Slow WiFi probably means you’ve placed your router in the wrong place

This story is part of 12 days full of tipsto help you make the most of your technology, your home and your health during the holiday season.

So there is a problem with your internet connection. No matter what ISP you have or how many devices are online, your connection is always slow. How are you? Sometimes you pay monthly fees to a internet provider or with yours routers professionally installed might not even solve the immense problem of slow and weak internet connection.

That’s a massive headache if you’re working from home, trying to install smart home gadgets, or if you just want to Relax with some Netflix at the end of the day.

The good news is that there is an easy way to optimize your Wi-Fi network and fix these issues, and it only takes a few minutes.

There are many factors that determine Internet speed and while there is one some tricks or guidelines you can follow To improve overall WiFi speed and coverage in your home, one of the most important factors is the location of your router. And note that the best spot isn’t always where the tech put it. So read on to learn about the best spot in your home for your router and other tricks for faster WiFi. You can also check out our selection for the The best wireless routersthe The best mesh routers and the The Best WiFi Extenders. (And if you have a mesh router, make sure you check it our guide on where and how to set it up correctlyalso.)

Choose the right router for your space

First things first: It all starts with Choosing the right router or other devices. Not all routers are created equal, and the size and layout of your home will determine what type of wireless network you need.

For most apartments and smaller homes (less than 1,500 square feet), a single wireless access point should be sufficient. However, if your router is several years old, you should consider upgrading a newer model with support for 802.11axor wifi 6. This is the latest generation of Wi-Fi technology that gives you the fastest possible Wi-Fi speed and the best overall coverage.

For larger, multi-story homes, it’s worth considering Upgrade to a mesh network to provide consistent coverage throughout the home. Once the main access point is installed and you find that a far corner of your home doesn’t have solid WiFi coverage, simply add another node to that area. Problem solved.

To learn more, visit our List of the best mesh routers of the year (Our top pick is the TP-Link Deco W7200) and if you’re not sure where to start when choosing your next router, consult our Buying guide for routers.

Regardless of whether you have a single access point or a mesh network, it still matters where you place the primary access point.

Where is the best place to put your router?

When you first move into a new house or apartment, the modem is usually installed along the wall at the back of the house. That’s simply because that’s where the line comes in, and the technician’s job is to make the connection – not optimize your network. This part is up to you.

It’s tempting to leave everything where the technician put it. But this is unlikely to be an optimal location for your router.

Choose a central location

Routers send the signal in all directions. So if it stays in the corner of your home, a significant percentage of your wireless coverage will be broadcast outside of your home. That’s why it’s best to put the router in a central location to optimize the signal.

Installing a router opposite the modem throughout the house can prove problematic. It may be necessary to manually run an extra-long CAT5 or CAT6 Ethernet cable under the floor or along the underside of your walls, or enlist the help of powerline network adapters, which use your home’s electrical wiring to deliver an Internet signal from transfer point to point. But the improved WiFi coverage will be worth it.

Lift up the router

Routers tend to spread their strongest signals downward, so it’s best to mount the router as high as possible to maximize coverage. Place it high on a bookshelf or mount it in an inconspicuous place on the wall.

Search online and you’ll find many custom wall mounts designed for specific routers, like this stick-up mount for the EeroPro 6 mesh router. If you’re having trouble finding a good, elevated spot, something like this could be a great solution.

Avoid other electronics

Try to choose a location away from other electronic devices and large metal objects. The more walls, large obstacles, and electronics near your router, the higher the chance that something is interfering with the signal.

One type of electronic device that you should particularly avoid is the microwave oven, which emits a strong signal in the 2.4 GHz band, the same radio band that your router operates in. You should also be careful not to put your router behind a large TV. This can cause electronic interference while also physically blocking or disrupting the signal.

Along with the electronics, beware of bulky furniture that could limit the range of the signal. For example, Wi-Fi doesn’t move well through water. So if you have an aquarium in your house, try to avoid situations where it is between your router and the device that needs to connect.

Those weird looking antennas? You really do matter

Some routers have no antenna at all, others have up to eight. These antennas help direct the signal. If your router has two or more antennas, do not position them all in the same direction.

Instead, make them perpendicular to each other – position one horizontally and the other vertically. Or easily change the position of all antennas to cover a large angular range. You may need to experiment a bit to find the most effective configuration.

The signal from each of these antennas will come out as a wave that will spread in all directions, and this wave will be perpendicular to the antenna itself, so a vertical antenna will be more helpful in single-story houses, while a horizontal or angled antenna will emit a signal , which moves up, which might be more useful in a multi-story house.

Map the signal

In worst-case scenario situations, it can come in handy to map the signal around your home to see where there might be gaps or problem areas in your coverage. A few years ago we used NetSpot software to map signal strength throughout the CNET Smart Home — We ended up getting a great look at the vulnerabilities in our Wi-Fi network, which helped us secure things by moving our hardware to more optimal locations.

If you’re considering upgrading your router, be sure to check it out CNET’s picks for the best routers. Be careful in households with children explore your router’s parental controlsalso.

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