In today’s environment, our internet networks are handling more devices and tasks than ever. UIW campuses offer secure networks for employees and students, and even open networks for guests. If you're experiencing internet connectivity issues at home, however, follow the tips and resources below to optimize your network and ensure a smoother online experience. Tips for Improving Internet Connectivity If you're experiencing issues with on-campus internet connections, contact the UIW Help Desk for assistance. If you're experiencing issues with the internet at home or off-campus, consult the resources below. Check Wi-Fi Router Placement Ensure your wireless router is in an open, central location in your home, free from obstructions like cabinets or walls. The farther you are from the router, the more likely you are to experience signal disruptions. Switch to 5GHz Wi-Fi Whenever possible, connect to the 5GHz Wi-Fi band instead of 2.4GHz. The 5GHz network offers faster speeds and reduced interference, though it has a shorter range. Most modern routers support both; check your router’s settings or manual for details. Usually, guest networks, or secondary networks, are 2.4GHz. Upgrade Your Router If your router is older, consider upgrading. Newer models offer better range, faster speeds, and improved security features. This can significantly boost performance and connectivity throughout your home. Use a Wired Connection When possible, opt for a wired Ethernet connection rather than relying on Wi-Fi. Wired connections eliminate interference and provide a more stable and faster internet experience. Limit Bandwidth-Heavy Activities Bandwidth is often confused with internet speed, but it actually refers to the amount of data that can be transmitted over your connection in a given time. Streaming services (Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Max) and gaming consoles can use up a lot of bandwidth. Ensure these services are not consuming excessive bandwidth during work hours, especially if they are running in the background. Additional Resources How to troubleshoot your home's Wi-Fi How to boost your home's Wi-Fi How to work from home when your internet goes out FAQ Why is my internet slow even though I'm close to the router? Slow speeds can result from network congestion, outdated router hardware, or interference from other devices. Restart your router, check for bandwidth-heavy activities, and consider upgrading your router if it's old. How can I reduce interference on my Wi-Fi network? Use the 5GHz Wi-Fi band if available, as it experiences less interference than the 2.4GHz band. Also, make sure your router is away from devices like microwaves or cordless phones that can disrupt signals. What should I do if my internet keeps dropping? First, try rebooting your router. If the issue persists, ensure your router is in a good location and that you're connected to the correct Wi-Fi band (5GHz vs. 2.4GHz). If problems continue, contact your internet service provider. Can streaming and gaming slow down my work connection? Yes, streaming services and online games consume large amounts of bandwidth. Make sure these activities are paused or minimized when you need reliable internet for work. How do I switch to a wired connection? Connect your computer directly to your router using an Ethernet cable. This provides a more stable and faster connection, especially for work-from-home tasks. I've done everything and nothing is working. Contact your internet service provider to troubleshoot further, as sometimes internet issues are beyond the control of what you can do.

Choosing the right internet browser is essential for a smooth experience with educational tools like Canvas and the workspace. At first glance, a browser just seems like a tool to get you online, right? True—until it’s not. Each browser has its strengths, but some can cause compatibility issues with important Ed Tech tools in higher education, or important websites essential for work. Below is an overview of the most commonly used browsers and their performance and offered features in an educational context. Recommended Browsers Google Chrome Pros: Excellent compatibility with nearly all educational platforms, including Canvas, Microsoft products, and other university tools. Regular updates to ensure performance and security. Extensive support for browser extensions. Built-in PDF reader with annotation tools, helpful for grading and reviewing documents Cons: It can be resource-intensive on older devices, consuming more memory (RAM) than other browsers. Google Chrome is installed on all university-deployed devices. If you need to download Chrome for a personal device, use the resources below: Download Google Chrome Chrome Browser Training and Help Microsoft Edge Pros: Built on the same engine as Chrome, it has excellent compatibility with nearly all educational tools. Great integration with Microsoft 365 tools (Word, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive). Bookmarks and website data sync with your UIW account, ideal for those who frequently sign in on multiple devices. Lower memory usage compared to Chrome, leads to smoother performance on less powerful devices. Built-in tools like the PDF reader and Collections feature are useful