You already know that a WiFi mesh router can effectively eliminate dead spots and improve your internet connection at home. But despite following setup hacks, why is it still difficult to maximize your Internet speed?
According to an article by Wirecutter, your WiFi network can be affected by many outside factors. “The layout of your home, the building materials used to make it, and even competition from your neighbors’ WiFi devices can spell trouble,” says the popular product review website.
Here are some reasons your WiFi mesh is acting up and what you can do to remedy it.
Your house is built with dense materials like brick or concrete.
Building materials are the worst WiFi signal blockers, with metal being the number one obstruction. WiFi uses radio waves to transmit information between your device and your router via frequencies. Because metal is a conductor of electricity and radio waves are electromagnetic, metal ends up absorbing it. Remember: the more metal there is between your router and device, the worse the WiFi signal will be.
Another blocker is concrete. If you live in a multiple-story home and your walls and floors are made of concrete, your WiFi signal will have more difficulty penetrating into the upper areas of your home.
To lessen signal interference and make the most of your connection, you’ll want your main router to be located as centrally in the home and as high off the ground as possible. Then, as much as possible, try and keep your mesh devices no more than two rooms away from each other
You have large or bulky furniture getting in the way.
Furniture and appliances can also cause electronic interference, with aquariums becoming a nuisance as it’s difficult for WiFi signals to transmit through water. Make sure there is no large furniture or anything bulky found between your mesh devices. You should also move it away from appliances like the TV or fridge.
Smart home devices operate on a 2.4GHz frequency.
The radio waves WiFi use to transmit information rely on two frequencies — 2.4Ghz and 5GHz. Unfortunately, most devices operate on this frequency–from your indoor cameras, power plugs and strips, smart lighting, Bluetooth devices, and more. This causes the WiFi signal to weaken due to interference.
There are too many WiFi networks around.
Open your smartphone’s settings and look at the available wireless networks. Too many home networks or SSIDs in close proximity to yours can wreak havoc on your broadband connection. Also, if your neighbor’s router uses the same wireless channel as yours or an overlapping channel, then your bandwidth and speed will be greatly affected.
The good news is most WiFi and mesh routers in the market now allow you to switch to a different channel to reduce the amount of interference. Dual-band routers can also operate on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, so you can seamlessly switch between the two to greatly reduce signal interference.
Should I still invest in a mesh network?
Every home is different, but despite the obstructions, an excellent router combined with a mesh system will let you enjoy high-speed internet in every corner of your home. Just make sure to heed the tips above, avoid the common WiFi mesh mistakes, and always check the signal strength of your devices so you can adjust them accordingly.
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