It’s Christmas Day, and by now all the presents under the tree have been opened. According to the National Retail Federation, more than 30 percent of all gifts purchased this season were electronics.

Your latest electronic gift may be a smart device, which means it needs a network connection to operate or to take advantage of all its features. Also known as the Internet of Things (IoT) category, smart devices can be anything from appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners to home security systems, games and toys.

Nearly all IoT devices operate on a wireless connection (WiFi) as well as an application for your smartphone or tablet. To ensure you can take full advantage of your new electronic gift, you might want to consider upgrading your WiFi network and/or your internet speed.

A wireless router, the main element within your WiFi network, serves two primary functions: It connects multiple computers, phones, tablets and other devices to form a local area network (LAN); and when it is also connected to your internet service provider’s modem, the wireless router provides internet access to all compatible devices. A wireless gateway is a combination of a modem and router.

If multiple smart devices are in use in your location, you might want to upgrade to a router or gateway that is compliant with the latest WiFi standard, 802.11ac, or WiFi 5. When the previous version 802.11n, or WiFi 4, was introduced in 2009, it offered a considerable boost over its predecessor. WiFi standards will continue to change over time, so it’s something you will want to keep an eye on. Routers that are 802.11ac-compliant are backward-compatible, so older WiFi devices should work just fine.

In my May 15 Tech View column, I wrote about how changing consumer and business behavior has prompted the need for higher internet upload speeds. If available, consider upgrading your internet speed to further leverage your investment in your wireless network. In many cases you can obtain a significantly higher speed for $10 to $20 more per month, and the results will be well worth it, especially if there are multiple connected devices in your location.

It’s important to remember that your WiFi network’s performance is subject to the environment that it is operating in, which is why performance might fluctuate depending on the time of day and how many devices are operating simultaneously.

Enabling wireless security is a critical step that is often overlooked and quickly lost in the excitement about a new device. Wireless routers generally come with the encryption feature turned off. Don’t forget to turn it on and follow the instructions on how to set up this important privacy feature. Some connected devices have built-in security with default login information and passwords. Remember to change these settings or you will exponentially increase your chances of malicious hackers using the default information to take control of your device. What could be worse than criminals using your own security camera to see what’s inside your home or office when it’s unoccupied?

On behalf of all of us at Hawaiian Telcom, I would like to thank you for your support and wish you a very happy holiday season. We are proud of our 135 years of service to the residents and businesses of our island home. Mele Kalikimaka and Hauoli Makahiki Hou!

ON THE MOVE

Finance Factors has announced the following two promotions:

>> Katherine Linster has been promoted as an assistant vice president, lending compliance officer. Prior to joining Finance Factors in 2015, she served in the Insurance Division of the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

>> David Miyasato has been promoted as an assistant vice president and branch administrator. He joined Finance Factors in 2008 as an accountant and has held several positions, including financial analyst and senior financial analyst.

Jason Thune is director of network development at Hawaiian Telcom. Reach him at Jason.thune@hawaiiantel.com.