How to Improve Wi-Fi Coverage Around Your Home

Free fixes: router placement

• Place the router in a central location in your home, not off to one side.
• Keep it elevated (on a shelf, not the floor) and in the open -- avoid cabinets, cupboards, or behind large furniture.
• Keep it away from microwaves, cordless phone base stations, and thick concrete/brick walls, all of which weaken Wi-Fi signal.
• Keep the antennas (if external) upright and unobstructed.

Reduce interference

• If your router supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, use 5GHz for devices near the router (faster, but shorter range) and 2.4GHz for devices further away (slower, but reaches further through walls).
• In apartment buildings, try changing your router's Wi-Fi channel if many neighboring networks are visible -- some routers do this automatically.

When to consider extra equipment

If your home is large, multi-story, or has thick walls, a single router may not be able to reach every room regardless of placement. Options include:

• Wi-Fi extender/repeater: a lower-cost option that rebroadcasts your existing signal further, though often at a reduced speed.
• Mesh Wi-Fi system: multiple units working together to blanket a larger home evenly, usually the better option for consistent coverage in bigger spaces.
• Additional access point wired to your router: often the most reliable option if you can run a cable to another part of the house.

Ask your provider whether they offer or recommend any of these for your home.