Home Networking near you

Slow Internet isn't always the provider's fault. Often the connection reaching the house is fine and the problem is how the signal spreads inside it. A simple test is to compare the speed right next to the router with the speed in the problem room: if the gap is large, the fix is in the house, not in your plan.

Smart home devices also add up: each plug, bulb, lock and camera keeps its own connection to the router. Most send little data, but cameras and streaming devices are heavy users, and some routers struggle with a long list of connections. An installer can check the load and move some devices to cable or a dedicated hub.

When one router can't cover the whole house, there are several ways to extend the signal. The main difference is how the extra units link back to the router. In a small apartment, a well-placed router is usually enough; in a multi-level house with a concrete basement, mesh or access points generally do better than extenders.

The router often ends up where the Internet line enters the house: a basement corner, the utility room or behind the TV. That's rarely the best spot. Wi-Fi radiates outward, and every floor, wall and appliance in the way weakens it, so the installer maps signal strength through the house before deciding where equipment goes, running a cable from the entry point if needed.

A cable is still the fastest and most reliable way to connect a device. Computers, TVs, game consoles, camera recorders and access points all benefit from a wired connection, which also frees the Wi-Fi for phones. When walls or ceilings are open during a renovation or a basement finishing project, running cable is far easier than fishing it through finished walls later.

Structured wiring brings every cable back to one central spot, usually a small panel or shelf in the basement or utility room, where the Internet line, the router and a network switch meet. Ask for a cable category suited to today's speeds, more than one run to key rooms, empty conduit to the attic or basement for future needs, data cable kept apart from electrical wiring, and both ends labelled. Where cable passes through a fire-rated wall or ceiling, such as the one between the house and an attached garage, the opening must be sealed with suitable materials so the separation still does its job.

The router is the front door for every connected device in the house. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security notes that WPA2 or the newer WPA3 provide strong encryption between the router and your devices, and recommends keeping the router's firmware up to date so the latest security patch is installed. Get Cyber Safe's basics apply here too: change default usernames and passwords, and turn on automatic updates.

Network cable, coaxial cable and small plug-in power adapters are low-voltage work that doesn't carry household current, and network installers commonly handle it. Rules on who may install communication cabling vary by province, though, so ask the installer what licence or certification applies where you live.

Anything that touches the home's wiring is different: a new outlet for a network cabinet, a dedicated circuit for an equipment rack or a hardwired power supply is electrical work, and not a do-it-yourself job. Ontario's ESA says you can legally hire only a Licensed Electrical Contractor, or an electrician working for one, for electrical work in your home. In Quebec, the CMEQ warns that doing electrical work for others requires being a licensed electrical contractor. During a renovation, coordinate the two trades so data cable and electrical wiring are planned together and kept apart in the walls.

Outdoor cameras, a video doorbell, a detached garage, a backyard office or the pool area all need a signal that indoor equipment often can't push through exterior walls. Options include an outdoor-rated access point under the eaves, a mesh unit near a window facing the yard, or a buried or overhead cable to a detached building.

Outdoor equipment has to survive winter: choose units rated for outdoor use and for your region's cold, seal every cable entry through the exterior wall against air and water, use cable made for outdoor or direct-burial use, and keep it clear of ice falling from the roof. A new exterior outlet, or cable run alongside power to a detached building, is a job to coordinate with a licensed electrician, and underground services must be located before anyone digs.