How To: Best place a Router or Wifi Access Point

Poor router (and wifi access point) placement can affect your network’s performance and WiFi coverage.

We recommend placing the wireless router centrally, where you most often use your (mobile) wireless devices. Don’t place the router in the least used areas like the garage or attic.

The following guide will help keep your network and you happy:

• Place your router at least 4 feet above the ground. The higher the better.
• Keep space around the wireless router free and open. Place it as far away from the wall as possible.
• Keep wireless devices away from the router, especially computers, laptops, and cordless phones.
• If you have 2.4GHz cordless phones, consider upgrading them to Dect 6.0 phones to avoid competing for frequency (baby monitors, weather stations, etc. will compete too).
• If the router has external antennas, make sure they do not cross. It's best to position them facing up.
• Do not install a WiFi extender unless you are a trained network engineer or you have hired one. WiFi extenders will usually do more harm than good. Unless you know what you are doing, we highly advise you do not use WiFi extenders.
• WiFi extenders are different than Mesh Ac WiFi systems.  These systems create more network access points throughout your home, improving your WiFi coverage instead of cutting your bandwidth in half like WiFi extenders do.

Remember: Your device's wireless gauge (bars) are not a good indication of the quality of the connection. The bars indicate signal level only. They do not indicate noise level nor do they show the negotiating rates and what other devices are burdening your wireless router or wifi access point.