When working from home you are likely to encounter more performance issues especially around internet connection which will have an adverse impact on VPN connections to the office, we have include a few hints and tips to help you improve your access and cut down your frustrations
1. Wires
When possible if you can work near your router and connect via to your router via a wire you'll see the most stable connection along with improve performance, most home network routers will not only have wireless access but a 4 wired network ports, these can normally be found on the back of the router, below is an image of a BT Home Hub showing the ports
To connect in you'll need an ethernet cable, this come in various types, but simple you are looking for a Cat5/6 Ethernet cable
Various colors are available, available from most Computer shops, and of course Amazon https://www.tessfiles.com/st/uXzIH feel free to ask if you need help selecting
2. Wireless
If wired connection is not available or wont work for you then we would recommend that you stay as close as possible to your router when working, avoid having anything between you and your router, various devices such as Microwaves, Fridges etc can impact signal speed and quality.
3. Minimize Streaming
Yep, during this period this may prove impossible, kids, family members wanting to watch the latest episode of Eastenders on BBC iPlayer, but when possible minimise other traffic this will help maintain a stable and speedy network.
4. Check your internet Speed
Knowing what speed your connection is can help to decide if you may have bigger issues then just Eastenders using your bandwidth, you can go to
If your connection is much lower and no one else is using the internet for anything substantial such as downloading or streaming then it maybe worth speaking to your provider to check if they are seeing any errors or can make any changes to help improve your experience.
5. When working
While working, it would be great to bear in mind the following:
Don't work on large files remotely, copy them locally and then once finished upload these back to the server
Use online providers such as OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox etc to work collaboratively with your colleges, doing so will avoid needing to use the VPN, however, ensure these documents are suitable to public online services
Avoid streaming anything to your laptop when connected to the VPN
Save constantly to avoid losing work and increasing stress levels
6. Troubleshooting
If you are still seeing issues, then it maybe time to raise a ticket with us, however just take a couple of minutes to do the following
Check the steps above
Reboot both your computer / Router when possible
Check your Internet Service Providers Service Status, normally just Googling "BT Internet Status" Or "Sky Internet Status" etc will point you to their system status pages
If still no go, please send a support ticket to us
7. VPN Connection Issues
If you are encountering VPN issues please check you have full internet access, in addition if you are using 2FA authentication with provided by DUO and you aren't receiving the alert to authenticate the connection then please open "Duo Mobile" app and pull down to refresh and you should see an alert. If you are on Windows 10 see https://help.tessellateos.com/knowledgebase/article/vpn-stuck-on-%e2%80%9cconnecting%e2%80%9d-in-windows-10-how-to-fix-it if you are seeing Connecting and nothing further.
If you don't please open a support ticket and we will talk you through some basic troubleshooting.
8. Alternatives to you Broadband
Should your broadband go down, or your connection is unstable/slow there are a number of options available.
The first is to use your mobile phone as a hotspot if available, although this is a good temporary option, it can be restricted by your provider or not available at all, but in a pinch is worth considering.
Another alternative which is a very good option is a Mifi dongle, this is in essence a portable mobile phone wifi access point, most providers offer both the dongle and / or the data plan which can be a time limited plan, data limited plan or a combination of both or neither depending on your budget and contractual commitment. In addition with 5G now becoming more widely available this can be a very good option. More details can be found https://www.tessfiles.com/st/5aFbP
In both the above please not data charges may apply, so please ensure you check your contract before you run up and large bills.