for organizing resources and grading assignments. Cons: Fewer browser extensions compared to Chrome. Microsoft Edge is installed on all university-deployed devices. If you need to download Edge for a personal device, use the resources below: Download Microsoft Edge Edge Help and Learning Browsers to Use with Caution The browsers listed below are known for being privacy-focused, making them great for personal use as they prioritize data protection. However, they block cross-site tracking by default, which can interfere with many educational tools and embedded content in Canvas. If you're using these browsers for educational purposes, consider disabling cross-site tracking or switching to another browser to ensure everything works smoothly. Mozilla Firefox Pros: Strong privacy features, protecting user data and reducing tracking during online teaching sessions. Highly customizable interface and settings, useful for advanced users who need specific configurations and profiles. Integrations with a handful of useful productivity tools like Pocket. Cons: Compatibility issues with some interactive tools and content used in education, such as video conferencing and Canvas features. Higher learning curve to understand why some websites break or fail to work as expected. Needs to be downloaded separately and doesn't come installed on devices. Firefox can be found on some university-issued devices. If you would like to install Firefox on a personal device, use the resources below. Download Mozilla Firefox Learn the basics of Firefox Safari (Apple Devices Only) Pros: It is optimized for Apple devices, providing fast and energy-efficient performance, which is useful for extended usage sessions. Seamless integration with features and services within Apple’s ecosystem makes it ideal for users invested in Apple devices and services like macOS, iPhone, iPad, and iCloud. Cons: Limited support for some web apps and extensions used in education, leading to issues with tools like Canvas or Microsoft Teams. It has a limited extension library that runs through the Apple App Store, making it harder to integrate add-ons. Only available on Apple devices. Safari is installed on every Apple device, as a part of macOS. Use the resources below to get familiar with the browser. Get to know Safari Alternative Browsers The following options are popular, less-known browsing options. Please note, that the UIW Help Desk may or may not be able to troubleshoot the following options directly. Arc Browser Pros: Innovative interface with a sidebar for organizing tabs and workspaces into folders and spaces. AI features and ChatGPT integration are built into the browser, working around you to enhance productivity. Built on Google Chrome, it supports the entire Chrome library of extensions and is as compatible with Ed Tech as Chrome. Great for multitasking with split-screen views and fast tab switching. Auto-archives tabs to clean your workspace for a fresh start each day. Cons: Arc introduces new concepts and jargon for existing browser elements, leading to a steeper learning curve. Most features are macOS-only, with the Windows version being slower and less feature-rich. Weekly browser updates can be frustrating. It's not always as fast as stock browsers like Safari, Edge, and Chrome. Arc must be downloaded from the internet and installed, as it's not natively installed on Windows or macOS devices. Use the resources below to get started. Download the Arc Browser Resource Center - Dive into Arc with starter videos, articles, and tutorials. Arc Max - Browser with AI Brave Browser Pros: Built-in ad-blocker reduces distractions during browsing sessions and speeds up page loading times. Privacy-focused features that block trackers and improve online security, making it great for privacy protection. Cons: Limited compatibility with some educational tools due to its strict privacy settings, similar to Firefox and Safari. Smaller extension library. Not installed on devices, must be downloaded separately. Brave is a browser that must be installed on any device, as it doesn't come standard for Windows or macOS devices. Use the resources below to Download the Brave Browser Learn how to use the Brave Browser FAQ Which browser should I use? For the best experience with educational platforms at UIW, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are the most reliable choices. They offer broad compatibility with essential Ed Tech tools like Canvas and have fewer issues with media and interactive content. While Firefox, Safari, and Brave provide strong privacy features, they are more likely to break key functionalities in online courses and learning management systems. These are great for personal browsing use, but for these reasons, they should be used with caution when teaching and learning or as secondary browsers. Are these options on an iPad or mobile device? Yes, many of these options are also available on mobile devices. For reasons beyond the scope of this article, most browsers on Apple devices have the same issues and quirks, just with a fresh coat of paint. While Windows or macOS devices are recommended to get the most out of a learning experience at UIW, if you must use a mobile device to learn, we recommend you use the Canvas Student mobile app.

