Wi-Fi performance can actually be greatly affected by certain appliances in your home, and you might not even realise. The placement of your Wi-Fi router is extremely important when it comes to performance. When you have your Wi-Fi installed in your home, you might be told by the engineer to keep it away from thick walls or to keep it off the floor. However, they might not inform you of the appliances that are greatly affecting its performance.
According to tech experts, there are certain appliances in your home that you should not keep near to your Wi-Fi router. If you are having issues with your Wi-Fi’s reach or performance in your home, you might need to consider moving the router if you find it near one of these common home appliances. Sam Jenkinson, expert for Tiger Modular, said that you will likely have to keep your Wi-Fi router away from both big and small electronics.
The five appliances and electronics that you should avoid having near your Wi-Fi router are:
- Televisions: These can block Wi-Fi signals.
- Fridges: These can also block or even absorb the signal.
- Microwaves. These handy kitchen appliances operate on the same radio waves as Wi-Fi routers. If they are too close together, the router’s signals can be disturbed.
- Bluetooth speakers: Bluetooth gadgets also interfere with Wi-Fi, the same way microwaves do.
- Cordless phones: Although these aren’t as common in the UK as they once were, you should keep any cordless phones in your home away from your router for similar reasons as explained above.
Sam said: “When placing your Wi-Fi router, avoid positioning it near thick walls, metal surfaces, or large electronics like TVs and fridges, as these can absorb or block the signal.
“Similarly, devices like microwaves, cordless phones, baby monitors and Bluetooth gadgets can interfere with the connection because they operate on the same frequencies as many Wi-Fi signals.
“Interestingly, mirrors and fish tanks can also disrupt signal strength by reflecting and absorbing the signal. While it might be tempting to hide your router in a cupboard or behind furniture for aesthetic reasons, doing so can dramatically reduce performance.
“Instead, aim to place it centrally, elevated, and in the open. Think of Wi-Fi like light from a lamp: the more visible and unobstructed it is, the better it works throughout your space.”