service Provider (Think Telkom, Herotel, Vox Telecoms, Wi5, Jenny Internet, MTN and the like)
When selecting an internet service provider (also called ISP) in your local area, there are several factors you should consider to ensure you get the best service for your needs:
Available technologies: Different ISPs offer different technologies for connecting to the internet, such as DSL, cable, fiber-optic, or satellite. Consider which technology is available in your area and which one best suits your needs.
Speed: Consider the internet speeds that are available in your area and which one fits your needs. If you have multiple people in your household, you may want to opt for a faster internet speed to ensure everyone can use the internet at the same time without any lag.
Data caps: Some ISPs place a limit on the amount of data you can use each month, which is known as a "data cap". Consider if this will be a concern for you and if you need an unlimited data plan.
Price: Compare the pricing of different ISPs in your area to see which one offers the best value for your money.
Reliability: Consider the reliability of the service provider, you can check reviews and ratings to get a sense of the service quality and technical support.
Contract terms: Consider the terms of the contract, such as the length of the contract and the fees for early termination.
Bundle options: Some ISPs offer bundle options that combine internet, television, and phone service, which can be a cost-effective option for many people.
Now lets cover Speed and Data volume as this is an area of confusion for many
First lets look at MegaBYTES
Volume on the internet is measured in BYTES, this why you will see that when looking at different providers they will quote you on MegaBYTES you can use as part of your plan, think about it as BYTES that you eat of a hamburger, BYTES is the volume of data that you will consume from the site that you visit. Most providers quote in GigaBYTES today as MegaBYTES have become to small of a unit to measure data, and for reference we added the different conversions and reference in tangible terms for you below.
Think about a single BYTE as one character, this is the smallest unit referred to in this scenario. Now if you add 1,000 of these BYTES together you get what is called a KiloBYTE, if you add 1 million of these BYTES together you will get one MegaBYTE, and if you take a billion BYTES that would be called a GigaBYTE
Now lets look at MegaBITS
Speed on the internet is measured in BITS, this is why you will see that when looking at different providers they will quote you on MegaBITS per second, in other words that is the speed at which the BITS of the internet you use will be transported from the site you are visiting to your computer.
Think about a single BIT as how many BYTES you can eat in a single second, and in the Internet world it is how many BYTES of data is transferred in a second, in other words that is the speed at which data BITS will travel from the Internet to you, and also the speed that your Service Provider sells you, the faster the speed normally the higher the price.
This is also what causes confusion, as the speed of the internet to you by your service provider uses very similar names, such as MegaBITS and GigaBITS per second. MegaBITS is 1 million BITS per second, thus if you stood on the Internet as a traffic observer you would see 1 million BITS of data pass by you every second, and if the speed was 10 million BITS pr second you would have seen 10 million BITS of data pass by you.
The service providers add another level of confusion, this through technical words such as shaped, dedicated, best effort and range of others when they market their services, and here we will explain some of this jargon that you need to be aware of when you look at your service provider offers.
Volume Offerings
Imagine the same traffic observer of BITS (Speed) watching BYTES (Units) passing by, just this time imagine that the observer is standing in front of a Warehouse, and every single time a BYTE goes into the Warehouse it is placed in the Warehouse, at some point the Warehouse would be full and no more BYTES can fit into the Warehouse, lets imagine it is 1 million BYTES. Your service provider does the same it provides you with a limit on the number of BYTES you can use/eat, this is your data consumption CAP, normally referred to as 10 GigaBYTES per month, week or day, once you reach that level you can no longer use the internet as your Warehouse is full.
How much BYTES do you need to get a month
This will depend on your usage requirement, the more you use the internet, mail and things such as watching movies, the more BYTES you will need, for reference and a very rough rule of thumb if you received 1 Gigabyte of data from your service provider you could store/transfer roughly 100,000 pages of emails and 15,500 pages of images, and about an hour of a standard definition Netflix movie, note however that there are so many variables that is beyond the scope of this article and this is just to illustrate the point of data volumes and to provide readers with a simplified view.
If you are a heavy user of content and you browse Facebook, You Tube, Netflix, TikTok etc, then you will use much more, and if you are intense user of gaming and other high volume applications you would need a megapackage. An interesting statistic is that south Africans are amongst the highest users in the world of connected services in a 24 hour window and we spend on average 10 hours and 46 minutes connected to the Internet.
Then there is also Upload and Download Speed
Here we need to also address another confusion when it gets to data speed, the so called Uplink and Downlink speed, you can also think about it as Upload speed (when you upload a video TO Youtube) and Download speed (when you download a video FROM Youtube).
Traditionally the world downloaded more stuff than we uploaded, and telecoms companies therefore provided more download speed than upload speed to save on the cost of infrastructure and operating costs of their services offered. Yet in recent years we started uploading more content as we started sharing our world and we also started using more LIVE services such as Zoom Calls, WhatsApp Video Calls etc, thus we started requiring more UPLOAD speeds.
Many providers continue to provide more download speeds than uploads as the ratio changed but we still tend to download more stuff, yet if you are on ZOOM calls and other Live streaming services you need to look carefully at your service provider offering to accommodate for this, average consumers normally is fine with current configurations structure.
How fast BITS do you need your Internet to be
Again this would depend on your usage, emails do not require super high speed, and watching Netflix would require more speed, a rough rule of thumb is as follows:
For Netflix, the minimum download speed required is about 3 MegaBITS per second for standard streaming and 5 MegaBITS per second for High Definition and 25 MegaBITS per second Ultra High Definition. For Live Streaming the recommended minimum is about 10 MegaBITS per second.
What you should know about service provider speeds (BITS) and volumes (BYTES)
Your service provider would sell you on both the speed and the volume of data that you can use, yet you need to be aware of the fineprint of these speeds and volumes.
The speed "promised" to you by your service provider is in 99% of the cases not the speed that you will get in real life, so even if you are told that you have a 100 MegaBITS connection you may find that your actual speed is much lower, as most service providers have a clause in their agreement that refers to best effort or up to, which means you will most probably receive a slower speed than the headline speed you saw in the ad.
The reason for this is that the speed as advertised is under perfect conditions and if you have the whole internet to yourself, every-time another user joins the internet in your area your speed will effectively reduce accordingly, think about it as traffic on a road, the more cars on the road the slower you will reach your destination, it is very similar to your speeds on the internet, other factors such as weather, routing of traffic on the different internet routes, sites visited all will play a role in your speed achieved.
In terms of volume of data, the BYTES part, you also have clauses that you need to be aware of, especially when you see the word UNCAPPED, there is normally a clause in the service provider agreement called "Fair Usage Policy" that provides service providers with the right to slow down either your speed or even to limit the volume of data that you can use, this is to protect the service provider from abuse and to allow service provider to offer the most reasonable quality of service for most of its users.
You are now connected
Okay so we got that covered, you selected your internet provider, they arrived at your house, and they installed a Router in your house, gave you the Wifi name and the passwords and now your phone and computer and TV and Alexa and Apple speakers and Camera system and all your other toys are connected, life is perfect... what could go wrong right?
This is where we have noted a lot of frustration from users experiencing poor internet, and downtimes and a range of other issues... lets get some of these under the belt.
Lets start with load-shedding impact on the route of internet to you
Along the route from the Internet to you there are many elements that use power, servers, switches, connection points, mobile towers and a range of others that if there is no power, then there is either no internet or slower than normal internet. In South Africa traditionally many of the providers have made sure of the stability of their infrastructure by having backup batteries and other infrastructure installed, to counter any downtime.
Yet despite this there are factors during load-shedding that still impacts the reliability of the network to your router, especially if the load-sheddding periods are extended or prolonged over a long period. Every-time the power goes down the systems will start using the batteries, draining the power from these batteries, and should the periods where power is restored not be long enough then for these batteries to be recharged then failure would occur and the internet and other communications would go down as a result.
