Placing additional obstacles, such as a cabinet door, in the line of sight will weaken the overall signal, causing spotty reception throughout your home. Another drawback to keeping your router in an enclosed area is that it won't be well-ventilated. Wi-Fi coverage might feel like magic, but the underlying behavior of radio waves is governed by physics, signal attenuation models, environmental absorption rates, and antenna radiation patterns. Cabinets typically have materials that can interfere with the Wi-Fi signal, resulting in reduced coverage and slower internet speeds. It must be positioned in a central and visible location within your home so the signal can travel without obstruction. The fewer obstacles surrounding the router, the stronger the. It's worth taking a few moments to consider the best and worst places to put a router in a typical home, potentially saving you money on mesh extenders and mobile data.
[PDF Version]