Zoom problems? Here’s the real solution

Zoom. Chances are you’d never heard of it back in January. Or if you did, it was something you did every so often. Now you’re on five or six zoom calls a day.

Or maybe you use Google Meet, GoToMeeting, Skype, or any of the other options out there for people to work from home. No matter. I bet the problem is the same.

You’re stuttering, your audio sounds bad, and your video freezes.

Do your Gen-X coworkers say you look like Max Headroom? The faux-CGI character from the 1980s has re-entered our minds as a symbol for poor Zoom connections.

Older coworkers may say you sound drunk, while younger ones may say you sound auto-tuned. They’re all saying the same thing… you have a poor connection.

Generally you won’t know it when you have a poor Zoom connection unless someone tells you. Everything will seem normal to you. If your coworkers are nice, they’ll tell you that you need some help. If they aren’t, they’ll just laugh behind your back.

Why does this problem happen?

Zoom problems are almost always due to a poor internet connection. Maybe your home internet isn’t up to the task. Maybe you’ve been making do at home with nothing but your cell phone. Either way, the real reason for your poor showing at zoom calls is that you just can’t connect fast enough.

It’s very similar to the problem we had back about 15 years ago, when cell companies were still putting towers up for the first time. It’s what led us to walk around holding our phones up above our heads and shouting “can you hear me now?”

Today, most areas get good cell coverage but unfortunately the materials in your home block cell signals. Luckily, there’s a solution. Actually, there are three.

Solution #1: A cellular signal booster

A cellular signal booster should be part of every work-at-home warrior’s portfolio. It’s a device that brings cell signals from outside into your home and blasts them up to 1,000,000 more powerfully. They install easily and they’ll generally last 3-4 times as long as your current phone. They give great cell signal to everyone in your home and they’re worth every dime. Check out the great selection of weBoost cellular signal boosters here.

With a cell booster, your phone will have much better signal and you’ll get respect from coworkers as you video chat with ease.

Solution #2: gotW3 cellular router system

If you have fast internet at home and you’re still having problems, chances are there’s a lot of congestion you’re not aware of. Maybe the kids are doing their own Zoom calls. Or, maybe they’re playing games. Maybe it’s not even your kids.

Most residential neighborhoods are “oversold” on internet. You’re not guaranteed to get great speeds because there’s not enough capacity for all of your neighbors to stream at once. That’s why you might get great streaming performance at 2 in the morning but not at 2 in the afternoon.

If your home internet isn’t up to the task, you have a better option. The gotW3 system gives you a second internet connection with speeds up to 150Mbps. It pulls internet service from cell towers, the same way your phone does. The difference is that this service is available to all your devices, including your work computer.

The best part of gotW3 is that you control who has access. Let the kids have the regular internet connection and you can use all that bandwidth yourself. Why not? You’re “bringing home the bacon” from your back bedroom, and you need it!

Check out more details and learn how to get gotW3, here.

Option #3: Both

Why not give yourself a serious work-from-home upgrade by putting in a cellular signal booster AND a gotW3 system? The gotW3 device will pull that extra-strong signal from the cell booster and give you great Wi-Fi, while everyone else in your home benefits from improved cell service!

So yes, I get it. These are expensive propositions at a time when you have to be careful with money. But what you’re getting is a great value, and if it helps you be more valuable to your employer, it’s worth it, especially now.

When you’re ready to make the investment in yourself and in your work-from-home environment, shop at Solid Signal for cell boosters, for gotW3, and for the best work-from-home accessories. questions? Call us at 888-233-7563, or fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you quickly!

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.