Wi-Fi uses short-range radio waves to provide a convenient way to access the internet in your home. While the technology can seem magical to many of us, it’s not. It has a limited range, experiences interference, and dead zones are the result. The easiest way to locate them is to take a walk around your home with a wireless device and look at the quality of the connection.A dead zone is any area of your home that should be covered by your Wi-Fi signal, but isn’t.
What causes dead zones?
1. Your house is too big (I feel so sorry for you). A large home can be challenging to cover adequately with a conventional wireless router. If the router is in one corner of the house, the opposite corner may not have adequate coverage.
2. Your home’s construction may be interfering. Older construction with plaster and chicken wire walls can block Wi-Fi signals. Metal filing cabinets, refrigerators, and other obstructions can block wireless signals.
3. Other electronic devices can interfere with signals. Old cordless phones can create interference, microwave ovens can cause issues, etc. Other culprits include baby monitors, wireless audio systems, and security systems.
4. Your might have a problem outside the house. If you live in a densely populated area, the wireless signals put out by your neighbors may cause interference or your ISP might have a problem outside the house that needs to be addressed (and they might not acknowledge it).
5. Your router might be in intermittent failure. If your router is old it might be operating at a decreased capacity.
How to solve the problem of dead zones
1. Move your router. At least get it up higher. Or find a convenient central location. You’ll be much less likely to suffer from wireless networking deadzones if your router isn’t at one end of the house or in the basement. Be creative and find a location that works for complete coverage. Also, you might need a newer, better router.
2. Remove obstructions. Do you have any electronic or large metal devices near your router? Consider moving the obstruction and measuring the results.
3. Purchase a wireless repeater. A wireless repeater or extender receives the wireless signal from your router or wireless device and rebroadcasts it. I have found these fairly effective especially if setup, located and used correctly.
4. Use a cable. Though it may be unsightly without a lot of work, you can connect your computer to the router with an Ethernet cable. Anytime you are “corded” rather than “cordless’ you’re likely to have a better connection.
Dead zones are a common occurrence, particularly in larger homes, but reading this article and following the simple instructions or having a qualified Computer Service Firm do it can fix a pesky problem once and forever.
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