12 Things in Your House That Are Slowing Down Your Wi-Fi
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People often complain of slow Internet service, but the problem may be at home. Many commonly used household possessions and object arrangements can, in fact, interfere with or dampen Wi-Fi reception and speed.
If you can locate these potential problem areas, you will learn how to make simple changes to permit a smooth network flow at home.
Walls
Walls are one of the most common issues to cause a slow Wi-Fi signal. Construction materials such as concrete, brick or metal that provide thick or solid walls are a Wi-Fi enemy as they hinder its range or strength. The more walls that are in between your router and your devices, the less strong your internet connection can get.
Mirrors
They make a room look more beautiful in one way or the other but can bounce and reflect Wi-Fi signals in equal measure. These reflections can also interfere by reorienting some of the signals in various other directions, hence resulting in weak signal strength, and slow internet speeds. You should think about using a sheet or use a furniture in your home to cover any mirrors that are adjacent to the router.
Microwave Ovens
Microwaves use electromagnetic waves that work on the same range as Wi-Fi, at the frequency of 2.4 GHz. When you turn on a microwave oven, it messes up with the Wi-Fi signal for a while and you experience drops in speeds or disconnection. To minimize this interference, you should avoid placing your router near a microwave or if possible use a more advanced router with better encryption.
Cordless Phones
According AT&T, cordless phones are also found to interfere with Wi-Fi signals because both of these devices use the same frequency that is the 2.4 GHz frequency band. In case your phone uses this frequency, it might lead to Interference with your internet connectivity. Try changing to a phone which uses a different frequency or use a wired telephone or even a wired landline phone.
Baby Monitors
Some baby monitors operate in the same band and can interfere with your Wi-Fi signal. This interference is most apparent when multiple devices are using both Wi-Fi and baby monitor signals simultaneously. To avoid this, it should be best to find a baby monitor with a different frequency or, better yet, go for an internet-connected baby monitor.
Water Features
Even though they may provide serenity in your compound, water features such as swimming pools, fountains, fish ponds, among others may lead to problems as far as connectivity of your Wi-Fi signals is concerned. The molecules in water can hurt Wi-Fi signals and reduce the Internet speed or even create interruptions for them. If possible, place your router away from big water sources in your house.
Bluetooth Devices
Other related devices that can interfere with Wi-Fi signal include the Bluetooth devices, speakers and headphones. This is the case because both use the same frequency of 2.4 GHz and will interfere with each other while sending data. It is suggested that these devices should not be placed nearby the router or you might choose the Wi-Fi channel that is not as busy.
Household Appliances
Everyone knows that certain household appliances like fridge, washing machine, and even some types of light fittings such as the fluorescent one, are capable to interfere with electromagnetic field of the Wi-Fi. The solution is to move your router away from these appliances. On the other hand, you could buy a dual band router which works both on the 2.4 GHz frequency band, and 5 GHz frequency band to avoid the problem.
Furniture
Having things such as a bookshelf, wardrobe or any large piece of furniture between your router and your devices will also interfere with Wi-Fi signals. The hardware components in the construction of such items like metal, raw heavy wooden materials reduce and hinder the Wi-Fi signals. It may be useful to relocate your furniture in a manner that will minimize the distance that must be crossed between a device (computer, smartphone, etc) and your router to ensure you receive the strongest signal possible.
Home Security Systems
Certain home security systems interferes with Wi-Fi signals in that they employ radio frequencies. This interference is especially significant, if your router and security system are placed in the same region. In order to overcome this problem, one should think about placing the router farther from the hub of the security system, or use a dual band router.
Electronic Devices
According to EMC Directory, a lot of the electrical appliances produce electromagnetic interference, which can disrupt wireless signal. Some of the items on such categories are TVs, desk-top computers, and game consoles. Samsung home theater, Alexa, smart plugs and any other device interfering with your Wi-Fi speed should be placed away from your router or connected to the internet using an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi.
Old or Outdated Routers
A router that is either too old, or not functioning properly, can also slow down your Wi-Fi connection. With each passing day, new technologies are being developed, meaning that older routers that cannot handle newer requirements for faster and stronger connections may eventually become obsolete. It is recommended that the owner buy a newer model as it is likely to serve him/her well in terms of better performances and enhanced capabilities in attaining faster speeds through the networks.
Plants
Plants also bring beauty to your room as well as improve the quality of air you breathe in your house; however, Loose domestic foliage can limit the range of radio waves and large plants should not be placed midway between your router and devices. To reduce the interference, it is advised to position the plants in a place that does not obstruct the signal path between the router and the places where it is most used.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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