Best Location for Wireless Router; Upstairs or Downstairs?

If you are living in a two or more stories house or having an office where you need internet connectivity, wireless internet is the ideal option that you would consider. Although a wireless internet connection is quite a convenient option when you have multiple devices to use the internet with, the placement of your wireless router plays an important role in providing the best internet coverage.

One of the most confusing thing that arises with wireless internet when you have a two-story house or office that require internet is that which is the best location for the wireless router; upstairs or downstairs. Well, the answer may vary for this question from user to user.

So, the only way to find the answer for it is to try testing the wireless router in every place possible in your home or office. In addition to that, you may also want to consider the following suggestions.

Suggestions to Consider for the Best Location of Wireless Router; Upstairs or Downstairs

1. Make Sure to Keep Your Wireless Router in Centralized Location

As we know that WiFi routers do not broadcast in only one direction. They function by spreading signals in waves that can be compared to ripples in water. If you have placed your router in one corner of your home or office, you may not get the best coverage from the router for your entire home or office evenly.

Therefore, it is recommended to move your wireless router to a central location. Although, your wireless network may not need this suggestion if your router is capable of producing a strong WiFi signal even when it is located in a corner. However, if you find any interruption with it, consider changing its position to a central location of your home or office.

2. Consider Removing Your Router Off the Floor

In order to achieve uniformity in the signal emitted by your WiFi router throughout your place, it is suggested to get it off the floor and consider mounting it on a wall or placing it on a shelf. As WiFi routers are known for having omnidirectional antennas, creating a coverage bubble, you wouldn’t want half of this bubble to be consumed by the foundation.

3. Go For Ceiling or Floor?

When looking to cover a two-story house or office with ample and reliable WiFi signal, there are basically two options to go for – Either place your wireless router near the ceiling of the first floor or place it on the floor of the second floor. However, if you are living in a three-story house, you may consider placing the router right in the middle of the 2nd floor to achieve uniform coverage. However, it is to be remembered that the best location for a wireless router is approximately in the center whether it is upstairs or downstairs

4. Prevent Your Router from Physical Obstacles

You might be surprised to know the strength of your router for broadcasting a strong WiFi signal when there are no obstacles in the way. Although obstacles like walls and ceilings can’t be avoided, objects like cabinets and large appliances should always be avoided to get the best performance from your wireless route. This is because reflective surfaces are capable of bouncing off WiFi signals and lead to performance issues. Therefore, try to avoid them as much as you can.

5. Check for Interference

As you must be aware that WiFi signals can be negatively affected by other electronic devices that could be functioning in the same part of the electromagnetic range, you may want to make your router stay away from such objects as much as possible. Devices like microwave ovens, wireless security cameras, cordless phones, baby monitors, etc. are known for impacting wireless router performance.

Moreover, other WiFi networks available or functioning in the same area can also affect the quality of your WiFi signal significantly, especially if they are running on the same WiFi channel as your router. Consider avoiding such interferences to get the best result from your Wireless router.

5. Consider Repositioningthe Antennas of Your Router

If you are using a router that includes adjustable antennas, consider changing their position to improve the quality of your WiFi signal. When you position the antennas of your router upward, you can expect better horizontal reach. On the other hand, positioning the antennas of your router sideways can help you get a better signal upstairs.

6. Consider Updating Your Router

As WiFi routers can be quite complicated sometimes, considering the fact that they are devices comprising a CPU, memory, an operating system, using an outdated router may cause issues with the performance of your internet. Therefore, it is best to consider updating your router to the latest settings and get the best performance for your home or office.

So, these are the suggestions that you may consider to know the best location for your Wireless Router; downstairs or upstairs.