Q. I am having internet connection issues. Is there anything I can do to improve my connection?

If you are successfully connected to your home network but are experiencing lagging or other connection issues here are a few things to try:

• Connect your computer to your router with an Ethernet cable, if possible.
• Ask others in your household to limit their use of the internet while you are taking your test or participating in your remote class. Things like video chatting and streaming videos can adversely affect your bandwidth.
• Close out of other programs on your own computer that you do not need open.
• If you are participating in a remote class and video is not required, toggle your webcam video to off.
• If you have 2.4 and 5 GHz WiFi options you may have more success with one vs the other in various situations. 2.4 generally offers slower speeds but covers longer distances. Some devices exclusively operate at 2.4 Ghz so there may be overcrowding on the frequency. 5.0 is generally faster but usually at shorter distances. Higher frequencies like this have trouble penetrating solid objects, such as walls.
• Other factors may also be important such as the age and quality of your router.
• If you continue to experience issues, try completely restarting your computer.
• If you routinely are having issues on your computer and have worked through these steps, try connecting with another device, if possible.

Additionally, check that you are using a supported browser. Generally, many of our College systems tend to work best with the most current release of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

Alternatives Options

Despite best efforts, you may still lack sufficient bandwidth. If that is the situation, here are a few alternatives:

• The College is distributing T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular hotspots to current students who lack sufficient internet access through the Technology Access Program. If you get a good signal from one of these providers, this may be an option for you.
• Connect to MC-Secure in one of our library spaces. Check our library hours and locations page for up to date hours.
• Consider using your phone as a Wifi hotspot. Check with your cellular service provider to see if this will result in additional fees.
• If there are better Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in your area but you lack sufficient funds to switch, consider applying for Emergency Funding through the College

Learn more about these alternative options on our Remote Learning LibGuide.