Should I hardwire my TV or computer?

Are you getting poor picture quality while streaming your favourite TV shows?

If you've got a Smart TV (which most people do these days) you will probably want to watch streaming content like Netflix, iPlayer or now TV. It's an amazing facility which connects you to a world of options but it's not much good if you're sitting getting frustrated at your TV endlessly buffering.

So why is this happening?

Most TV's will connect to your WiFi on a setting and should work fine with this. However, it may be that your WiFi connection isn't great in the property and it's just not getting good speeds. You could have issues with the speeds coming into the property, we can check that too.

Generally as with most of these things, WiFi is great up to a point but if you can hardwire it then it's good to do so as you'll get consistent speeds, streaming will be a breeze and you'll get less interference. If you're a gamer we can hardwire the console to improve your speeds there too.

How do we hardwire?

We run a data cable (CAT6) from the TV to the router and connect or "hardwire" it. This is a solid way to get broadband to your TV but it can sometimes be tricky due to the cable run.

If we do hardwire a TV, we will give consideration of how the cable will be run so it looks good as well as being practical. We may run cables under carpets, in lofts, behind skirtings or under the floor. Sometimes we can use the wall cavity or raggle the wall and plaster over it. We use all types of cables for different scenarios - internal, external, shielded, direct burial, low smoke-zero halogen in black or white. There are lots of different types!

Is there another way?

You could try and move the router nearer the TV - this should improve the signal to the TV and make it better and may be good enough to mean that a data cable run is not necessary.

What if that doesn't work?

If a cable run is not possible or is going to be too much hassle, then we can install a WiFi access point in the room. This will improve the WiFi range in the area of the TV and so should negate the need for a cable. We can install more than one of these if the WiFi is poor in the rest of the house too and it will make the WiFi better overall in other parts of the property too.

We use various manufacturers with this option depending on the signal, the property build and layout. It's important to use good quality materials with this if you want a reliable connection and so we use well established companies for the access points as well as the cable.

Get in touch if you'd like to discuss this option and we'll pop out for a survey.