Working From Home? Make Sure Your Computer is Working Properly

Working from home is also known as remote working, flexi-work, or teleworking. The concept of not being tied to an office desk has been a rising trend. It is less stressful, more productive, and operates at a lower cost for both the employee and employer. Social distancing norms are now taking place, which is fast-tracking a lot of businesses into considering having their employees work from home.

The setup for working from home is simple. You need a working computer, a good internet network and a quiet place to work. Of those requirements, only two can throw you a curveball, the computer, and the internet network.

If you are in the office and your computer breaks down, you can call IT, use a co-worker’s computer, and everyone will be aware of your predicament. While working from home, you will only be able to rely on your resources to fix the problem. TThis article will give you resources to fix problems you might face while working from home.

RAM, Memory, and Space on Your Computer

The IT department maintains the computers at work, so you never have to worry about them. Your home computer is your responsibility. Before you start working from home, you must check your computer’s RAM, memory, and space.

RAM and ROM are different types of memory; they are responsible for making programs running smoothly on your computer. RAM specifically allows you to run several applications at the same time. Hard drive space is the amount of data that your computer can store. The hard drive space also carries all system and program files. If your hard drive space or memory is too low, your computer will slow down, freeze, or shut down.

Generally speaking, an average computer can do most of your office administrative tasks, and even video conferencing. If your work requires you to install programs and keep files, then you should review your specs. All programs come with minimum specs for operation, check them against your computer specs.

Should the need arise, you can add more RAM and space by buying the appropriately-sized hardware. If you are tech-savvy enough, you can install them yourself, but it’s always safer to let a professional handle it.

Internet Connection and Speed

Internet connection is essential for working from home since it’s the channel you will use to communicate. Also, the files you need to transfer to another device requires a stable connection. On the other hand, internet speed matters if you plan to transfer large data or use media programs.

If your internet connection is slow:

You may not be able to download or upload files.
Participate in media-rich video calls or
Be able to use cloud services.

You should take the time to review your internet speed. Start by connecting your router to your computer with an Ethernet cable; after that, you search for the Ethernet connection under Network and Internet Settings. Selecting the Ethernet connection will display all the internet speed information you need to know.

Alternatively, you can test your internet speed using a speed test tool. You use your browser on any device to open the website based tool, and it will calculate the speed for you.

Monitor, Speakers, Microphone, and Camera

If you are working from home, you will most likely hold virtual meetings from there as well. The quality of your audio and video equipment will affect how you receive calls and how others will encounter it on the other end. Bad visuals are a distraction, and lousy audio makes the whole process pointless.

Before you hold an official meeting, you want to make sure that your audio and visuals work correctly, so have a virtual test meeting. If anything went wrong, then you would have to start with a process of elimination to figure out a solution:

Start with figuring what specifically was wrong, e.g., if you couldn’t hear the other person, but they could hear you, then your microphone works fine, but your speaker doesn’t. Keep identifying each problem by process of elimination.
Ensure that cables are inserted firmly and in the allotted spaces.
Look at the controls and settings of the hardware. For example, are your monitor’s brightness settings too low, is the speaker volume on/up, does the video app have permission to use your camera.
Is the device functioning on other computers, or can the computer function with other similar devices. This will discern whether the problem is the computer itself or the device.

Once you are aware of the specific problem, you can look for a solution. User manuals have information on how to connect the devices correctly, should you still have questions you can search online for troubleshooting advice.

Antivirus Software

Working from home can expose your computer to new potential online threats. Not only is your computer at risk of getting infected, but it could also infect others. You don’t want to be the reason a business partner got a worm or a trojan horse in its systems.

So you will need to practice more prudent computing habits than you usually would for your home computer. This includes installing robust and updated antivirus software. It will protect the data you have from being altered, destroyed, or stolen.

There are free antivirus software programs you can use, but if it’s possible, it would be more beneficial to get the paid version. Whether it is a free or paid version, always keep your antivirus updated.

Hardware and Software

Your computer does not operate in isolation; it acts in unison with third-party hardware and software like printers, routers, graphic design software, or accounting software. If any of those extra components were to stop working, then you wouldn’t be able to do your job.

Most hardware comes with software that you will need to update regularly. This will ensure that the hardware can operate at optimum levels, along with keeping it secure from malware. Software programs are similar when it comes to updates; the updates will ensure that the program is running smoothly, it will also add new features, and close security patches that malware could exploit.

You can avoid hardware glitches by turning the hardware on and off, checking that the cables are secure, ensuring that settings are correct or that the hardware is compatible with your operating system. All your hardware, including the computer itself, also needs to be physically cleaned once in a while. It’s one of the services you can get with the at-home service professionals. It involves opening up the hardware and cleaning the circuits, wires, and the internal mechanisms.

What to do If You Find an Issue

You can run a full diagnostics check using Windows’ Performance Monitor. To access this feature:

Press the Windows Key + R to open a Run dialogue box.
Type the following command “perform/report”
Press enter

Your report will take approximately a minute to run. Within the report, you will be able to see details that include performance statistics, if there is an issue and what actions you should take (if there are any), as well as recommendations to make sure your computer is performing correctly.

Although some fixes are simple enough for you to do yourself, others will need professional skills, tools, and expertise. This is particularly important if the problem or solution involves data or affects your hardware warranties.

You don’t need to leave your home to get professional service; you could find one that provides at-home computer repair. A professional will come to your home where they will be able to repair your computer, recover data, do system backups, malware removal, and wireless network installation.

Turn Your Home into a Functioning Office

Working from home is efficient, productive, and more relaxing. But it only works well if your computer, printer, and other devices are ready to use. You can keep everything working smoothly by practicing good computer habits so you can avoid impeding your workflow.