There’s nothing more frustrating than settling down in your favorite spot in your house only to find that the WiFi signal is spotty. It also happens to be a hassle to have to thread a LAN cable from that spot to your router, leaving you with little to no connectivity.
As it turns out, even if you already have the best internet provider, there’s actually a right way to place a router in your home to maximize the signal. A Physics PhD Student named Jason Cole figured out the best place to put a WiFi router, using a bit of math and knowledge on how to map electromagnetic waves.
Barring the entire math you might need to do for maximum reach, here are some things you can do to maximize your router’s reach.
Centralize it
Put your router at a central location of your home. More often than not, it’ll be placed closer to an outlet or where external wires can be plugged in. This may limit your connectivity in the sense that the signals don’t radiate in a wide enough area, creating dead zones at the furthest corners of your home.
A central location allows for better distribution of the signals throughout your home.
Keep it elevated
WiFi routers emit radio waves out and down from its source, not out and up, so the higher up your router is, the more signal distribution is provided. This is especially helpful if your home happens to have more than one floor.
Consider mounting it on a high wall, or placing it atop a high shelf.
No metal or water
Given that metal doesn’t conduct electromagnetic energy well, it’s probably best to keep it out of the way of metal. So that rules out the kitchen, or any areas that may have an inordinate amount of metal present.
Water is the same, inhibiting WiFi signals. It’s probably not a good idea to keep the router where people tend to crowd, given that humans are mostly water to begin with. That also means keeping it near your cooler will definitely inhibit signals from reaching your device.
Walls are the enemy
Most types of materials will either absorb or impede the radio waves that a WiFi router emits, given that these materials tend to absorb varying amounts of energy and radiation. Concrete is one such material, and absorbs these waves. You’ll want to keep your router unobstructed if you want a strong signal throughout your space.
Microwaves and WiFi
These are two things that do not mix. You might not even notice that your internet connectivity drops a little when you’re using the microwave. The radiation coming from it interferes with the radio signals from the WiFi, so you’ll want to keep it as far away from a microwave as possible.
Directional sense
Some routers have antennae that direct the radio waves for better and more straightforward distribution. Routers like these are best used in areas with multiple floors, in which you will want to position the antennae accordingly.
An even distribution of the WiFi signal ensures that everyone has access, and if you happen to have high-speed internet, this configuration should be rewarding.
Final thoughts
Aside from securing, maximizing your WiFi router range requires math if you’re inclined. You can also look online for Jason Cole’s app, which lets you determine the signal propagation in your home. A good signal at home means being able to do everything you feel the need to do online.
Author Bio:
Kyle Kam is from MoneyMax.ph, a financial comparison website aiming to help Filipinos save money through diligent comparisons of financial products. Follow him on twitter @undisputedkyle
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| IMAGE CREDIT: ISTOCK |
As it turns out, even if you already have the best internet provider, there’s actually a right way to place a router in your home to maximize the signal. A Physics PhD Student named Jason Cole figured out the best place to put a WiFi router, using a bit of math and knowledge on how to map electromagnetic waves.
Barring the entire math you might need to do for maximum reach, here are some things you can do to maximize your router’s reach.
Centralize it
Put your router at a central location of your home. More often than not, it’ll be placed closer to an outlet or where external wires can be plugged in. This may limit your connectivity in the sense that the signals don’t radiate in a wide enough area, creating dead zones at the furthest corners of your home.
A central location allows for better distribution of the signals throughout your home.
Keep it elevated
WiFi routers emit radio waves out and down from its source, not out and up, so the higher up your router is, the more signal distribution is provided. This is especially helpful if your home happens to have more than one floor.
Consider mounting it on a high wall, or placing it atop a high shelf.
No metal or water
Given that metal doesn’t conduct electromagnetic energy well, it’s probably best to keep it out of the way of metal. So that rules out the kitchen, or any areas that may have an inordinate amount of metal present.
Water is the same, inhibiting WiFi signals. It’s probably not a good idea to keep the router where people tend to crowd, given that humans are mostly water to begin with. That also means keeping it near your cooler will definitely inhibit signals from reaching your device.
Walls are the enemy
Most types of materials will either absorb or impede the radio waves that a WiFi router emits, given that these materials tend to absorb varying amounts of energy and radiation. Concrete is one such material, and absorbs these waves. You’ll want to keep your router unobstructed if you want a strong signal throughout your space.
Microwaves and WiFi
These are two things that do not mix. You might not even notice that your internet connectivity drops a little when you’re using the microwave. The radiation coming from it interferes with the radio signals from the WiFi, so you’ll want to keep it as far away from a microwave as possible.
Directional sense
Some routers have antennae that direct the radio waves for better and more straightforward distribution. Routers like these are best used in areas with multiple floors, in which you will want to position the antennae accordingly.
An even distribution of the WiFi signal ensures that everyone has access, and if you happen to have high-speed internet, this configuration should be rewarding.
Final thoughts
Aside from securing, maximizing your WiFi router range requires math if you’re inclined. You can also look online for Jason Cole’s app, which lets you determine the signal propagation in your home. A good signal at home means being able to do everything you feel the need to do online.
Author Bio:
Kyle Kam is from MoneyMax.ph, a financial comparison website aiming to help Filipinos save money through diligent comparisons of financial products. Follow him on twitter @undisputedkyle
