What is the best location for wireless router upstairs or downstairs? In this post, we are going to discuss where to install your wireless router in order to have a strong signal strength all over your house.
We will help you overcome any issues that you might encounter and share with you everything that’s important.
The truth is that it does not really matter if the router is upstairs or downstairs. The Wi-Fi signal emits in a sphere around the router which means that the best place would be on the ceiling if you are installing it downstairs.
On the other hand, if you want the router to be upstairs feel free to install it near the floor and approximately in the center. This way you will ensure a good Wi-Fi signal strength in a two-story house.
Down below we have prepared several steps to increase your Wi-Fi speed, regardless of the building you’re living in so keep reading to reveal how.
So, which is Best Location for Wireless Router Upstairs or Downstairs?
The key to having strong WiFi signal strength upstairs and downstairs remains the position of your router or modem.
However, there are many helpful tips and tricks to know that will help you decide where to install your router.
Here we will share most of them in a manner that everyone should be able to understand.
As we mentioned the key is in the position of your router but in its strength as well. Cheaper routers can emit Wi-Fi in shorter ranges where more advanced models take this to a whole new level.
The shape of the signal is spherical, where the center of the sphere is the device. Regardless of where you put your router, if you are within the sphere, you will get a pretty decent connection.
For optimal results, make sure that your router is behind only one wall/ceiling.
How To Get Fast Wifi Upstairs and Downstairs?
Now when you know what the best location for wireless router is upstairs or downstairs, it is time to share with you a bunch of steps to improve your Wi-Fi signal.
We recommend applying our steps in numerical order, so you get the most out of them.
Step #1: Move Router
If you are getting a really bad Wi-Fi signal, it is probably because your router is behind more than 1 wall.
You can quickly check if this is the case by going to the room where your router is and trying the Wi-Fi with any device.
If the signal is better when you’re closer to the router then you can change your modem’s place to another room or a more central place.
Note that if you place your router upstairs or downstairs in a corner, on the opposite side of the estate the signal will definitely be compromised.
Step #2: Improve Environment
Once you’ve selected the right place for your router, make sure that there are no electronics that are really close to the modem.
It is well-known that some wireless devices interfere with the signal when exposed close to each other. Avoid devices such as microwaves, video game controllers, and cordless phones.
Another thing you should do is to let your router breathe. Take it off the floor and place it over an object where it will be away from dust.
Also take away any stuff that might be covering your router such as junk, paper, etc.
Step #3: Use Wi-Fi Extender
The best location for wireless router is not upstairs nor downstairs, but wherever you want to when using a Wi-Fi extender.
If you didn’t know by now, there is a Wi-Fi extender that basically receives the Wi-Fi signal and transmits it over again.
This way the range of your Wi-Fi connection increases and placing your router now is as easy as it can get.
Top-rated models of Wi-Fi receivers start from $19.99 so, if you are looking for a fast and easy way to extend your Wi-Fi connection, this might be the best solution for you.
We recommend purchasing a reliable model and not going with the cheapest as we are speaking of Wi-Fi strength here. And if the extender is not worth you may not get as fast Wi-Fi as you expect.
Step #4: Set Password
This step is mandatory if you want to properly secure your Wi-Fi. If yours is left without any sort of protection, sadly your neighbors might be using it.
If your network occasionally goes really slow even though you have the right router placement, ensure to set a strong password and provide only your family with it.
We know that this is highly unlikely and most of you have a password but maybe it is time to change it.
Step #5: New Router
Well, if nothing manages to increase your Wi-Fi speed, by getting a new, stronger router you can’t go wrong.
You don’t need to buy an expensive device, all we recommend is getting a NEW router as these devices are well-known to warn out over time.
If you are experiencing occasional Wi-Fi drops and lag, make sure to restart your router. If those issues continue to appear in the future, then getting a new router will definitely solve most of them.
How To Get Strong Wi-Fi In Every Corner of My House?
Above we have shared with you where is the best place for wireless router upstairs or downstairs.
Here we will tell you how to get strong Wi-Fi connections in every corner of your house. To do so you will need Powerline Networking, which is not exactly the cheapest solution, but it is guaranteed to transmit signals everywhere.
The powerline device is using the electrical wiring in your home to provide a strong Wi-Fi signal in each and every room in your house.
On the other hand, you have the opportunity to set up a wired or wireless connection as per your desires.
How To Connect a Powerline Adapter?
The device goes into a power outlet on the wall. The best part is that the adapter has a power outlet on itself, so you won’t lose the power socket.
Unlike the Wi-Fi repeaters, the power network adapters can keep a consistent high-speed connection and they are not easily affected by electronics.
Their place does not really matter but we recommend carrying out firm research before spending hundreds of dollars on a powerline adapter.
If there is one thing for certain, it would be that powerline adapters are perfectly suitable for people working from home, where network interruptions are not acceptable.
If you have a high demand for a reliable network, you might be interested in this type of approach.
Bottom Line
We hope that now you know the best location for Wireless router upstairs or downstairs, and you’ve been able to increase your Wi-Fi connection speed.
We recommend restarting your modem once a week to reboot all services and restart your WiFi. This will help you prevent well-known Wi-Fi issues that can occur when your router is not rebooted regularly.
Read Next: Know the best place to place router in 2 Story House.
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.