Question:

How does having multiple tabs open and leaving the computer in sleep mode affect the bandwidth consumption and the WiFi performance?

I have a cousin who shares the same WiFi network with me and he never shuts down his computer. He always has more than 20 tabs open in his browser and he lets his computer go into sleep mode when he is not using it. I wonder if this is causing any problems for our WiFi connection, which is already very poor and unstable. I would appreciate any advice or explanation from someone who knows more about this topic. Thank you.

Answer:

Many people use their computers for browsing the web, watching videos, playing games, or working on various tasks. Sometimes, they may have multiple tabs open in their browser, or they may leave their computer in sleep mode when they are not using it. But how does this affect the bandwidth consumption and the WiFi performance of their network? And what can they do to improve it?

Bandwidth consumption of multiple tabs

Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transferred over a network in a given time. The more tabs you have open in your browser, the more bandwidth you may consume, depending on what those tabs are doing. For example, if you have tabs that are streaming videos, playing music, downloading files, or refreshing content automatically, they will use more bandwidth than tabs that are static or idle. This can slow down your network speed and affect the performance of other devices that are connected to the same WiFi network.

However, not all tabs are equal in terms of bandwidth consumption. Some browsers, such as Microsoft Edge, have a feature called “sleeping tabs” that can reduce the memory and CPU usage of the browser by putting tabs to sleep when you haven’t used them for a while, and then waking them up as soon as they are clicked . This can save you up to 85% of memory and 99% of CPU for each sleeping tab, and also reduce the bandwidth consumption of those tabs. You can also manually close or suspend tabs that you don’t need, or use extensions that can help you manage your tabs more efficiently.

WiFi performance of sleep mode

Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to resume quickly from a low-power state. When your computer is in sleep mode, it still maintains a connection to your WiFi network, but it uses less power and bandwidth than when it is awake. However, this does not mean that sleep mode has no impact on your WiFi performance. Depending on your network settings and your router’s capabilities, sleep mode may cause some issues, such as:

• Interference: Some routers may have a feature called “wake on wireless LAN” (WoWLAN) that allows them to wake up devices that are in sleep mode when they receive a network packet. However, this may also cause interference with other devices that are using the same WiFi channel, and reduce the signal quality and speed of your network.
• IP address conflict: Some routers may assign a new IP address to your device when it wakes up from sleep mode, which may conflict with the IP address of another device that is already connected to the network. This may cause connectivity problems and errors for both devices.
• Security risk: Some routers may not support the latest encryption standards or protocols for WiFi security, such as WPA3 or 802.11ax. This may make your network more vulnerable to hackers or malware attacks, especially if your device is in sleep mode and not protected by a firewall or antivirus software.

To avoid these issues, you can adjust your network settings and your router’s configuration to optimize your WiFi performance. For example, you can:

• Change your WiFi channel: You can use a tool such as WiFi Analyzer to find the best WiFi channel for your network, and avoid the ones that are crowded or overlapping with other networks. This can reduce the interference and improve the signal quality and speed of your network.
• Use a static IP address: You can assign a fixed IP address to your device, and make sure that it does not conflict with any other device on your network. This can prevent IP address conflicts and ensure a stable connection to your network.
• Update your router’s firmware and security settings: You can check your router’s manufacturer website for the latest firmware updates and security patches, and install them on your router. You can also enable the highest level of encryption and authentication for your WiFi network, such as WPA3 or 802.11ax, and use a strong password to protect your network from unauthorized access.

Conclusion

Having

multiple tabs open and leaving your computer in sleep mode can affect your bandwidth consumption and your WiFi performance, depending on what those tabs are doing and how your network and router are configured. To improve your network speed and stability, you can use features such as sleeping tabs, close or suspend tabs that you don’t need, change your WiFi channel, use a static IP address, and update your router’s firmware and security settings. By following these tips, you can enjoy a better browsing experience and a more efficient use of your network resources.