The other factor is that these batteries over a period of time will have shorter operating times, and therefore their capacity in terms of holding and providing power will decline, and as an example where previously these backup batteries may have provided power for four hours this may reduce to three hours, with load-shedding then being four hours there would be an hour mismatch.
Also some of the sites or connection points may not be connected to batteries at all, and during power outages these points would be down completely, causing you to start using other towers or points that may be further away, and as a result an area that was previously served by several points/towers will now be served by a single tower yet would have increased users on that tower, leading to capacity constraints, congestion and ultimately a degrading of the service and slower internet speeds.
Now lets look at load-shedding impact on your router in your home/office
Your router requires power, and of course when the power is switched off and you have no generator or alternative power sources then your router will be off as well, and therefore you will have no internet.
The simplest solution is to go and buy yourself a Uninterruptible Power Supply, also called a UPS, which essentially is a battery that charges whilst power is on and once power goes off the battery takes over and powers your router, leaving your Wi-Fi point active and you can still have internet, albeit that factors mentioned above may impact your service quality.
An interesting point is that during loads-shedding with your router now connected to the UPS is that your speed may actually increase, this as a result of less people being on the internet in your area and you therefore would have the whole internet highway for yourself :)
What UPS should you buy
A UPS, or uninterruptible power supply, is a device that provides emergency power to a load when the input power source, typically mains power, fails. The primary use of a UPS is to provide a temporary power source to allow time to properly shut down a computer or other electrical equipment to prevent data loss or hardware damage, yet we are now using UPS's for providing power for extended periods of time whilst Eskom is down.
Lets just get a bit technical here...
The size of the UPS you would need to power a router at home will depend on the power consumption of the router and how long you want the UPS to provide power in the event of a power outage.
Typically, routers consume around 5-20 watts of power. So you can use a UPS with a VA rating of around 200-400 VA. This will give you enough power to keep the router running for a short period of time, such as a few minutes, in case of a power outage.
If you want to keep your router running for a longer period, you may need a larger UPS with a higher VA rating. It's also important to remember that the UPS will consume some power to charge the battery, so you should also consider the efficiency of the UPS.
It's always good to check the technical specification of the router and UPS before making the purchase. and also the runtime of the UPS during a power failure, to make sure it will provide enough power to keep the router running for the duration of the power outage.
How is UPS capacity and power defined
UPS capacity is typically defined in terms of the amount of power that the UPS can supply to connected equipment, measured in volt-amperes (VA) or watts (W). Power is the rate at which energy is transferred, measured in watts (W).
For example, a UPS with a capacity of 1000 VA can supply 1000 watts of power to connected equipment for a certain amount of time before the battery is depleted. The amount of time that the UPS can supply power depends on the load (power demand) of the connected equipment and the capacity of the UPS battery.
How do I calculate the time my router will last on my UPS at home
To calculate the time that your router will last on your UPS at home, you will need to know the following information:
The capacity of your UPS battery: This is typically measured in volt-amperes (VA) or watts (W).
The power consumption of your router: This can usually be found in the specifications or manual for your router. It is measured in watts (W).
The capacity of your UPS battery: You can find this information on the UPS or in its manual.
Once you have this information, you can calculate the time that your router will last on your UPS by using the following formula:
Battery run time (in minutes) = (UPS battery capacity (in VA or W) / Router power consumption (in W)) * 60
For example, if your UPS has a capacity of 1000 VA and your router has a power consumption of 20 watts, the run time of the router on the UPS would be:
(1000 VA / 20 W) * 60 = 3000 minutes or 50 hours
Keep in mind that this is an estimate and the actual run time may vary depending on factors such as the age of the battery and the power demand of other connected equipment. Also, keep in mind that the real battery capacity is usually around 50% of the nameplate capacity, so you should divide the nameplate capacity by 2 to get a more accurate estimate of the run time.
Another factor to consider is if you will be requiring extended power for your laptop as well, which will then require you to invest in larger UPS, also look for UPS with at least two power plug points so that you can connect both the router and your laptop.
