Placement of Your Router to Optimize Wi-Fi

We have all played hide-n-seek with our Wi-Fi signals and seen that spinning wheel of fortune which decides how soon that YouTube video will take to buffer. The Wi-Fi signal strength depends on a variety of factors such as the design of your home, its construction, your router, your ISP…and a host of other things.

Irrespective of anything else, the placement of your router really matters when it comes to your Wi-Fi router range. One important point to remember is that the signal is not broadcast from the antenna in a straight line, rather along all directions much like the radius of a circle.

Here are some tips for the ideal placement of your wireless router so you the best signal strength possible.

Stick to the center

Pinpoint the absolute heart of your home and this is where your router should reside. The placement of your Wi-Fi router has no bearing on where your computer or modem are. In fact, getting a length of Ethernet Cat 5 cable may be totally worth it in order to place your router at the central spot of your home.

If you are in a penthouse or multistoried home, consider router placement on a wall or the ceiling as the radio waves emanating from it will travel downwards.

Circumvent anything impassable

While radio waves can pass through a brick wall, it is always better to consider that you place your Wi-Fi router in a spot that does not need the signal to travel through too many walls. A thick brick or concrete wall is going to eat away at signal strength. Same goes for that big fish tank you might have, as water will absorb a good part of the signal.

Also on the no-no list are metal and mirrors, because both these materials reflect radio waves. So avoid placing your router behind your bathroom or metal counter.

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