Almost every aspect of modern life is influenced by our connection to the internet. On the rare occasions when my internet provider goes down, life seems to come to a standstill. Everything from signing up for a VPN for work to streaming Spotify is suddenly out of the question. Even many smart home devices are rendered ineffective. This shows how dependent we have become on the invisible feed that keeps us all connected.
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A total failure feels completely unacceptable. But a spotty connection marred by lag and buffering can be even more frustrating for me. If you're sure your signal is strong but you're still having problems, the problem may be with your router's location.
1. Location matters, but reach matters
It is always true that location is crucial. However, the effectiveness of your router is also affected by the size of your home and the range of the router's signals.
A single Wi-Fi access point should be sufficient for most apartments and smaller homes (1,500 square feet or less). Larger, multi-story homes present a different challenge that is best addressed by upgrading to a mesh network. Mesh networks consist of a main access point and additional nodes that can be placed throughout the room to ensure consistent coverage.
Long range routers and WiFi extenders are also options for maximizing router efficiency. But no matter how many digital channels you have, the placement of your primary access point is critical to overall performance.
2. A central location is best, ideally on a shelf
Common sense recommends placing your router in a central area of your home to achieve the most even distribution of WiFi coverage. However, sometimes it's not that easy. Your provider's technician probably originally installed the router near where the signal enters your building. If you have the ability to run an Ethernet cable from your modem to a more central room, your router could significantly improve coverage throughout your living space.
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What is less well known is that the range of your router increases if you raise it higher. Placing high above the ground minimizes signal interference to everything from furniture to people. If a tall bookcase is not available and wall mounting or installing a shelf for your router is impractical, consider placing it on a tall dresser or cabinet.
A central location not only ensures consistent speeds, but also increases network security because your neighbors' routers are less likely to exploit the signal.
3. Other electronic devices may cause signal interference
My own Spectrum router was originally installed behind my 48″ TV. This was great for my TV, but gave me problems for setting up my home office, which was only 17 feet away. By moving it from the back of the screen to a small table next to it, my computer and Google Hub devices now provide a stronger, more consistent signal.
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Of all typical household appliances, a microwave oven poses the greatest risk of electronic interference to your router. This is because the radiation emitted from a microwave emits a signal that is very close to a router's operating band (approximately 2.4 GHz). While I don't expect many people to put a router in their kitchen, the proximity of a microwave can sometimes be unavoidable in big city apartments and houses with limited space.
If possible, avoid areas where your router could be affected by devices that rely on Wi-Fi, even if that means removing it from your home office printer.
Watch your antennas – if you have them
All WiFi routers have antennas, whether they are elegantly integrated into the device or stick out like rabbit ears from an old television. However, articulated antennas do not indicate old age and can actually help ensure more even coverage.
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Whether your router has two or eight antennas, you can adjust them to optimize distribution. Antennas send signals in all directions, propagating in a donut-shaped wave perpendicular to the antenna itself. This means that for a smaller or single-story home, it may be more beneficial to point them skyward, as the signal will radiate outward from its vertical position. The same goes for a horizontally positioned antenna, which may allow better access to upper or lower areas.
The takeaway is to experiment with the orientation of your antenna while taking these physical limitations into account.