If you're considering upgrading your router, be sure to check out CNET's best routers of 2022. Several years ago, we used NetSpot software to map out the signal strength throughout the CNET Smart Home - in the end, we got a great look at the weak spots in our Wi-Fi network, which helped us shore things up by moving our hardware to more optimal locations.
In worst-case scenario situations, it may prove useful to map out the signal in your home to see where there might be gaps or problems areas in your coverage.
MODEM ROUTER SOFTWARE
Wi-Fi mapping software like NetSpot can help you visualize the strength of your network, making it easier to address the weak spots. The signal from each of those antennas will come out like a wave traveling in all directions, and that wave will be perpendicular to the antenna itself, so a vertical antenna is going to be more helpful in single story homes, while a horizontal or angled antenna is going to put out a signal that travels upward, which might be more useful in a multi-story home. You might have to experiment a bit to find the most effective configuration. Or slightly change the position of all the antennas to cover a wide range of angles. Instead, make them perpendicular to one another - position one horizontally and the other vertically. If there are two or more antennas on your router, don't position them all in the same direction. Some routers have no antenna at all, but some have up to eight. Those funny-looking antennas do actually matter Wi-Fi doesn't travel well through water, for instance, so if you have an aquarium in your home, try to avoid situations where it'll be in between your router and the device that needs to connect. You'll also want to be careful not to stick your router behind a large TV, which can cause electronic interference while also physically blocking or disrupting the signal.Īlong with electronics, keep an eye out for bulky furniture that might be limiting the signal's reach. One type of electronic device to especially avoid is the microwave, which emits a strong signal in the 2.4GHz band, the same wireless band your router operates in. The more walls, large obstructions and electronics near your router, the higher the chances are that something will interfere with the signal. Try to pick a location that's away from other electronics and large metal objects. If you're struggling to find a good, elevated spot, something like that could be a great solution.
MODEM ROUTER PRO
Search online, and you'll find lots of custom wall mounts built for specific routers, like this stick-up mount for the Eero Pro 6 mesh router. But it's unlikely that this is an optimal location to have your router. It's tempting to just leave everything where the technician set it up. This is simply because that is where the line comes into the house and the technician's job is to set up the connection - not optimize your network. When you first move into a new home or apartment, the modem is usually installed along the wall in one of the far reaches of the house. Regardless of whether you have a single access point or a mesh network, where you place the primary access point still matters.Ĭheck out all of the different routers available to you: Wi-Fi routers, mesh networks and more. To learn more, check out our list of the best mesh routers of the year and if you're not sure where to begin in choosing your next router, consult our router buying guide. Once the main access point is installed, if you find a far corner of your home doesn't have solid wireless coverage, just add another node to that area.
MODEM ROUTER UPGRADE
For bigger, multilevel homes, it's worth considering making the upgrade to a mesh network to offer consistent coverage throughout the entire house.
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