The COVID-19 pandemic has changed work/life patterns for many of us. The home dynamic has changed drastically as well.

Working from home has become what marketing folks are calling the “new normal.” Adding to the complexity of our 9-5 home life, many of our kids are home, too. Many parents are opting to keep their kids home to study. Many school districts, colleges, and universities have moved to a slapped-together remote schooling strategy.

While there’s no doubt this new normal has a huge impact on our sense of well-being and sanity, it’s also transforming what we need from our home networks. Prior to the pandemic, the home network and the broadband feeding it was used mostly to stream some movies, watch some YouTube, play some games, and check email.

But now the home network is being put under pressure. Many families have two parents and a bunch of kids, all putting stress on the network by using bandwidth at the same time. The adults might both need to be in Zoom conferences for work, while the kids may also need to be in Zoom sessions for school.

That’s a lot of stress on your network. Your network has become mission-critical. You need it to keep the paychecks coming, and your kids need it to get through school. In this context, getting the most out of your network is essential. But what does that really mean?

This comprehensive guide will help you answer that, and help guide you towards changes and improvements you might want to make. This guide will cover budget tips and three major topic areas:

• Understanding your bandwidth requirements
• Understanding your broadband provider’s offerings
• How to optimize your home network.