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So, you have bought a good-quality and highly recommended router and one of the best DOCSIS 3.1 modems for your home internet. However, even after spending so much money on these devices, you are noticing no change to your internet speed or the user experience. You are still experiencing buffering when streaming a video and you are still experiencing issues while managing high-speed downloads.
So, where is it that you went wrong? What if we told you that the issue isn’t with the cable modem or router but with the placement of it in your house? Sounds complicated, doesn’t it? Well, that is the truth.
The placement of your modem and router in the house influences the overall internet speed and the user experience beyond your comprehension. Sometimes, you won’t even realize this but it makes a lot of difference when you keep these devices in the open and not hidden away in the cabinets or areas with obstruction.
This guide will tell you the common mistakes that you do when selecting a location for your cable modem router.
Don’t put it inside the cabinets
When you have a large modem and router combo that doesn’t look the most appealing, it is common human nature to want to keep it away from the prying eyes. You want to keep it tucked away somewhere it won’t be visible to people who walk into your home. So, choosing a wardrobe or a cupboard for keeping the cable modem router seems like a standard choice.
However, this is where you are wrong. Keeping them in enclosed spaces obstruct the signals and prevent smoother moving or dissipation of the signals. This is where things get complicated and you start experiencing slow internet.
Choosing the basement
Yet again, the reason why most homes have their modem-router combo tucked away in the basement or other far off corners in the house is because it seems like a convenient option. It also ensures to shield it off from taking up unnecessary space in your living room, standing out like a sore thumb in the middle of your aesthetic décor.
Again, when you are using the internet from the first floor of the house and have your modem-router stacked away in the basement, things will soon get complicated, especially when it comes to the connectivity and the flair of high-speed internet. You don’t want to do that as well.
On the floor
The next mistake that you are likely doing with your modem-router combo is keeping it on the floor, stacked one on top of the other. This might seem like a favorable option, something that you won’t regret doing but that’s where you are wrong. Modems and routers work on frequency and radiation.
So, when you have stacked one on top of the other, it obstructs the free flow of the signals. Also, when you have it placed directly on the floor, the signals or the frequencies get absorbed into the ground, ending up affecting the overall internet speed that you are expecting out of it. Having a little elevation from the ground is thus very crucial.
Keeping it close to other appliances
If you have other appliances like television, refrigerator, etc. very close to the placement of the modem and router, that will also affect the overall internet speed to a great extent. Ideally, the majority of the home appliances that you see emit some kind of frequency and signals out of it which can clash with the signals coming out from the modem or router, thereby affecting the internet speed.
Ideally, we’d recommend keeping a few feet of distance between any or every home appliance that you have available in your home. It doesn’t have to be a lot but try to not keep them all together in one place.
Obstruction with a dense material
So, if your modem router is placed anywhere that is getting obstructed by a dense material like metal, glass or concrete, it will slow down the overall internet speed to a degree. This is again due to the frequency of the signals sizzling down and not being optimally received by the ISP. So, try to place the modem and router in a position where it won’t be obstructed by a wall or other kinds of material in the middle.
It can be difficult in some cases, so try to place the modem and router in the centre of your home or office so that the signal dissipates evenly.
How often do you experience slow internet speed and blame your ISP? If your modem and router’s location isn’t optimal, it can also affect the internet speed. We hope this guide gives you a detailed understanding of the common mistakes that most people do when choosing the right location for their cable modem and routers.
