Heading into 2025, there’s no excuse to not have dependable internet at home. Whether you work from home or not, steady and fast internet is required for almost all media consumption, as well as the functioning of smart home devices.
Many households continue to struggle with issues like sluggish speeds or patchy Wi-Fi, and put it down to the ISP doing a bad job. While they may not be delivering a great service, it’s not true that the power is out of your hands. Below are five apps to help improve your home internet experience.
Speed Test and Diagnostics – Speedtest by Ookla
Speedtest by Ookla is perhaps the most popular tool for checking internet speed. It’s a very quick way of testing of download, upload and ping rates (the latter being particularly important for any gamers in the house).
It logs your results over time too, meaning you can track your connection’s performance. If you want, it’s evidence to relay back to your ISP whenever it comes to contract negotiations, or with customer support. It’s available on most operating systems and has real-time graphs to show connection stability.
Wi-Fi Analysis and Optimization – Acrylic Wi-Fi Analyzer
Acrylic Wi-Fi Analyzer is a powerful tool for assessing and fine-tuning Wi-Fi networks. It provides real-time data on network strength and connected devices, but best of all, it uses visuals to help identify weak signals or areas of interference.
With Acrylic Wi-Fi Analyzer, users can spot potential issues and receive improvement tips. This is a really comprehensive assessment of your Wi-Fi which will help diagnose specific issues.
Network Security – Fing Network Tools
Fing Network Tools is an all-in-one app focused on improving home network security. It lets users identify every device connected to their network, offering details like device names and IP and MAC addresses. If your neighbour or worse, a bad actor, is using your internet, it will show up here.
Fing also provides instant alerts for new connections, so you can really keep your home internet safe, as well as uncover more complex network vulnerabilities.
Bandwidth Management – NetLimiter
NetLimiter is a Windows-exclusive app designed to give users full control over their internet bandwidth. With this Windows-based app, users can set speed limits for downloads and uploads on individual apps and track real-time traffic.
This feature is particularly helpful in multi-device households because it facilitates bandwidth prioritisation. Critical apps can then get the resources they need; for example, if you’re on an important Zoom call at work but your son is streaming 4K Netflix upstairs. By efficiently managing bandwidth, users can improve the reliability of their network.
Parental Controls and Content Filtering – Google Family Link
Google Family Link helps parents manage their children’s device use. The app includes tools like screen time limits, app approval and activity monitoring. Parents can also locate their child’s device and control in-app purchases, which ultimately stops the issue of spending money on the parent’s credit card unwillingly. It’s not only available for Android devices, but manageable from iOS too, making it a good way to keep their children safe.
With the right apps, you can transform your home internet experience—making it faster and more secure, but also better tailored to your household’s needs.
