How To Futureproof Your Home Internet Setup for the Next 5 Years

Home Internet is now viewed by most Americans as an essential utility alongside home electricity. While there are certainly trends that have come and gone in home Internet (remember AOL and dial-up?), some aspects of home Internet connectivity and use are likely to stick around for a while, but which ones?

For heavy gamers, streamers, remote workers, and lovers of smart home technology, the future of home Internet needs to be more than just assumed — it needs to be prepared for. As the number of connected devices and data-intensive tasks increases, upgrading to a future-ready plan can help prevent congestion, dropped connections, and performance issues.

Here’s a look at what to consider now in your home’s Internet setup that will ensure you don’t need an upgrade tomorrow.

The State of Home Connectivity Today,and Where It’s Going

For the average, connected American — which is 96% of us, according to the Pew Research Center — home Internet use has evolved significantly in recent years and continues to grow in complexity. From new technologies to an increase in the number of devices used at home, advancements in technology, and changes in behavior make it necessary to engage in some future-proofing when it comes to home Internet.

Rapid Device Growth in Homes

It’s common now for most homes to simultaneously connect more than 10 devices. If that number sounds high, consider your own home: how many smartphones, laptops, smart speakers, gaming consoles, security cameras, appliances, etc., are being used where you live?

While the convenience and ease of access to information is valued by most households, each new device added to the mix creates an additional demand on available bandwidth.

Increasing Bandwidth Consumption

It’s not just that we have so many more connected devices at home, either. Our collective shift to 4K streaming, cloud gaming, virtual meetings, and AR/VR means each device that’s connected is demanding higher bandwidth (AKA more Gbps and Mbps) than ever before.

Find out exactly what your current household usage is, and then consider future needs: Will someone be transitioning to a remote work role? What about taking online classes? The main thing is to plan for growing usage, even if current usage isn’t maxed out yet.

Need for Lower Latency and More Uptime

One other consideration: Latency (and not just speed ) matters a lot for online gaming, video conferencing, and using other cloud-based systems. Consistent uptime, which requires a faster Internet than many homes currently enjoy, is crucial when users rely on the Internet for daily work, security, or communication.

To ensure lower latency, it’s important how your reliable Internet is connected and delivered, i.e. via DSL, cable broadband, fiber Internet, a 5G network, satellite, or Cat6 cable that can produce 10 gigabit speeds, and so on.

Assessing Your Current Setup

Evaluating your current Internet needs and the type and quality of your current Internet connection is an essential starting point to identify performance gaps, outdated equipment, or weak coverage zones. Here’s how to find out what is and isn’t working in your home Internet network.

Run a Speed Test to See What You're Getting

The first move to make when futureproofing your home Internet is to do a speed test with a reliable speed testing tool that compares the actual upload and download speeds with what your particular Internet service provider advertised. This can help identify underperforming connections and any need for an upgrade.

Evaluate Your Network Equipment

The next step is to evaluate your Internet network’s equipment. Outdated modems and routers, especially those over three to five years old, can throttle performance, even if you’re accessing otherwise fast Internet infrastructure.

Consider a mesh networking system or at least upgraded hardware that can extend and stabilize the connection throughout your home.

Spot Coverage Dead Zones

Depending on the type of home you live in, you may also have problems with spot coverage. Thanks to their size, complex shapes, and materials, large or multi-story homes often have signal dead zones.

If you already notice signal dead zones throughout your home, consider adding WiFi extenders and/or mesh nodes to fill in those gaps and ensure full-property coverage.

Choosing the Right Internet Plan for Future Growth

While high-speed Internet access is almost guaranteed in most metropolitan areas across the U.S., many rural areas still lack the necessary infrastructure initiatives to close the gap between urban and rural Internet access. In addition to this digital divide, some companies are simply investing more in speed and reliability over coverage area.

Depending on where you live and assuming you have a choice in Internet service providers, you’ll want to select a long-term Internet plan that goes beyond basic promotions.

Account for How Much Speed You’ll Really Need

To get the right Internet plan for your future, estimate your household’s bandwidth needs not just for today, but for two to three years from now. Remember that devices and content types continue to evolve and may require more speed over time.

So if you’re going to be upgrading any devices in the next year to three years, they’ll almost certainly demand more bandwidth and speed to function in the ways you’ll want them to.

Pay Attention to Upload Speeds and Data Caps

It’s also important that you pay attention to upload speeds and data caps when considering a telecom company. Fast upload speeds are needed for video calls, cloud backups, livestreaming, and large file transfers.

For households with heavy usage (i.e., those with multiple users or a lot of connected devices) or those that anticipate becoming heavy users, it’s best to opt for unlimited data options. It will cost more, but that upfront cost will save you money and frustration over time.

Don’t Buy Based on Price Alone

While almost everyone needs to stick to some kind of budget when considering which fiber optic or broadband service to go with, don’t make your Internet company choice based on price alone. Considerations that are fundamental to a future of good home Internet service include:

• Reliable connectivity
• Scalability
• Customer service quality

SmartMove makes it easy to filter your options based not just on price, but on the full value of your Internet plan, especially when bundling phone, Internet, and/or cable TV.

Optimize for a Smart Home Setup

If you’re considering a smart home setup, or if you already have a smart home and want to improve its features, there are some design tips that can enhance performance.

Prioritize Whole-Home WiFi Solutions

For WiFi coverage that can consistently power everything from speakers and security cameras to smart TVs and appliances, consider a whole-home WiFi system. These systems are designed to eliminate signal drop zones while keeping dozens of devices connected.

Secure Your Home Network

A smart home is only as smart and connected as it is secure. To that end, it’s critical to only use routers with advanced security settings that include firewalls, encryption, and parental controls.

As the world becomes more connected, hackers and other bad actors will try to exploit any weaknesses in home network systems. Security is an absolutely essential component of a future-ready setup.

Plan Around High Usage Times

To make the best use of your smart home and its real-time needs, schedule automatic software updates, cloud backups, and automate overnight downloads — or whenever demand is lowest. By planning around high-usage times, you can avoid congesting the network during peak activity hours, which makes for a faster smart home.

What To Look for in a Future-Ready Internet Provider

What does a future-focused Internet provider look like? Is it one that advertises how great they are for IoT? Do they use a fiber network? A broadband network? Is it WiFi 6 or 7? While the type of delivery an ISP is currently working with certainly matters, it’s the future that counts.

Flexible Upgrade Paths

As your home Internet usage changes, flexibility is key to scaling. So, look for Internet providers that make it easy to upgrade speed tiers, swap equipment, or add features without steep penalties or installation delays.

Consistent Speeds and Great Support

Do the customers of your current provider like the speed and service they’re getting? Do you? Even if you aren’t in the process of moving or need to find a new Internet provider, see if you can upgrade your speeds for less money.

Look into customer reviews that mention speed, stability, and responsive service or a lack thereof. Yes, a fast connection matters, but reliable infrastructure and knowledgeable support also impact long-term satisfaction.

Bundled Options That Grow with You

It’s unlikely that the only connected service your household needs is Internet, so consider bundling Internet with mobile or streaming services you already use. Not only can flexible bundling help reduce complexity and support future tech integration, but it also often comes with cost savings and added features, like faster mobile data or access to premium streaming content.

Let SmartMove Help You Futureproof Your Home Internet

When you’re ready to evaluate Internet plans built for long-term use, rather than chosen for short-term promotions, SmartMove is your all-in-one tool. SmartMove simplifies side-by-side comparisons based on location, and helps users identify which providers offer plans that are adaptable, competitively priced, and reliable.

Trust SmartMove to help you futureproof your Internet today.