By default, these two popular browsers have a setting called "cross-site tracking" disabled. To learn more about this setting, learn more about cross-site tracking. Essentially, this setting is great for personal browsing and protects aspects of your web browsing behaviors so websites cannot see where you've been on the web. However, this can sometimes break or change how websites work or load information so it may be necessary to turn the configuration off if you experience unexpected behavior. Educational tools like Canvas don't play well with these browsers, for that reason. If you insist on using these browsers for education, learn how to enable cross-site tracking, below. Enable Cross-site Tracking in Safari Step 1: Open Safari With the Safari browser open, select Safari from the toolbar at the top of the screen, then select Settings. Step 2: Disable Cross-site Tracking Within the settings menu, select the Privacy tab. Then, uncheck the "Website tracking" option. Enable Cross-site Tracking in Firefox Firefox requires you to turn on cross-site tracking for each website you'd like to mitigate problems for. We recommend you do this for Canvas, to ensure as little problems as possible with schoolwork. Step 1: Open a website in Firefox In Firefox, visit the website for which you'd like to enable cross-site tracking for. Step 2: Open the privacy menu On all websites in Firefox, there's a shield icon in the search bar. This is the privacy menu for that website. Open the shield icon. Step 3: Turn off Enhanced Tracking Protection Turn the "Enhanced Tracking Protection" switch off. The page will automatically reload and cookies and external data will now be allowed for that website.

As you use your internet browser day after day, it stores and builds up mountains of traffic data it thinks is convenient for you. This cache of information can help pages load faster and keep you logged into your favorite sites. However, over time, this stored data can also become cluttered or outdated, leading to a variety of browser issues.  From website functions not working properly to pages or embeds failing to load, or even strange formatting problems—these odd behaviors can often be traced back to your browser's cache and history. Clearing these stored items can refresh your browser, helping it run more smoothly and efficiently. In this guide, we will guide you through the process of clearing your browsing history and cache on different browsers. Locate the browser you are using and follow the provided steps. Google Chrome Chrome is widely recommended for educational use due to its simplicity and compatibility with sites like Canvas. Computer Open Chrome and select Morein the upper right corner. Select History > History. On the left, select Delete browsing data. Change the Time range to "All time". Select Delete data. Mobile Clear cache & cookies in Chrome for Android. Clear cache & cookies in Chrome for iOS. Microsoft Edge Microsoft Edge, known as "Edge", is widely recommended for educational use due to its simplicity and compatibility with sites like Canvas. Computer Open Edge and select More ⋯ in the upper right corner. Select Settings. Select Privacy, search, and services. Navigate to Clear browsing data and select Choose What to Clear. Change the Time range to "All Time". Select Clear Now. Firefox Computer Open Firefox and select the Menu icon  in the top right Select History. Select Clear recent history... Next to Time range to clear, choose Everything from the drop-down menu. Select Clear Now. Mobile Clear your browsing history in Firefox for Android. Clear browsing history in Firefox for iOS. Safari Safari is only available on macOS devices and can't be found on Windows machines. It is installed and the default browser on all macOS and iOS devices. Computer Open Safari and select History from the toolbar at the top. Choose Clear History... Next to Clear, choose All History from the drop-down menu. Select Clear History. Mobile Clear the history, cache, and cookies from Safari on iOS. Brave Browser Computer Open Brave and select the Menu icon in the top right. Choose Delete Browsing Data... Next to Time range, choose "All time" from the drop-down menu. Select Delete data. Mobile Clear cookies and site data in Brave on Android. Arc Browser Computer Open Arc and select Archive from the toolbar at the top. Choose View History. Select Delete browsing data. Change the Time range to "All time". Select Delete data. FAQ What happens when I clear my browsing cache and history? Generally, a few things occur when you clear your browsing cache and history: Your browser will need to re-download fresh versions of websites Clearing the cache removes temporary files, so websites are downloaded anew the next time you visit. Clearing the cache can solve website issues Clears temporary copies of website files, allowing a "clean slate" for websites to load without problems. You recover a bit of computer space Cache files occupy space on your device; clearing them can free up some disk space. What is a "cache"? A cache in web browsers is a collection of temporary files stored on your device to help websites load faster by reusing previously downloaded data. To learn more about caches and how web browsers work, explore "What is a cache" for an overview.