Did you know that there are several factors that influence the coverage and performance of your WiFi Internet?

There are several ways to improve the WiFi signal in your home or office. But positioning the router correctly is, without a doubt, one of the most effective. The location of the device will determine the distance and strength reached by the radio wave.

We share with you some tips to boost your WiFi performance:

1. Place the router in a central location in the home or office

In general, the simplest routers have omnidirectional antennas, which means they emit the signal at a 360º angle around the equipment. Therefore, if it is positioned in a corner, part of the signal is lost to the street or neighbors.

The closer to the center of the home or office the device is, the better and more evenly the WiFi will spread throughout the space.

When it comes to buildings with two or more floors, for example, the equipment must be positioned on the first or second floor. Furthermore, you should try to place it in the room where you most frequently access the internet.

2. Choose high places to place your router

Since the router's radio waves radiate forward and downward, it should be placed in a high place, on top of bookshelves or high shelves, preventing the signal from being lost in physical obstacles, such as furniture or decorative objects.

3. Avoid placing the router close to obstacles

The thicker the obstacle to be overcome by the waves emitted by the router, the worse the WiFi signal will be. Therefore, consider leaving the device as far away from walls as possible. Give preference to the corners of the house close to the hallways.

Furthermore, do not leave the router near objects such as mirrors, aquariums, very thick walls and beams, structures with mesh and metal frames or equipment that emits noise on the network. Water, for example, absorbs it, preventing it from being transmitted. Mirrors, metals, and other reflective surfaces will cause the wave to bounce back and forth.

4. Avoid placing the router close to other electronic devices

Some electronic devices use the same frequency as routers, which interferes with the emission of waves and causes slowness in the network.

Therefore, avoid placing the device near microwaves, cordless phones, surveillance cameras and Bluetooth speakers.

When we talk about dual band routers, that is, devices capable of transmitting the WiFi signal and moving between two frequencies, it is possible to change the band used. However, there will be less spread throughout the environment.

5. Avoid placing the router near windows

Do not place the router on the eaves or near windows or balcony doors. Exposure to the sun can overheat the device and humidity and very low temperatures reduce the useful life of the equipment.If, after implementing these tips, your internet remains slow and unstable, the ideal would be to exchange your connectivity service for a state-of-the-art one, with your operator.

Remember that dstelecom builds, operates and maintains the first and largest multi-operator optical fiber network in Europe. Today, our digital highway passes through more than half of the municipalities in the national territory and all telecommunications operators operating in Portugal make their services available to the end consumer through our network.

The availability of our fiber network coverage in your area can be checked here or by sending an email to euquerofibra@dstelecom.pt, with the full address and, ideally, coordinates GPS.