It is highly likely that the place where the installer installs the router is not the best place to have maximum coverage and speed, which is why it is important to carry out a prior study and, if it is already installed, consider changing its location. Yes, even small changes in your position are noticeable. Roughly speaking, the presence of large obstacles, appliances, furniture and walls, neighbors and their activity or water can act by blocking the signal… hence the kitchen is the least suitable room for its installation. In the midst of searching for the ideal location, you may have heard of the 30 centimeter rule of the router. We tell you what it is, why it is important and what foundations it is based on.
What is the 30 centimeter rule
In a house it is normal that there are different devices that compete by the signal, for example, smart TV, mobile phones, tablets, speakers, robot vacuum cleaners… although our recommendation is to configure the bands of your router to take better advantage of its virtues, the result may be that even so, Wi-Fi is not as fast and stable as it should be.
This is where the 30 centimeter rule comes in: Aman Bhatti, chief proposition officer at Sky Broadband, explains to The Sun that Those connected devices that we put close to the router absorb the signal intensity, which makes uniform distribution difficult, impacting both speed and interference or crashes on other gadgets that are further away. Likewise, they can also take their toll with interference.
For this reason, it is recommended for better Wi-Fi performance. The ideal is to maintain a distance of at least 30 centimeters between the router and other devices. Something that is not only applicable to the router, but is also extensive to PLCs or repeaters.
So if you have the router placed on a power strip along with other devices, make sure to at least respect that distance. Let us remember that in any case This is a minimum spatial marginsince in other cases such as a smart TV, where heat also influences, there are those who recommend a distance of between 1.5 and 1.8 meters.
Brief notes on the ideal location of the router
The previous rule does not reveal anything new about the operation of the router and how objects affect it, but it does It is a simple and practical way to apply it. In any case, whether you are installing the router soon or planning modifications, these are the most important criteria to find the ideal place:
- The ideal thing is to always place it in a central area of the house, since the signal is distributed radially. Of course, this is not always possible and it is also worth considering where the connected devices that use the most internet are and the ones you use the most.
- The idea of looking for the intermediate point not only applies horizontally, but also vertically. So, If you live in a multi-story house, it is best for it to be on an intermediate floor.. And if your house only has one floor, place it at least at the height of the devices you want to connect.
- There is obstacles that affect the signal causing it to lose power, such as those made of metal, stone walls and water. Thus, avoid placing the router close to a fish tank, refrigerator or microwave (this small appliance is suspected of causing more interference due to its operation). Also, avoid placing it inside a piece of furniture.
- Don’t lose sight of the neighbors and their activity: It is interesting to know if where you plan to place the router, the kitchen or the router is on the other side.
Following the above, the future location of the router should maximize speed and range, reducing potential interference and drops.
Cover | Assembly with analysis of the Xiaomi Mi Router AX9000 from Xataka and Rule icons created by Freepik – Flaticon
In Xataka Home | Devices to improve WiFi coverage throughout the house: types of equipment, advantages and disadvantages