If you take time to make some simple changes you could witness a dramatic boost to your broadband speeds.
We all want better broadband to help keep pace with the ever-increasing needs of downloading huge files, watching 4K films online and working from home. Of course, the speeds that come in through the walls will be controlled by how much you are willing to pay and what your Internet Service Provider (IPS) can physically supply.
But there are some simple ways to give the connection that whizzes around your home a bit of a boost.
In fact, making a few quick changes to the position of your Wi-Fi could mean the difference between stutter streaming and watching in glorious 4K without any distractions.
Things such as microwave ovens, TVs and that flashing black box being stuffed inside a cupboard can all hurt that all-important connection.
To offer some help and get your downloads firing on all cylinders, the team at Broadband Savvy have just released new guidelines about what’s bad for the signal and how household items can bring things shuddering to halt.
So, if you want a better connection, here are some of the worst offenders for breaking your broadband.
HOUSEHOLD PLANTS
A home without any greenery won’t seem that appealing but those luscious plants aren’t your Wi-Fi’s best friend.
In fact, filling your rooms with leafy accessories could be dire for those downloads.
“Most plants are made up of about 80-90% water. So, if you have a large, dense houseplant near your router, it can absorb WiFi signal,” explained Tom Paton, founder of broadbandsavvy.com.
“If the plant is dense enough, it can begin to soak up WiFi signal, depending on where it’s located. We recommend keeping any potted plants at least a few feet away from your router.”
FISHTANKS AND VASES
Just like those plants, fishtanks and vases might look lovely sitting proudly in your room, but don’t let your router get too close.
These items are terrible for a decent connection and it’s a good idea to rearrange your room if you aren’t getting the speeds you are expecting.
“Water acts like a sponge for a WiFi signal. If you have a big container of liquid near your router, such as a fish tank, this can wreck your WiFi speeds,” paten added.
“Other large water containers can also pose a problem — vases are a common culprit. Small vases shouldn’t cause a big issue, as long as they’re at least six feet away from the router. However, if you have a big one, try to position it so that your WiFi signal doesn’t have to pass through the vase to reach your smart TV, laptop, or Xbox.”
BABY MONITORS
Baby monitors are vital if you have a new addition to the family, but the signal they release can interfere with the Wi-Fi.
Clearly you don’t want to switch anything off but you can check the frequency they are running and keep the monitor and router apart from one another.
Explaining more, Paton said: “Many baby monitors, especially older ones, use the 2.4Ghz signal band — the same frequency used by WiFi. So when your baby monitor is in use, you might notice that further away devices from the router can no longer get online, and you might also experience slower download speeds.”
MIRRORS
They might help you check your evening outfit or see if you are having a good hair day, but mirrors aren’t Wi-Fi’s best friend, and that’s not great, considering how many we all have dotted around our homes.
“If you have the wrong type of mirror in the wrong place, this can wreak havoc on your WiFi signal,” Paton said.
“Mirrors don’t just reflect visible light — they reflect invisible frequencies as well, including WiFi. It’s actually the metallic backing inside the mirror which is responsible for all the reflections, and depending on the thickness, and the angle it’s mounted at, this material can send WiFi signal straight back where it came from.”
“If you have a mirror on a wall on the edge of the house, this won’t cause WiFi problems, because the signal doesn’t need to pass through — it being reflected isn’t an issue. The problem arises when you have a mirror on an internal wall that WiFi needs to get through, especially if it’s near your WiFi router.”