Is the WiFi router at your home not providing enough signal on your device, leading to poor internet performance? It’s possible that it’s happening because of the wrong placement of the router as its position determines how the network delivers for all devices around your location. WiFi signals have to pass through the air and several obstacles to reach your device and if the router is not in its apt location, the network could feel sluggish while also giving you dead zones at the place you need the most. Here are the tips about where you should put your WiFi router and where not to.
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Where to put a WiFi router?
Slow WiFi can cause massive frustration. Whether to watch some videos on YouTube or find some info on Google, if the Internet goes on loading, that’s a headache we want to address. It’s sometimes possible that slow WiFi is due to the high number of users and low bandwidth purchase. But a subdued performance can also be attributable to where the router is put. Its placement has a huge say in its performance delivery. Here, you can find out how to check the internet speed.
Why does router placement matter?
Suppose you want a WiFi router for a larger area for your home/office, but do you know that a router be it 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz has a distance limitation for coverage. As some may say a particular router can cover your whole home but that does not seem to work all the time for all conditions. Suppose there are physical obstacles in between such as walls, glass, floors, etc., the WiFi network strength will be greatly obscured, degrading your internet performance.
That is why, you must consider the perfect area to place your router. This ensures the best WiFi network strength as well as consistency in internet speed. But where is that sweet spot? Let’s dive in to learn about the best places to put the WiFi router and places to avoid.
The best place to put the WiFi router
Here are some points regarding where you should place your Wifi router or avoid any wrong position.
Always Prefer a Central Location
As a rule of thumb, the default best place to place a WiFi router is the central location. Whether at home, office, or in an open area, setting the device right in the middle will beam its signals evenly across the area. You have certainly noticed that the farther you go away from a router, the weaker the signal gets. That also decreased the download and upload capacity. That’s because the antennas inside the router device are designed to have a range for its network.
So, instead of putting the router in a corner or at a place that’s quite far from other users, better to keep it at a place that transmits the signal uniformly. Strategically, that’s the best you can do to ensure maximum signal coverage and capacity of your router to your devices.
Do read: How to choose the best internet router?
Not on the floor
WiFi routers emit radio signals and won’t need physical carrier. Instead, any physical objects subdue the signals. The grounds too. So, it’s best to keep your WiFi router off the ground. Most of us already set our routers on the table, desk, by the TV cabinet. But if you are one of those who are keeping the device right on the floor, that might compromise the broadband quality. You may simply suspend the router by a rope. Avoiding physical barriers is the best tip you get to maximize the output of your WiFi router.
Keep away interference
A WiFi router works on bands. Most home WiFi routers work on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. While the latter is preferably the better choice, many are still stuck on traditional single-band routers. The worst part of it is that many other household electronic appliances also run on the same 2.4 GHz causing immense electronic interference. Most households and offices now have multiple routers in the similar bands, making the scenario further worse. If you are not getting the promised bandwidth speed, this could be one predominant reason.
Here’s a post to read Why you should choose a dual-band router to know why opting for such a router is the best idea. It’s a great thing that most ISPs in Nepal are now bundling their fiber internet packages with a dual-band router.
From the reasoning above, you might have inferred where we were headed to. If not, here’s the thing. Don’t put your router in an area, closer to microwaves, cordless phones, Bluetooth, music systems, etc. Since most of these devices create interference with your router, your router will struggle to deliver an optimum performance. What we mean here is that it’s the best practice to keep your router out of the kitchen or near to these electronic devices or near to other routers.
Not by the aquarium
Did you know that the water body significantly reduces the radio signal coverage? You heard it right. Water, in fact, any reflective surfaces diminish wireless signals. Water can observe electric signals when they pass through the water. For similar reasons, metal works are also best kept away from the router. We are establishing that the aquarium that’s around your WiFi router may be eating into the signals without you even realizing it. Metalwork, glasswork water bodies, etc. which can be present at any house anytime work antagonistic to WiFi signals so you should be mindful about keeping your router away from them.
Related: How to use free WiFi hotspots safely? Tips that might save you
No mirrors
Mirrors just like water can bounce away the radio waves coming from the router so they can’t pass a larger area. So avoid placing your router around or near mirrors.
Remove any physical objects near your router
As we said earlier, physical objects or structures deter WiFi signals, so you are advised to remove any such physical bodies in front of your router. By this, we mean furniture, TV, or decorative items that may be circumventing your router. Or you can simply place the router on top of them to ensure signals face no difficulty in passing around. And don’t ever put your Wifi router in any closed cabinets, that’s a big No!!!
Poor WiFi performance can be attributable to various factors and not just placement. However, if it’s due to the placement, the above tips will help you in addressing the situation. Sometimes you can even experiment with the router in different positions and check if you get optimum signal for your area. In the meantime, you can set up a secondary router, a repeater, or a mesh system to bolster your WiFi speed at home or office.
Similarly, here are the top 8 ways to improve your Wifi internet speed at your home.
In the comment section below, do share with us where do you place your WiFi router, and if it delivers the speed you have subscribed.
