What can impact Wifi coverage?
Several factors can impact your WiFi coverage:
- Physical Obstructions: Walls, floors, and heavy furniture can block or weaken WiFi signals. Materials like concrete, brick, and metal bars are particularly troublesome.
- Distance from Router: The further you are from the router, the weaker the signal will be. WiFi signals have limited range and lose strength over distance.
- Interference from Other Devices: Other electronic devices like microwaves, cordless phones, baby monitors, and Bluetooth devices can interfere with Wi-Fi signals, especially on the 2.4 GHz band.
- Network Congestion: In densely populated areas, many WiFi networks can overlap and interfere with each other, leading to reduced performance. This is more common on the 2.4 GHz band due to its limited channels.
- Router Placement: Placing the router in an elevated position can help improve coverage. Avoid placing it in a corner, near the floor, or inside a cabinet.
- Router Quality and Age: Older routers or those with outdated technology may not provide the best coverage.
- Environmental Factors: Changes in temperature, humidity, and even the presence of certain types of plants can affect Wi-Fi signals.
- Bandwidth Usage: Multiple devices using a lot of bandwidth simultaneously (like streaming videos or online gaming) can impact overall network performance and coverage.
- Firmware and Software Updates: Keeping your devices' software up to date can improve performance and security, thereby enhancing coverage.
