How to boost your home and SOHO broadband: Building a robust network for work and play

Home networks today are handling more data than ever before. Besides a work-from-home culture, SOHO (Small Office / Home Office) businesses have been on the rise in recent years. While there aren't exact records that keep track of a home business, a closer look at the latest data from Singapore's Department of Statistics (Singstat) will show that out of 300,000 enterprises in Singapore in 2022, more than 232,000 are micro businesses, defined by revenue less than or up to S$1M. In contrast, an SME is defined by revenue up to S$100M.

This surge in home-based productivity has placed increased demands on home internet connections, which now must support both work and leisure needs. Balancing the needs of both from home can be tricky, especially when your internet connection is struggling to keep up. Picture this: you’re in the middle of an important Zoom meeting, and someone else in the house is streaming Shogun in 4K on Disney Plus or playing Call of Duty Black Ops 6 online. This can be disruptive and a real productivity killer if your bandwidth is not prioritised for the right tasks. If you’re using a single broadband connection for everything, it’s easy for things to get chaotic. 

Now, you may think that you have everything covered with some of the new ultra-fast broadband plans, such as Singtel's 10Gbps symmetrical broadband, but in a world where cyber scams and threats are more prevalent than ever, security can become more important than pure speed. If your work devices and personal gadgets are all on the same network, data being shared across your home network often include sensitive information. This can create potential vulnerabilities and allow threats like malware to move between devices more easily. The risk is especially pronounced when you consider how many smart home devices and entertainment platforms are also connected, creating multiple possible entry points for a breach. Certain consumer broadband services like Singtel Broadband Protect may help mitigate some of this risk.

What can you do to improve your home network?

You can build a more robust home network tailored specifically to your needs on your own. By separating personal and business networks through Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) or dual-network setups, not only can you optimise bandwidth allocation for work and play, but you can also significantly improve security.

Network segmentation using VLANs or a dual-network setup not only helps manage bandwidth more effectively but also ensures critical work devices are isolated from the general traffic. For those of us handling confidential or sensitive work, a dedicated work lane is more crucial than ever, so as to minimise exposure and provide a stronger line of defence against potential cyber threats. The separation prevents everyday internet use, like browsing or downloading entertainment content, from impacting your work data. This makes your setup not just faster but also more secure.

Understanding VLANs for work-life segmentation

If the term "VLAN" seems intimidating, don’t worry – it’s not really rocket science. VLAN splits your home network into different segments by creating specific bandwidth and channels for different activities. To use an analogy, it’s like having separate lanes on a road for different types of vehicles, like a bicycle lane, bus lane, and car lane. Your work and entertainment traffic each have their own dedicated lane, avoiding the other to keep things running smoothly.

VLANs also let you partition your network for work, family, and guests. This doesn’t just help distribute bandwidth more effectively; it also adds a layer of security, keeping work data away from general household online activities. Many modern routers now come equipped with apps and beginner-friendly setup guides to make VLANs accessible even for those less confident with tech.

Dual physical networks: A simpler alternative

Perhaps the idea of configuring and maintaining rules for VLANs sounds too complicated for you. Then another option is to set up two separate networks at home using dual routers. Dual-network setups are straightforward and easily provide a physical separation between work and home devices. Essentially, you have two Wi-Fi networks with one for work and another for everything else, making it easier to maintain bandwidth and data separation without having to tinker too much with your router’s settings.

Should you choose a VLAN or Dual Network?

Ultimately, the decision to pick a VLAN or dual network can be down to your budget, and how critical or sensitive your work tasks are. VLANs are more cost-effective, utilise a single router with advanced settings rather than requiring separate hardware and additional subscription costs which add up over time. If you only need to work from home part time, or if your employer has issued you secure devices that have their own VPN (virtual private network) security, then a VLAN will likely suffice for your needs.

Scenario: Parents with a hybrid work arrangement and school-going kids with home-based learning that only require a dedicated connection some of the time. Using a VLAN will ensure that work and home activities are duly separated when required, .

However, if you primarily work or run a business from home, where work-related traffic, uptime and security is paramount, then a dual-network setup will provide greater physical separation and bandwidth prioritisation. You can also opt for a more business-centric secondary network, such as Singtel’s SingNet Elite with 4G SIM Backup or a SingNet Wireless Backup plan that provides connection redundancy over a cellular network, giving you some added perks like connection failover and cloud backups. This will be the ideal solution for users who need distinct network environments for different tasks or activities. 

Scenario: You run a home-based video editing studio. Bandwidth is a premium as your work isn't just data heavy, it's also reliant on a stable connection to upload and house client projects. By adopting a dual networks, you keep work secure while the rest of the household enjoys uninterrupted streaming. No bandwidth battles, just better productivity.

Hardware considerations

• Routers with VLAN capabilities: Look for routers with built-in VLAN settings, like the ASUS ZenWiFi BQ16 or Netgear RS700S. They allow you to split your network without much hassle.
• Wi-Fi Mesh systems: Coverage is key. Mesh systems like the TP-Link Deco BE85 ensure strong signals throughout your home, which is essential if you work from an upstairs office or a tucked-away room.
• Wired vs wireless: Whenever possible, connect work devices via Ethernet for the best stability. Wired connections offer consistent speeds, which is especially important for video conferencing and large file uploads. But if that is not possible, then you will want to go with a wireless router that supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 protocol. Wi-Fi 7 is built upon 802.11be and brings increased speed and lower latency over Wi-Fi 6/6E for your connected devices.

Ultimately, upgrading your home broadband isn’t only about convenience, it’s about creating an environment that supports your different lifestyle needs. In a world where work and personal life have become more intertwined than ever, it’s important that your network can handle multiple demands while staying secure as well. Whether it’s stable bandwidth for those critical video meetings or an uninterrupted connection for your downtime activities, having the right network setup makes all the difference.

Ready for more?

If your home business is expanding beyond the capabilities of consumer broadband options, you might be ready to upgrade to tailored solutions and managed services such as Singtel CUBΣ Network as a Service (NaaS). If this sounds like you, we also have a separate guide on choosing the right business-grade network solutions.

(In partnership with Singtel)

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