The Ideal Position for your Wi-Fi Router

Whether you’re moving for the first time this summer or you’re just making a few updates to your home, you should consider your Wi-Fi router in your updates. When moving furniture or redecorating, remember that the position of your wi-fi in your home matters.

Your Wi-Fi router is responsible for distributing your Internet signal wirelessly throughout your home, but several factors can affect the strength of the signal that connects your devices.  With just a few simple adjustments, you could improve your wireless network strength in no time.  

Find a central location

 It may seem obvious that you want to place your router close to the devices it will connect to the internet. What you might not know is that walls and cabinets can absorb your signal and weaken its strength. Signal absorption occurs most when the signal encounters concrete and brick walls. The materials in concrete make it particularly good at absorbing and weakening Wi-Fi signals. Fortunately, floors and ceilings allow for better signal transmission than walls, so you can get better signal strength on other floors.

Avoid reflective surfaces and metal

Though Internet Service providers often require the modem to be plugged into an exterior wall of your house, it’s best to make sure your Wi-Fi router isn’t too close to a window. Some Wi-Fi signals actually “bounce” off of reflective surfaces such as windows, mirrors, or metal file cabinets.

In general, you should avoid placing your Wi-Fi router next to metal objects or obstacles. Metal efficiently dissipates heat and signal energy, so metal obstacles can affect the strength of the overall network. Considering the amount of metal in major kitchen appliances such as ovens, refrigerators and dishwashers, therefore, it’s best not to place your router in the kitchen.

Keep away from the microwave

Another reason to keep your router out of the kitchen is microwave interference. Microwaves emit energy that can interfere with your Wi-Fi signal. If you’ve ever noticed your signal slowing down when you’re heating something, you’ve noticed this phenomenon. Other objects, like baby monitors or cordless telephones, can also affect your signal when close to the router.

Place the router off the ground

According to Cnet, the signal from your router spreads outward and downward. If your router is on the floor, therefore, you’ll lose a good part of your signal through the floorboards. Especially if your house has more than one floor, you can put your router up on a high shelf to optimize coverage for all levels.

Find a less crowded space

Wireless signals do not travel well through water. Because humans are mostly water, our bodies can serve as blockers for a Wi-Fi connection. When you’re having a party on the same floor as the router, therefore, you probably shouldn’t expect great coverage in other rooms. Placing your router on a high shelf can help keep your network strong everywhere in your house.

Position your device

If your wireless router has an antenna, you should position it for ideal service. To improve your connection in additional rooms on one floor, point the antenna straight upwards. To improve connection on multiple floors, point the antenna to the side. If you have two antennae, position so that one is pointing up and one is pointing to the side. In any case, always stand your router straight up. Laying it on its side could cause it to function poorly.

Every homeowner has considerations when moving, remodeling or even re-arranging furniture. One of those considerations should be where you position your Wi-Fi router. Typically, your router and modem should be close to each other. HughesNet and other Internet companies offer a built-in wi-fi router with your modem, so you have less equipment to keep track of. In the event that you need a stronger signal, HughesNet also offers a Wi-FI extender to help boost your signal.