Technology Times
Volume 1, Issue 3: Checking In
Get the Most From Your Home Network
- Router Check: Make sure your router is running correctly. Check the lights on the router. If you suspect that there is something wrong, it never hurts to restart it.
- Speed Test: You can verify the speed that your device is achieving. Here is a link to the Spectrum speed test. Using this tool will help you determine if you're having a problem with the network, with a specific application, or with your device. If you get a slow speed, you have a network issue. If your speed is good and something else isn't working, the issue may be with the device.
- Competing Devices: Sometimes we forget how many devices we actually have connected to our network. If you total up all the phones, computers, tablets, TVs, Smart Watches, and/or smart devices in your home, it can quickly add up. The more devices that are connected, the less bandwidth is available. Turn off any WiFi device that is not being used to reduce this issue.
- Distance from Your Router: You can get the best signal when you are within 125 feet within line of sight. That being said, obstacles in your home may interfere and reduce your range. Try being closer to your router if you are getting a weak signal.
- Signal Obstacles: Common building materials that reduce signal strength include brick and metal. Try to find places in your home that work best for signal strength.
- Replace/Update Routers: Many internet providers such as Spectrum provide/rent their router equipment to their customers. It is possible you have a defective router or it may be due for an upgrade if you've had it for a couple of years. It doesn't hurt to ask about getting new equipment whenever possible.
- Upgrading Speed: Until recently most internet plans started at 100 Mbps. Now they usually start at 200 Mbps. You can often get an upgrade at no additional cost. Upgrades to 400 Mbps are also available.
Google Guardian Email Invites
Click here to learn more about guardian summaries.
*You do NOT need a Google account in order to get guardian summaries; however if you have difficulty getting them, Google support has recommended that if you create a Gmail account. If you do that, please call the school so they can update your email in our system. Another benefit to having a Google account is that you can set the preference for your guardian summaries.
Updates
Have you ever experienced a technical difficulty and the answer was to "turn it off and turn it back on?" I know that may sound like silly or obvious advice but there is a good reason for it. Updates are constantly being made to the dozens of apps that we use on our devices and for those updates to take effect we usually need to restart the device.
Chromebooks and iPads are no exception. Our school devices are centrally managed and updates are pushed almost daily. It is good practice to restart these devices a few times a week to make sure that updates are installed. Furthermore, it is important to note that the device will not always accept an update if it does not have enough of a charge. This is especially true for iPads. I usually recommend having iPads charged to a minimum of 80% when expecting updates.
With that being said, please be sure to charge and reset devices frequently to avoid frustrating technical issues.
Personal Accounts on iPads
Student accounts are controlled and managed by the district but personal accounts are not. If you enter a personal account on an iPad and then it gets left on the bus or anywhere else, your accounts could be compromised.
There is never a reason to enter your own Google or Apple account on one of the district's iPads. If you are ever in a situation where you feel that this is necessary, please reach out to your child's teacher for login assistance using their school account.
We do our best to check and clear personal accounts but it would be safest to never put that information on the device.
Nicholas Hill
Lewiston-Porter Central Schools
Email: nhill@lew-port.com
Website: www.lew-port.com/technology_services
Phone: (716) 286-7295
Facebook: Facebook.com/LewistonPorterCentralSchools/
Twitter: @lewportcsd