Could Upgrading Your WiFi Be the Secret to a Stress-Free Holiday?

The holiday season is about connecting with loved ones, not dealing with WiFi headaches. With more streaming, gaming, video calls, and online shopping than ever, your network needs to keep up.

Discover these 10 essential tips to ensure you have the best WiFi for a safe, seamless, and connected holiday experience.

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WRITTEN BY

NETGEAR Team

1. Set Up a Guest Network for Security and Convenience

It’s that time of year when guests, family, and kids appear at the door all smiling and ready for fun holiday times. Although under the surface, you are probably a little stressed about how to cater to all your visitor’s needs. A savvy solution to daunting internet demands is to set up a guest WiFi network for holiday visitors.

NETGEAR Nighthawk and Orbi WiFi 7 routers are the best WiFi for large families, with the capacity to establish a home network, guest network, and smart home IoT network all under one roof. Your guests can have their own private and convenient connection, while your main network remains secure from online threats. Holiday WiFi network performance just got a whole lot better.


2. Prevent Network Overload During Family Gatherings

Network overload, dropped wireless signals, and slow internet service are unacceptable (and embarrassing) during large family gatherings. Older routers struggle to handle the bandwidth requirements of multiple devices in concurrent use. Latency, lag, and slowdowns are the result – not optimal for a happy holiday plan. High-end WiFi 7 routers are the solution, with the ability to handle up to 200 connected devices simultaneously at multi-gigabit speeds. Refer to our handy WiFi Device Calculator to make a smart WiFi router choice for your home. With a peerless range of routers for every price point, NETGEAR has the right router for you!

Bonus TIP: Your maximum download and upload speed is limited to your ISP provisioning speed. Consider 500mbs – 1Gbs+ plan from your Internet Service Provider. Pair this with a powerful Modem & whole-home Mesh System or fast WiFi 7 Router.

 

3. Ensure Whole-Home WiFi Coverage

The average US home today can include more than 20 WiFi-connected devices upstairs and downstairs, from the front door to the back yard. A whole-home WiFi mesh system that includes the main router and multiple router satellites is the solution. WiFi dead spots are a thing of the past with mesh WiFi, allowing your guests to enjoy online time with fast WiFi speeds anywhere, even in rooms with traditionally weak signals. NETGEAR Orbi and Nighthawk are the best WiFi routers to prevent network overload.

Bonus TIP: Don’t stuff your router in a closet or cupboard to make room for guests or decorations. Hiding your router can dampen the WiFi signal and slow down your internet connection.

 

4. Stream Holiday Movies from Around the World

There’s nothing like the family tradition of watching favorite holiday movies together. Fighting over which movie to watch is only the first step. Did you know you can use a VPN to access international content and stream movies from around the world? A robust WiFi router with VPN provides the security and internet speeds required for smooth movie streaming without buffering. NETGEAR WiFi 7 routers allow you to connect wirelessly or with Ethernet cable wired connections for high-definition streaming of your holiday favorites. Get ready to break out the popcorn and enjoy.

5. Enhance Video Calls with Distant Loved Ones

Close families often live far apart these days, and not everyone can make the trip for the holidays. Your loved ones may be scattered around the country or around the world – but it’s not the end of the world! Powerful new routers are the answer, and NETGEAR showcases the most advanced routers on the planet. Upgrade your home WiFi to high-quality WiFi 7 for improved video clarity and stability, allowing your extended family to get together for a holiday surprise from wherever they are. Consider a flattering ring light and string lights for dramatic mood lighting and a festive backdrop to create a cozy & fun “chat corner” for meeting and greeting family and friends online this holiday season.

6. Share Holiday Moments Instantly on Social Media

Sharing holiday photos and videos quickly is easy with a strong WiFi connection and faster internet. NETGEAR Nighthawk routers and Orbi whole-home mesh systems are the best way to share memories with superfast download speeds without technical delays. Everyone can be invited to share in the good times with special holiday moments instantly captured on social media. Wireless routers and mesh networks have come a long way, making seamless sharing a great way to include your favorite people in the celebrations. Give the gift of exceptional WiFi this year.

7. Control Smart Home Devices Effortlessly

WiFi has unlimited smart home potential. Think smart lights, thermostats, smart door-bells, security cameras, baby monitors, and smart-speakers like Amazon Alexa. That’s a lot to think about alongside all the arrangements for accommodating your extended family and keeping them safe. Fortunately, NETGEAR is always one step ahead, including powerful WiFi coverage to establish a seamless and responsive smart home network. Your entire network can be controlled remotely using the Nighthawk or Orbi App. Save money, save time, and save your sanity while hosting holiday celebrations this year with NETGEAR.

8. Manage Kids’ Screen Time with Smart Parental Controls

Hyperactive kids can push the envelope during holidays, but we can’t totally blame the chocolate cake. You can address kids’ screen time and activities online with NETGEAR WiFi Smart Parental Controls, putting the power back in your hands. You can also set up age-appropriate online access for your guest network and include the kids in all the other family stuff during the holidays. The kids can enjoy their own wireless connection with faster speeds for unbeatable holiday fun.

9. Protect Your Network with Advanced Security Features

Unsecured wireless devices and networks risk getting infiltrated by spam, malware, and other malicious intrusions. WiFi 7 Routers with WPA3 encryption and NETGEAR Armor security systems can help block these potential threats to your wireless network. Enjoy peace of mind knowing your network is protected with a secure guest WiFi network and get back to what you do best – having the best holiday celebration ever.

10. Stay Connected while Traveling with a Mobile Hotspot

Holiday travel is exciting, and you can let friends or loved ones in on the action. Have you considered joining family celebrations with a Nighthawk M6 Pro Mobile Hotspot Router? Unlike limited smartphone tethering capability or risky and unsecured public WiFi, a 5G mmWave NETGEAR mobile hotspot is a safe, secure, and reliable WiFi solution for holiday travel. Connect up to 32 devices concurrently with WiFi 6E, and send pics and videos, or even livestream your holiday adventures to make everyone back home just that little bit jealous. Give the gift of powerful WiFi anywhere & everywhere with Nighthawk M6 Pro.

Upgrade Today and Be Ready!

Upgrading to a new WiFi system is a savvy way to improve WiFi signal strength and performance during holiday gatherings. Say goodbye to WiFi dead zones and hello to holiday happiness with a WiFi network that can be used by family and friends, stress-free.

Give the gift of exceptional NETGEAR WiFi this year and have a safe, secure, and connected holiday.