What is a router?
A router is a device, normally with antennas, that that acts as a hub for all the devices on your home network, routing data traffic between the devices and the internet.In your home network, your router is the device that connects to your internet service provider (ISP) and provides internet access to all the other devices on your network. It is also responsible for managing the flow of data between all the devices on your network and the internet.
The most common issue experienced outside of Eskom issues is that of router interference, which slows your internet and could even lead to a complete disruption of your internet services.
What is Router interference?
Your router sitting there on the corner of your table transmits signal that you see on your computer and phone as a Wi-Fo name, this transmission and sending of data is done on two different frequencies, one being 2.4Ghz and the other 5Ghz.
You don't have to worry about understanding the technical details on this but you should know that the lower the frequency the further you will be able to see and connect to the Wi-Fi point, so it transmits further, and the higher the frequency the smaller the footprint and transmission would be. What you should also know is that in the 2.4Ghz frequency you can receive more interference from a range of devices, from your neighbours router right through to your baby monitor, as all of these devices communicate on this frequency.
In real life in your home, and when you have interference it may be wise to change your connection to the 5Ghz band, this will have less interference and as a result would also have more stable and faster connection.
Then your router also have different channels that it transmits data on, think about it like an FM radio that you can select different radio stations, you can also select different channels on your router, and the reason you may consider that is when you have poor internet speeds, this could be because other routers are on the same frequency and also on the same channel, and therefore possibly providing interference that slows down the internet in your house/office.
How can I check for interference and channels?
It is relatively easy to check the channels and interference in your area, simply go and download an app from App store on your mobile that provides Wi-Fi Analyser services, look for one that is highly rated by users and have a lot of downloads, then use this analyser to see the channels in your home and if there is any interference, you may have to get the service provider or a technical person to come and change the channels for you or the frequencies to a higher band
There are also some other things you can do to address congestion from other routers in your area:
Update router's firmware: Sometimes, congestion can be caused by outdated firmware on your router. Make sure that your router's firmware is up-to-date to ensure that it has the latest security updates and performance improvements.
Change the wireless security settings: If you are using an older wireless security protocol, such as WEP, consider switching to a more secure protocol like WPA2. This can help to reduce interference from other devices on the network.
Use a wireless range extender: If your router is not able to reach all the areas of your house, you can use a wireless range extender. This device will repeat the signal from your router, providing a stronger and more consistent wireless signal throughout your home.
Consider using a wired connection: If your device is close enough to your router you can use a wired connection instead of wireless, this will ensure a stable and high-speed connection.
It's important to note that these solutions may not work for everyone, but they can be worth trying to improve your network performance.
It's important to keep in mind that channel congestion can change over time, so it's a good idea to check for interference on a regular basis and switch channels as needed.
Router installation is also important, here are some points to keep into consideration
Location: The location of your router can have a significant impact on the quality of your wireless signal. Place the router in a central location, in an open area and away from walls, metal objects and other, and as high as possible in your home.
Channel selection: As I mentioned earlier, routers typically operate on specific channels within a frequency range. By choosing a less congested channel, you can reduce interference from other routers and improve the quality of your wireless signal.
Firmware updates: Make sure that your router's firmware is up-to-date to ensure that it has the latest security updates and performance improvements.
Wireless security: Configure your router's wireless security settings to protect your network from unauthorized access. WPA2 is considered the most secure wireless security protocol, but WPA3 is also available on newer routers.
DHCP: DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a network protocol that assigns IP addresses to devices automatically. Make sure that DHCP is enabled on your router, so that devices can connect to the network automatically.
Quality of Service (QoS): Some routers have a Quality of Service (QoS) feature that allows you to prioritize certain types of network traffic, such as streaming video or online gaming. This can help to ensure that these types of traffic receive sufficient bandwidth.
Wired connection: Make sure that your router is connected to your modem via a wired Ethernet connection, this will ensure a stable and high-speed connection.
