Slow Wi-Fi? Place your mesh router in these places to boost speed

There can be many reasons why your Wi-Fi network is slow – an old router, annoying service from your internet provider, or outdated firmware could be the culprits – but one of the most common reasons is where you choose to place your device. Your guidance.

Wi-Fi routers aren’t always the prettiest gadgets to look at, so most of us put our devices away somewhere that won’t attract a lot of attention. But if your mesh system is struggling in certain rooms and you want to boost its speed, it’s worth doing an audit of your router’s placement — even with a mesh system.

I was We’ve been testing and reviewing routers for yearsand few things have as big an impact on Wi-Fi speeds as the location of your router. While A Traditional Wi-Fi router It sends a signal from one point in your home, a Grid system It uses multiple devices to emit signals from different points. This makes it more like a team of routers working together to return your traffic to the modem.

It’s a much better approach to home networks, especially in large, multi-storey homes, where a traditional single-point router will likely leave you with dead zones in the furthest rooms.

Where should you place your mesh router?

You’ll need to think about where you place your router and satellite extenders, which are also sometimes called nodes (or “spots” if you… Nest WiFi user), as their specific location will greatly impact system performance. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind as you navigate. (You can also check out our tips on the best location for your Wi-Fi router and… How to protect your home Wi-Fi network from hackers.)

Move the main router

First things first, you’ll want the main router in your setup — the networking device connected to your modem — to be located as centrally in your home as possible. this The same approach you would with a single routerThe reason is the same: Routers emit Wi-Fi signals in all directions, so placing your router in a central location within your home will get the most out of your connection.

This applies to mesh systems, where the connection strength near extenders depends largely on the strength of the signal received from the main router. The stronger connection between the two will help ensure you get the fastest Wi-Fi speeds possible throughout your entire home.

Your options for moving the router may seem limited by its location Your modemAnd the incoming wires to connect to the Internet in your home. Too long Ethernet cable It can come in handy here, giving you the freedom to move the router away from where your modem is located, if necessary. If that’s not practical, you’ll need to at least move that main router to an open location, preferably as high off the ground as possible.

Move those expanders

Once you’ve placed your main router in the best possible location, you’ll need to choose good locations for the extenders. In most systems, you can connect each device to the main router using an Ethernet cable to get the fastest speeds possible, but most users prefer to connect everything wirelessly. In this case, you’ll need to be more strategic about where you place extenders throughout your home.

Again, getting outdoors and off the ground is your best bet for a clear signal, but you’ll also need to consider the layout of your home, as physical obstructions between the main router and extenders can slow things down.

A good rule of thumb, in general, is to try to keep devices in your network setup no more than two rooms apart from each other. This will vary from home to home, especially if your home is built with dense materials like brick or concrete in the walls that may be difficult for Wi-Fi signals to penetrate. You’ll also need to watch out for electronic interference from TVs and other large devices, so if you’re placing a network extender in the kitchen, resist the urge to hide it away above the refrigerator and move it away from your devices completely.

Furniture can block Wi-Fi signals too, so if you have anything large or bulky between two mesh devices, consider moving them. Aquariums are another classic adversary to your network setup, as Wi-Fi has difficulty transmitting through water.

The best way to make sure your mesh network is as well connected as possible is to open its app and check the signal strength for each device, which most systems provide. You can also find system-specific instructions online at the links below:

Avoid these dead zones

If you have a back corner of your house where the signal drops, it may be tempting to stick a mesh extender in the middle of that dead zone to boost your speed. In many cases, that would be a mistake.

Remember, just like your phone or laptop, your network extenders need to connect wirelessly to the main router in your setup. And if that back corner is a dead zone for your phone or laptop, it’s probably a dead zone for your network extender, too.

The better approach is to place this expander nearby To the dead zone in a place where it will be easier to connect to the main router. In some cases, this may be halfway between the dead zone and the main router, but you may need to experiment a bit. Tap the sweet spot, and the Wi-Fi signal it emits should be healthy, and it will extend into the dead zone to bring it back to life.

Run a speed test

Aside from the diagnostic tools in your mesh router app, the quickest way to check your system’s performance is to run some speed tests. there Lots of free online services we recommendand any of them will tell you the upload and download speeds on whatever device you’re using in a minute or less.

To get the best information, use your laptop or phone and run multiple speed tests in every room in your house where you need a usable Wi-Fi signal. Ultimately, you should have a good idea of ​​where speeds are most consistent and where they drop off. From there, you can try moving your expanders to try to even things out, or you can consider purchasing an additional expander to fill in any gaps. Either way, your home should be equipped with a strong signal wherever you need it.

Other considerations for your mesh router

Just remember that your mesh router can only deliver speeds equivalent to what you pay for from your router Internet service provider. If speeds are widely insufficient in your home, it may be time to consider it Upgrade to a faster plan (It may be worth seeing if your ISP will let you try a faster plan for a few days to see if this is really the problem.) Your ISP may also be able to provide you with this Updated modem This will provide better and faster speeds for your mesh system initially. It can’t hurt to ask.

If speeds still seem slower than you’d like, and your ISP isn’t the answer, there are a few other things you can try. For starters, if your service provider’s modem is a gateway device that also acts as a router, you’ll need to disable its Wi-Fi so it doesn’t cause interference with your mesh system’s Wi-Fi.

Speaking of interference, it’s possible for a neighbor’s Wi-Fi network to interfere with yours. To remedy this, go into your mesh router app and look for channel settings that allow you to set your network to a different part of the Wi-Fi broadcast waves, which can stray away from any channel used by nearby networks. You’ll also need to make sure your network system’s firmware is up to date, which is easy to check through its app.

For more, check out our picks for Best wifi routers 6and How to find free Wi-Fi anywhere in the world.