In today’s digital world, reliable internet and effective bandwidth management are essential for connected devices. Let’s explore bandwidth usage in the home, given that connectivity is at the heart of modern living.
Home Bandwidth Basics
Currently, the highest bandwidth hog is 4K streaming video, which through Netflix will run decently without much buffer between 15-20 Mbps (Note – 4K can reach up to about 28 Mbps). The increased surge in popularity of streaming services means 99% of US households now subscribe to one or more streaming services, while the widespread adoption of smart, HD, and 4K TVs has significantly increased the demand for home bandwidth. Streaming HD and UHD content requires more data to ensure smooth performance and high-quality visuals; otherwise, viewers may suffer reduced performance and quality.
Coming up quickly to surpass 4K video is VR gaming. While the standard video for VR gaming depends on what is desired the need could be as little as 25 Mbps all the way up to 4K VR 360 degree that needs closer to 400 Mbps. As VR comes up and is used more and more for different things beyond just gaming, there will be a rise in the need for bandwidth to support it.
Online gaming is around 5-8 Mbps, HD 1080p video streaming is about 8-10 Mbps and a basic standard definition YouTube video is around 2-4 Mbps.
Most IoT devices, such as smart watches, thermostats, ovens and voice assistants need very little bandwidth over time and approximately less than 2 Mbps is sufficient for all the IoT devices in a home combined. So for most applications and standard usage, a person that is watching a 4K movie while playing a VR online game and also has an internet-ready thermostat and lighting in his or her home would only utilize about 70 Mbps.
The only outlying application that would use more bandwidth than the standard types listed above is file transfers. Downloads of updates or new applications will usually try to utilize as much bandwidth as possible until the transfer is complete. Though this usage is sporadic and not as always used as the types of traffic above it does need to be understood that the more bandwidth available for these non-standard uses can reduce the time needed to complete these tasks
However, bandwidth management at home is easily controlled by buying more bandwidth (if available), limiting the amount of devices on the network and upgrading equipment, such as routers.
Bandwidth for Hotels and MDUs
Now, let’s move these examples to hotels, multi-dwelling units, schools, government buildings, and other visitor-based networks. It gets complicated when you move into these networks where there are exponentially more people utilizing the same internet connection. The calculations of what is needed sometimes goes beyond what is available.
Today’s guests believe that technology enhances the overall guest stay and are now checking into hotels, accompanied by many devices. Indeed, 40% now bring along more than one device, such as tablets, game consoles, smartphones and laptops. The popularity of casting, HD and 4k TVs in hotel rooms has also transformed the guest entertainment experience. Guests now expect to stream their favorite content to the in-room TV, demanding high quality visuals and smooth performance, which requires substantial bandwidth. To meet these expectations, hotels must invest in robust and fast internet systems to ensure guest satisfaction.
This is where gateways like those available from Nomadix are extremely useful. The ability to provide access to available bandwidth and prioritize who gets access to that bandwidth was created into the design of our products. We’ve been building and implementing our gateway technology for over 25 years and have seen great results for our customers and their properties.
If you’ve been to a hotel without bandwidth management, you know pretty quickly. The internet is almost unusable in the evenings when everyone is back for the day. A large guest network (such as a hotel with 150 rooms) may not be able to provide the desired amount of bandwidth to a single user. Taking the numbers from my examples above, one user at 70 Mbps per room at 150 rooms is 10.5 Gbps. Most properties do not have that large of a network pipe connected to them. The data usage adds up fast. Without sufficient controls of bandwidth, guests may experience slow internet service and interruptions, leading to a dissatisfied stay.
Smart Bandwidth Management
When the demand outstrips what is available, there needs to be controls in place that will allow everyone to access a useful amount of bandwidth. Utilizing the weighted fair queueing (WFQ) ability in the Nomadix gateways allows for access to bandwidth based on the needs of the applications. It also makes sure that all devices on the network get access to bandwidth when they have internet requests.
There are other bandwidth controls that allow the site administrator to limit access to bandwidth utilizing different methods of identification, such as VLAN, priority, or authentication. By managing the bandwidth effectively with a Nomadix gateway, more devices can connect to the network than would normally be able to coexist.
A fair usage policy for guests may be a consideration; the property can also offer a range of Wi-Fi plans, enabling those with higher usage to pay for a premium service. Onsite technology per room, combined with all the devices brought in by guests and residents, can quickly put a strain on the network. As we continue to see more and more devices enter the visitor networks, it’s important to prepare for the exponential growth.
Effectively balancing bandwidth management and network performance is crucial for meeting guest and resident Wi-Fi expectations, ensuring a fast and seamless experience for all. Wi-Fi is critical for these users so consider it carefully when planning an upgrade.
If you are interested, take a look at our offerings that can help with bandwidth management.
Jeremy Cook is the product manager for the Nomadix gateways. He has worked with Nomadix, an ASSA ABLOY company, for 25 years, joining the organization in quality assurance and moving through systems and pre-sales engineering and to his current role in Product Management.