A slow Wi-Fi connection can be frustrating, but your internet provider isn’t always to blame. Sometimes, the things inside your home or even where you’ve placed your router can weaken the signal and leave you with slower speeds.
Walls, furniture, appliances, and other everyday household items can all get in the way of a strong Wi-Fi connection.
Here are 10 things in your home that could be slowing down your Wi-Fi.
Walls
Your router may only be one room away, but the walls between you and it can make a difference, especially if your home has thick brick, concrete or metal construction. The more barriers the Wi-Fi signal has to travel through, the weaker it can become by the time it reaches your device.
Mirrors
That oversized mirror hanging on the wall probably isn’t the first thing you’d blame for spotty Wi-Fi, but some mirrors contain a metal backing that can interfere with wireless signals. This may be more noticeable when a large mirror sits directly between your router and the room where you’re trying to connect.
Microwave Ovens
If your Wi-Fi acts up every time someone heats leftovers, your microwave may be the culprit because microwaves operate close to the same frequency used by 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Moving your router away from the microwave or using a 5 GHz or 6 GHz connection when available may help.
Cordless Phones
That older cordless phone you still have around the house could compete with your Wi-Fi, especially if it operates on the 2.4 GHz frequency. If the base is near your router, try moving it farther away and see whether your connection improves.
Baby Monitors
Baby monitors are another household device you probably wouldn’t immediately connect with slow internet, but some models also operate around the 2.4 GHz band. If your monitor and router are close together, moving one farther apart may reduce interference.
Fish Tanks and Water Features
A big fish tank may look great in the living room, but putting your router directly beside or behind it isn’t ideal because water can absorb some of the radio-frequency energy Wi-Fi relies on.
You don’t need to rearrange the entire aquarium just try to keep a large amount of water from sitting directly between the router and the devices you use most.
Bluetooth Devices
Most of us have Bluetooth devices scattered everywhere now, from headphones and speakers to keyboards and wireless mice. Because Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi share the same general frequency range, having many wireless devices operating in one area can contribute to an already crowded connection.
Large Appliances and Electronics
A refrigerator, washing machine, television or other large appliance can become another obstacle when it’s sitting directly between your router and where you’re trying to use Wi-Fi.
Large metal appliances can be particularly troublesome, so the kitchen or laundry room may not be the best place to hide your router.
Related: Discontinued Appliances People are Desperate to Bring Back
Furniture
Tucking the router behind the couch or inside a cabinet may make the room look neater, but it isn’t necessarily doing your Wi-Fi any favors. Give the router some breathing room by placing it out in the open and, when possible, a little higher rather than burying it behind large furniture.
Home Security Systems
Your security system and Wi-Fi router may both be doing important jobs, but putting the hubs right beside each other isn’t always ideal. Some security equipment uses wireless frequencies that can interfere with nearby devices, so leaving some space between the two may help if you’re experiencing connection problems.
