It's essential to have a stable internet connection at home, yet Wi-Fi may be really picky. Even if you have a professionally installed router and pay monthly fees to an internet service provider, you can still find yourself spending too much time watching your phone, laptop, or streaming device struggle to stay connected. If you work from home throughout the week, are trying to install smart home technology, or are just want to unwind with some Netflix after a long day, that is a major headache.
The good news is that there is a quick and simple solution to improve your Wi-Fi network and take care of these problems.
While there are a few tips or recommendations you can use to increase the overall wireless speeds and coverage in your home, one of the most important factors is the location of your router. There are many variables that affect internet speeds. Also take note that the location the technician chose may not always be the best one. Continue reading to discover further tips for quicker Wi-Fi as well as the ideal location for your router in your home. Check out our selections for the top mesh routers, Wi-Fi extenders, and Wi-Fi routers as well.
Priorities first Choosing the appropriate router or other pieces of equipment is the first step. The size and structure of your home will determine what kind of wireless network you require because not all routers are created equal.
A single wireless access point should be adequate for the majority of apartments and smaller houses (under 1,500 square feet). However, if your router is more than a few years old, you might want to think about switching to a more recent model that supports 802.11ax, or Wi-Fi 6. The most recent Wi-Fi technology will provide you with the quickest available wireless speeds as well as the best overall coverage.
Consider upgrading to a mesh network for larger, multi-level residences to provide continuous coverage all through the building. If you discover that a remote section of your home lacks reliable wireless coverage after installing the primary access point, just add another node there. Issue is resolved.
The modem is typically installed along the wall in one of the outermost corners of the house when you initially move into a new house or apartment. It's only that the technician's job is to set up the connection, not to optimise your network, and that's where the line enters the house. That obligation is on you.
It's tempting to simply leave everything in the same location that the technician did. However, it's unlikely that this is the best place for your router to be.
Pick a prominent location
If your router is placed in a corner of your house, a sizable portion of your wireless coverage will be transmitted outside. Routers send the signal out in all directions. To improve the signal, moving the router to a central location is your best option.
It could be challenging to install a router across the home from the modem. It might be necessary to run a particularly long CAT5 or CAT6 Ethernet cable manually beneath the floor or along the bottom of your walls, or to use power line network adapters, which use the electrical wiring in your home to transmit internet signals from one location to another. But it will be worthwhile due to the expanded wireless coverage.
In order to enhance coverage, it is advisable to install the router as high as possible because routers have a tendency to disseminate their strongest signals downward. Try putting it high on a bookcase or mounting it inconspicuously on the wall.
You can find several specialised wall mounts for particular routers online if you search for them, such as this stick-up mount for the Eero Pro 6 mesh router. Something along those lines would be a wonderful answer if you're having trouble finding a decent, elevated spot.
Don't use any other electronics
Pick a spot that's far from other electronics and heavy objects made of metal. There is a greater possibility that something will interfere with the signal the closer your router is to walls, heavy objects, and electronics.
The microwave is one form of electrical gadget that should be avoided in particular since it transmits a powerful signal in the 2.4GHz band, the same wireless band that your router uses. Additionally, you should be careful not to place your router behind a big TV because this can interfere with the signal both physically and electronically.
Watch out for heavy furniture that can be limiting the signal's range in addition to electronics. If you have an aquarium in your home, try to avoid placing it between your router and the device that needs to connect because Wi-Fi doesn't work well over water, for example.
Some routers have zero antennas, while others have as many as eight. The signal is guided by these antennas. Don't place all of your router's antennae facing the same way if it has two or more.
Instead, place one horizontally and the other vertically so that they are perpendicular to one another. Alter the placement of each antenna slightly to accommodate a variety of angles. To discover the best arrangement, you might need to explore a little.
A vertical antenna will be more effective in single-story homes since it will emit a signal that travels upward and is perpendicular to the antenna itself, whereas a horizontal or angled antenna will emit a signal that travels in all directions, which may be more useful in a multi-story home.
You can view the strength of your network with the aid of Wi-Fi mapping tools like NetSpot, making it simpler to fix the weak points.
In the worst-case scenario, mapping out your home's signal can be helpful to identify any potential coverage gaps or trouble spots. In order to map out the signal strength throughout the CNET Smart Home several years ago, we used NetSpot software. As a result, we were able to see where our Wi-Fi network was weakest, which allowed us to strengthen it by moving our hardware to better spots.
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