How to turn the kitchen table into your kid's remote learning classroom

For many students, school looks a little different this year. For parents, navigating this new remote learning world can feel overwhelming. Your kids are likely now commuting to the kitchen table instead of the classroom, which means new tasks or problem-solving may fall onto your plate, like getting their tech set up for online learning.

We know you want to set them up for homeschool success, and we're here to help. Asurion Experts help millions of people protect, connect and enjoy all their tech. From fixing cracked screens and replacing lost phones to resolving Wi-Fi issues and more, we make your tech life work for you.

From establishing a reliable internet connection to keeping your devices secure, our experts put together four tips to help make your kid's new "classroom" ready for online learning, interruption free.

Check Wi-Fi strength

First and foremost, your student's new classroom space will need a strong Wi-Fi signal. To understand which room in your house has the strongest signal, visit each room with your kid's laptop or tablet, while monitoring the number of bars on the device's Wi-Fi signal. Low bars = weak connection. You can also check your current internet performance by using Google's internet speed test.

Extend your Wi-Fi network​

If your signal isn't strong throughout your entire house, especially in the established classroom or office spaces, install either a Wi-Fi range extender device or a mesh network. Need help deciding which is right for your home? We've got you covered with the 4 things you need to know about wireless mesh networks.

Know your bandwidth​

Unless your entire internet network is dedicated to just one task, like e-learning video calls, a higher bandwidth may be needed to prevent interruptions. Figure out what tasks your family will be doing online throughout the school day—think parents on video conference calls, younger kids streaming educational TV shows, older kids streaming their virtual classroom activities, etc. Let's take a look at the bandwidth each may require:

• Video streaming can take from 5Mbps for HD to up to 25 Mbps for 4K video, and online gaming needs at least 3Mbps.
• So to support 2 students, a working parent, and another child streaming HD videos, you would likely need 10Mbps download speed and about 2 Mbps upload speed.
• If your current bandwidth can't support your family's combined online school and work demands throughout the day, you may need to increase your current plan with your internet provider.

Always keep your network secure

Avoid outsiders hacking your devices. Make sure you're always using unique passwords, as well as using two-factor authentication, and continue to perform updates on your devices as manufacturers makes these available.