Choosing the Best Location for Your Router

October 16, 2020

To get the best performance from your WiFi network, one of the most important things to do is pick the optimal location in your home for your router. This is because the wrong location can sometimes cause the internet connection to fail or drop intermittently.

Follow these guidelines to help you find the right spot:

• Install your router in a central location. Routers send the signal out in all directions, so if it’s left in the corner of your home, a significant percentage of your wireless coverage is being sent outside. It’s best to move the router to a central location to optimize the signal.
• Avoid physical obstructions. Plaster or brick walls tend to have the most negative impact, but any obstruction, including cabinets and furniture, weaken the signal to some degree.
• Go high. Routers tend to spread signal downward, so it’s best to mount the router as high as possible to maximize coverage. Try placing it on an upper shelf or mounting it on the wall in an inconspicuous place.
• Avoid reflective surfaces. Some WiFi signals bounce off windows, mirrors, metal file cabinets, and stainless steel countertops, lessening both network range and performance.
• Avoid installing the router near appliances that send wireless signals. Keep the router at least three feet away from any appliance that sends wireless signals in the same 2.4 GHz frequency range. These include microwave ovens, cordless telephones, baby monitors, and home automation equipment. Appliances that transmit in this frequency range are most likely to generate WiFi interference.
• Don’t settle prematurely on a location. Try placing your router in several different promising locations and note the internet performance in each. While this trial-and-error method may not be the most scientific way to find a good spot, it can end up being an effective one.

Article courtesy of the Cornerstone Group.