There is one common living room item that can slow down your Wi-Fi speeds, according to experts. Slow Wi-Fi can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you are trying to stream or work from home. People’s first action when they encounter trouble with their Wi-Fi is often to contact their provider straight away. While this can sometimes be the solution, many households don’t realise the importance of proper router placements to improve Wi-Fi speeds and connectivity.
There are actually many things you should keep your router away from. Some of the obvious ones include Bluetooth devices and microwaves, as well as thick walls and corners. However, there is one living room item that you might not realise could affect your Wi-Fi greatly. Experts have urged households to keep their Wi-Fi routers away from mirrors, which are a common feature in many British living rooms.
Some social media users have posted about their poor Wi-Fi signal, blaming mirrors for their connectivity problems. “I’m at the in-laws’ house for the holidays, and their router doesn’t cover the house like it should, but it’s directly behind two different bathrooms with large mirrors,” said one person.
Broadband provider Plusnet have advised UK households to keep their routers away from mirrors, explaining that routers work off radio signals, so reflective surfaces such as mirrors can affect their stability.
Community Fibre shares similar advice, revealing that even tiny mirrors can reflect WiFi waves away from where you want them. Thick metal framing, which is often a feature of mirrors, can add to the problem.
Meanwhile, the experts at Entrepreneur claim that mirrors can reduce your router’s effectiveness by as much as 50%, meaning your Wi-Fi will only work half as well as it should. This means that if there is a bathroom between your desk and your Wi-Fi router, this can seriously affect your ability to work in your home.
According to Plusnet, there are a number of places you should never put your router. This includes on the floor, as the signals will find it harder to reach more parts of your home. Thick walls and furniture can also block signals, so you should keep your Wi-Fi router out of corners.
Additionally, keeping it out of the kitchen is best practice as things like microwaves and fridges can absorb and disturb your internet connection, resulting in slower speeds and even drop-offs in connection.