Antenna position: If your router has external antennas, make sure that they are positioned vertically to achieve the best wireless coverage.
What should I look at when buying a router
When buying a router, there are several things you should consider to ensure that you get the right router for your needs:
Speed: Look for a router that supports the highest possible speeds for your internet connection. For example, if you have a 100Mbps internet connection, look for a router that supports at least 100Mbps.
Wireless standard: Make sure that the router supports the latest wireless standard, such as 802.11ac or 802.11ax (also known as Wi-Fi 6) for the best performance and compatibility with newer devices.
Dual-band: Look for a router that supports dual-band, which means that it can transmit data over both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. This allows devices to connect to the network using the band that provides the best performance and is less congested.
Number of ports: Consider the number of devices that will be connected to the router and look for a router with enough Ethernet ports to accommodate them.
Quality of Service (QoS): Some routers have a Quality of Service (QoS) feature that allows you to prioritize certain types of network traffic, such as streaming video or online gaming.
Security: Make sure that the router has a built-in firewall to protect your network from unauthorised access and cyber threats. Also, check if the router supports the latest security protocols such as WPA3.
Management features: Look for a router that has a web-based interface that allows you to manage and configure the router easily.
Additional features: Some routers come with additional features such as guest networks, VPN support, and parental controls, that can be useful depending on your needs.
Brand and support: Choose a reputable brand and make sure that the router has good customer support in case you need help setting it up or troubleshooting issues.
By considering these factors when buying a router, you can ensure that you get a router that meets your needs and provides the best possible performance for your network.
How can I check my internet speed
Use a speed test website: Many speed test websites, such as Speedtest by Ookla, Fast.com by Netflix, or Google's Speed Test, These websites allow you to test your internet connection speed by measuring the time it takes to download and upload data from their servers.
Use a speed test app: There are also many free speed test apps available for both Android and iOS devices, such as Speedtest by Ookla, which you can use to test your internet speed on your mobile device.
Use the command prompt in Windows: Open the command prompt (press Windows key + R and type cmd, then press enter) and type "ping -t 8.8.8.8" (without quotes). This will give you an idea of your internet connection's latency.
Check your router's web interface: Many routers have a web interface that you can access by entering the router's IP address into your web browser. Once you have accessed the web interface, you should be able to see the current internet connection speed.
When you run a speed test, make sure that you are not using the internet for any other tasks such as streaming video or downloading files, as this can affect the results of the test. Also, run the test several times to get an average value, as the results can fluctuate depending on the time of day and network congestion.
Then there is a thing called latency
Latency, also known as ping, refers to the amount of time it takes for data to travel from your device to a remote server and back. Latency is usually measured in milliseconds (ms) and it is an indicator of the responsiveness of your internet connection.
There are several ways to check the latency of your internet:
Use a speed test website: Many speed test websites, such as Speedtest by Ookla, Fast.com by Netflix, or Google's Speed Test, also display the latency (ping) of your internet connection along with the download and upload speeds.
Use a command prompt: On Windows, you can open the command prompt (Press Windows key + R and type cmd, then press enter) and type "ping -t 8.8.8.8" (without quotes). This will give you an idea of your internet connection's latency to one of the most popular public dns servers.
Use a ping tool: There are also many free ping tools available, such as the "ping" command on Windows, Mac, and Linux, that you can use to check the latency of your internet connection.
Check your router's web interface: Some routers have a web interface that you can access by entering the router's IP address into your web browser. Once you have accessed the web interface, you should be able to see the current latency of your internet connection.
It's important to note that the latency can be affected by many factors, such as the distance of the server you're pinging, the number of hops between your device and the server, and network congestion. A low latency is generally considered to be around 20ms or less, while a high latency is around 100ms or more.
We hope this article helped you with the basics of the internet, if you need any Internet Service Providers in our area simply check out this link where you will find service providers.
Feel free to send us any comments, suggestions or questions through our general contact page that you can find at the bottom of this page here, or send us a WhatsApp on this link or an email to theguy@thegotoguy.co.za