The Best Location For A WiFi Router

Finding the best location for your wireless router to get the best performance can be tricky.

The Issues

Routers use radio frequency (2.4 gigahertz & 5 gigahertz), so they are susceptible to interference from a variety of things.

• Cordless phones
• Garage door openers
• Microwaves
• Fluorescent lights
• Other WiFi networks

Your home structure also plays a role.

If you have several walls between your device and your router, performance will be impacted.

And the more dense the walls are, the harder it will be for the wireless signal to reach you.

Other Factors

WiFi routers can have two bands (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz) that provide different speeds and coverage.

• 2.4 GHz has a longer range but at slower speeds
• 5 GHz has a shorter range but faster speeds

Placement

Single Story Home

Place your router in a central location of the devices that will be connecting to it.

Your router should be placed as high as possible in your room.

Keep your router away from electrical devices or appliances that generate RF noise. Also, try to keep away from electrical wiring.

Multi Story Home

If your home has multiple stories, you will want to put your router on the story that WiFi gets used the most.

If you aren’t getting a strong enough signal on the other levels, you should consider getting a mesh type of wireless system. This generally consists of two or more access points that would be placed on each floor.

Testing

Tool

You can use a WiFi Analyzer app on your mobile device to test your signal in each room that you will be using wireless. There are several to choose from.

I use WiFiman by Ubiquiti Inc.

Signal Strength

Go into each room where you will be using WiFi and write down the signal strength you get from the app. You will want to have a strength of -60 dBm or higher.

Excellent > -50 dBm

Good -50 dBm to -60 dBm

Fair -60 dBm to -70 dBm

Weak < -70 dBm

If you don’t get a good enough signal in all rooms, you can try moving your router and testing again in each room.

Summary

1. Place your router in a central location
2. Keep away from RF device that may cause interference
3. Test WiFi signal strengths

By doing these things, you are on your way to having better and more consistent wireless connections.