New Zealand internet provider Orcon hopes to banish the boring modem – at least for a limited time – by commissioning five New Zealand artists to turn the modem into a work of art.
New Zealand internet provider Orcon hopes to banish the boring modem – at least for a limited time – by commissioning five New Zealand artists to turn the modem into a work of art. This week you can also get your hands on an original artwork by bidding in a charity auction with proceeds going to Forest & Bird.
Kiwi artists Otis Frizzell, Flox, Anna Leyland, Askew One and Andrew J. Steel have all crafted unique modem designs for the Orcon Designer Series. Each modem, as fitting for a work of art, is a limited edition, with only 500 of each kind available.
It’s suspected that this Orcon Designer Series might help to help solve a real problem for home broadband users, says General Manager of Orcon, Taryn Hamilton.
“Every week our customers call us with a common problem – they’re experiencing internet connectivity issues due to where they have placed their modem. Modems are often thrown in the cupboard, tucked under the couch or hidden somewhere far out of sight, when actually, they should be in a prominent spot for best coverage throughout the house, and where provides the strongest signal for devices like smart TVs that need the most bandwidth,” she says.
“We wanted to shake up the look of these seemingly boring units and what better way than collaborating with a bunch of super-talented Kiwis creatives,” she says.
See the modem designs at www.orcon.net.nz, or check out the creations being made here: www.youtube.com/OrconChannel
Orcon’s top tips for modem placement:
- Wi-Fi is essentially a radio signal – it can travel through walls, but it will weaken the further it travels. For best coverage throughout the home, pick a central location
- With smart TVs and video streaming services on the rise, it’s likely that your TV will become the largest consumer of internet in the house. Somewhere near the TV is a prime spot
- A key disruptor of smooth-sailing internet is interfering devices – avoid having the modem near the washing machine, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, older cordless phones and the microwave – any household equipment that contains a large magnetic coil should be avoided
- If you live in a built up area or an apartment complex, interference from your neighbours’ networks is also trouble. Where possible, try to avoid installing the router next to shared walls.
