Are you experiencing slower than usual internet speed? If you have signed up for a TV package with fibre and mobile, it is very likely that the installer who has come to your home to set up all the wiring for the devices will place the router next to your TV, or in the same location as the decoder. A serious mistake. This is one of the most common mistakes that people make, as it can harm your experience when browsing the Internet.
No matter how many megabytes of Internet you contract, in many cases you will not get the optimal speed to browse quickly through all the devices you have in your home. And what is the reason for this? It is likely that your router is located in an area where it is not working at maximum performance and you are experiencing a significant loss of signal.
However, the router is usually installed in the living room if it is accompanied by a decoder, since it works through the Internet. But you probably haven’t realized that televisions are usually the worst enemy of your electronic devices if they are placed too close to their position.
Why shouldn’t the router be placed next to the TV?
Televisions are considered powerful devices that give off a massive flow of heat and reflect excessive electricity consumption. Hence, many times when you touch the television at any point, be it the screen or its back, you notice that it is very hot and that it can even give you a small cramp due to the spark it generates. Therefore, being another electronic device, the router can absorb that heat source and overheat, which will trigger a reduction in its connection power.
But that’s not all. Televisions can also interfere with the router’s signal, causing the wireless network to not work properly and causing sudden interruptions. WiFi is the most sensitive connection and, at the same time, the most used. Therefore, it is important to keep it away from these types of obstacles that only make Internet use worse on different devices.
The living room is not the best place to install the router either, as the connection does not cover all the rooms in the house and this can be a real problem.
Where should I place the router?
The central area of ​​the house is usually the best place to install your router. Although it always has to be on an open surface, not in a boxed piece of furniture or on the edge of the wall, but you should place it in a space that is as open as possible, without objects around it.
But if you have to install your router in the living room and there is no alternative, experts consider that the minimum distance it has to be from the television is between 1.5 metres and 1.8 metres, so that the wireless waves can be projected throughout the house without anything obstructing them.
However, if you still have doubts, you can download the app WiFi Analyzer so that it does the work for you, showing you all the weak points of your house and the most recommended area to obtain a fluid and stable connection.
