Your WiFi signal strength is only as good as your router. But even if you have an expensive router with all the latest features, it won’t matter if you put it in the wrong place. Putting your router in a central location will blanket your house in a strong WiFi signal, while putting it behind thick walls can make it tough to get a good connection from a few feet away. To help you make the most of your wireless router, here are some guidelines to help you find the best place to put your router.
Place Your Router in a Central Location
If you place your router on the far side of your home, it will limit the reach of your WiFi signal. This is because most routers don’t have a very wide range, and there are lots of things that can interrupt your WiFi signal.
Since wireless broadband routers transmit a WiFi signal in all directions at once, placing your router in a central location gives you the best signal possible.
The best option would be to place your router in your line of sight with your computer and other devices. Your WiFi connection will be strongest when you can see your router, and it will be weaker when there are a lot of signal blockers and disruptors, such as thick walls.
Avoid Thick Walls and Other Physical Obstructions
A map of WiFi signal strength from a router placed in the corner of a room.
Since WiFi uses radio waves to transmit data, it can easily be disrupted by thick walls and floors. So, the more walls in between you and your router, the weaker your signal will be. Walls absorb wireless signals and reduce the quality of your broadcast. The best place to put the router is out in the open, without any physical obstructions.
Raise Your Router
Since radio waves tend to spread the signal downward, placing your router up high on the wall will give you the best signal. If you place your router on the floor, it will send your WiFi into the ground. This might be good if you want to strengthen your signal to the floor below, but it would be better if you placed your router in a high place, like on top of a bookshelf. You can even mount your router on the wall to get the best signal.
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