Work‑From‑Home Network Checklist
For smooth meetings, aim for jitter < 10 ms, 0% packet loss, and stable latency under load.
Before your call
- Connect via Ethernet if possible; otherwise use 5/6 GHz Wi‑Fi near the AP.
- Pause cloud backups/sync (OneDrive, Dropbox, Photos, iCloud).
- Close heavy downloads/updates on all household devices.
- Plug in laptop power (prevents Wi‑Fi power‑saving throttling).
Router settings
- Enable SQM (Cake/FQ‑Codel); set shaper at ~90–95% of real throughput.
- Update firmware; reboot weekly if stability decays.
- Prefer a dedicated SSID for work devices (5/6 GHz) to avoid band steering surprises.
Wi‑Fi placement & environment
- Place the AP high and central; avoid microwaves and thick walls nearby.
- For mesh, use wired backhaul or keep nodes close.
- Choose a clean channel; avoid DFS if you experience sudden drops.
During the call
- Use wired headsets when possible to avoid BT interference.
- If video freezes, toggle video off briefly; note the time to compare with test logs later.
- Keep other heavy network tasks paused until after the meeting.
Quick validation
- Run our test idle (capture jitter & loss).
- Start a background upload and re‑test; adjust SQM if latency spikes.
- Re‑run just before your next meeting to confirm stability.