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- If your internet goes down while you're working from home, the first thing you can do is turn your smartphone into a WiFi hotspot as a quick, temporary backup.
- If you're concerned about keeping a stable internet connection while you're working, you and your employer may look into investing in a dedicated mobile hotspot rather than your smartphone to serve as a backup.
- Wireless carriers are helping to keep their customers connected during the coronavirus pandemic, when they need a data connection the most.
- There's very little indication that the "work-from-home" surge is causing any negative impact on the internet in general.
- It's worth double checking that you're not just seeing an issue with a single website or service. Visit other websites to make sure your internet connection is actually down. If it is just a single site or service having issues, a mobile hotspot won't help you.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Assuming you've tried to connect to a variety of websites to confirm that your internet is actually down, the first thing you can do when you need a connection fast is to use your smartphone as a mobile hotspot, at least as a temporary measure.
With all the disruption coronavirus is causing, including the shift for many Americans from offices and schools to homes, it's easy to blame every blip on the pandemic.
But the companies and analysts I've spoken with so far haven't shown any concern at all about a widespread internet crash caused by the sudden shift. There's very little that suggests "the internet" is being affected in any major negative way by the societal effects of coronavirus. Data from Ookla, the company behind the Speedtest.net website that tests internet speeds, shows that speeds and performance have barely faltered - if at all.
Still, wireless carriers are adjusting their plans in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and are trying to make things easier on their customers.
Check out how carriers are helping out, as well as a longer term backup solution than your smartphone's WiFi hotspot: