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Family and Friends Sharing Meals, Raising Glasses with Champagne, Toasting, Celebrating a Winter Holiday

Holiday Proof Your Internet: Finding the Perfect Plan for Multiple Devices

The holiday season is a time for gathering, celebrating, and staying connected. With family and friends visiting, gift gadgets galore, and all the festive streaming, gaming, and video calling, your internet connection becomes the lifeline to keeping it all running smoothly. The last thing you want is buffering during the big game or lag during a family Zoom call. So, how do you holiday-proof your internet to handle the extra demand? 

Here’s a guide to finding the perfect internet plan to keep everyone connected — from tech-savvy teens to streaming enthusiasts and the occasional online shopper — without a hitch. 

1. Assess Your Household’s Holiday Internet Usage

Before choosing a plan, it’s important to consider how your household uses the internet, especially during the holidays when multiple devices may be in use at the same time. Some common activities that increase bandwidth demand include: 

  • Streaming movies, TV shows, and holiday specials (HD and 4K streaming) 
  • Video calls with family and friends (especially with platforms like Zoom or FaceTime) 
  • Online gaming (multiplayer games often require higher bandwidth and low latency) 
  • Smart home devices (thermostats, security cameras, lights, etc.) 
  • New holiday gadgets (tablets, smart TVs, gaming consoles, and smartphones all increase the number of connected devices.) 

The more people and devices in your home, the more bandwidth you’ll need to ensure everyone can enjoy their online activities without interruptions. 

2. How Much Speed Do You Need?

The internet speed you need depends on the number of devices connected at once and the type of activities your household engages in. Here’s a general breakdown: 

  • Light Use (1-2 devices): Browsing, emailing, light streaming 

Recommended speed: 25-50 Mbps 

  • Moderate Use (3-5 devices): HD streaming, online gaming, video conferencing 

Recommended speed: 100-200 Mbps 

  • Heavy Use (6+ devices): 4K streaming, frequent online gaming, downloading large files 

Recommended speed: 300 Mbps or higher 

For holiday gatherings where multiple people are streaming or using new gadgets simultaneously, you’ll likely need at least 100-300 Mbps to ensure smooth performance across all devices. 

3. Consider Your Data Needs

If your holiday plans include extended stays or you’re expecting lots of online activity, be sure to check your internet provider’s data caps. Some internet plans come with a monthly data limit, and exceeding this can lead to extra fees or throttled speeds. 

  • Unlimited data plans are the best option for households with heavy internet use. With Intermax, there are no surprises on your bill, even if your family is downloading large games, streaming in 4K, or using video calls regularly throughout the holiday season. 

4. Upgrade to a Better Router

Your internet plan is only as good as your router. An outdated or low-capacity router can bottleneck your connection, even if you’re paying for higher speeds. If you plan on connecting several devices, it’s essential to have a router that can handle the load, and even better if your internet service provider can support your troubleshooting. 

  • Consider upgrading to a Calix router with included support service from Intermax for the ultimate home Wi-Fi experience. Learn more about this router and its features.  

Upgrading your router can prevent signal dropouts and ensure a strong, steady connection throughout your home. 

Two Little Sisters Playing and Fighting over Virtual Reality Simulator

5. Explore Family-Friendly Features

Many modern internet plans and routers come with family-friendly features that allow you to manage your network easily during the holidays: 

  • Parental controls: Monitor and limit online activity for kids, ensuring they don’t spend all night gaming or scrolling through social media. 
  • Guest networks: Set up a separate network for visiting family and friends, keeping your primary network secure while still allowing guests to connect their devices. 
  • App control: Many providers and routers offer apps that allow you to manage your network, monitor connected devices, and even pause Wi-Fi on certain devices (a great feature when it’s time for family meals or holiday activities). 

6. Plan for New Devices

The holidays are a time for gifting, and chances are someone in your household will unwrap a shiny new gadget. Whether it’s a new gaming console, smart TV, or smartphone, these devices will all need bandwidth. Preparing your internet now ensures there’s no post-holiday lag once everyone’s new devices are online. 

Be sure to factor in: 

  • Smart home additions: If you’re adding new smart home devices like speakers, lights, or security cameras, make sure your internet can handle the extra load. 
  • Device prioritization: Some routers allow you to prioritize certain devices or activities (such as streaming or gaming) to ensure they get the necessary bandwidth when demand is high. 
Two brothers using gaming devices on Christmas Eve.

7. Test Your Internet Connection Before the Holidays

Don’t wait until your house is full of guests to realize your internet can’t keep up. Run speed tests in different areas of your home to ensure your Wi-Fi signal is strong and stable everywhere. 

If you notice weak spots, consider adding Wi-Fi extenders or mesh systems (like the Calix router from Intermax) to improve coverage in larger homes. This will help keep the signal strong in guest rooms, common areas, or even outdoors for holiday barbecues or gatherings. 

8. Ensure Your Internet Connection is Secure and Take Control

Holidays bring new and exciting devices – and the Intermax Insights app can help you stay ahead of them. Customers with Intermax home equipment are entitled to the free Intermax Insights mobile app to manage their users, control security, and measure performance. 

We understand the importance of a reliable, fast internet connection, especially during the holiday season. Our high-speed internet plans are designed to handle multiple devices and heavy usage, ensuring that everyone in your household stays connected without interruptions. Whether you’re streaming holiday movies, video chatting with relatives, or unwrapping new gadgets, Intermax Networks has the perfect plan to meet your needs.

9. Choose the Right Residential Internet Bundle

Intermax Networks offers four lifestyle-based residential bundles, available on both Fiber and Fixed Wireless connections. These bundles are designed to match your household’s internet needs.

Simple & Secure

Ideal for: Individuals or small households who want safe, reliable internet without the fuss.

Includes:

Benefits:
Enjoy peace of mind with built-in security, easy device management, and a strong, stable connection for everyday browsing, streaming, and video calls.

Connected Home

Ideal for: Families or shared households with multiple users and devices online at the same time.

Includes:

Benefits:
Keep everyone connected with smooth streaming, gaming, and video conferencing. Prioritize devices and users to ensure high-quality performance across the home. 

Entertainment+

Ideal for: Competitive gamers, movie lovers, and binge-watchers who demand the best performance.

Includes:

Benefits:
Experience ultra-low latency, rapid downloads, and seamless streaming. Perfect for households that want the fastest, smoothest, and most reliable internet experience. 

Career & Class

Ideal for: Remote workers and students who rely on high-quality conferencing and collaboration.
Includes:

Benefits:
Stay productive with smooth HD video conferencing, reliable remote access, and the added convenience of a modern digital phone system. This bundle is perfect for work-from-home professionals and online learners. 

These bundles are built not only to be holiday-proof but also to be future-proof your internet experience, ensuring your home stays connected, secure, and ready for anything from family movie nights to working from home.

Find Connection with Intermax Networks   

Locally owned and operated since 2001, we’re proud to offer high-speed wireless internet, fiber, voice services, and more to thousands of residential and commercial customers.  Headquartered in Coeur d’Alene with offices in Spokane, Seattle, Sandpoint, and St. Maries, Intermax is the local’s choice for reliable service in hard-to-reach places.   

Our friendly support team is here to answer any questions you may have. Visit Intermax Networks, or call us at (208) 568-7979 today! 

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