Where you (and your devices) are in a space matters. In some cases, walls, furniture, and network interference or congestion from other devices can reduce the quality of your connection - even if speed and quality at the access point are great.
Here are some tips for placing your computer in your room for the best connection.
Walk around your room while watching the Wi‑Fi signal bars, or while running a short speed test. The spot with the best bars/speed is usually closest to the access point (AP).
Note: APs are typically mounted inside rooms, not in hallways.
Put laptops or USB adapters on a desk or shelf instead of on the floor, under the bed, or inside drawers.
Don’t put your device behind thick walls, bookcases, dressers, or stacked mattresses — these block and scatter signals. Metal bed frames, filing cabinets and mirrors reduce signal strength more than wood or plastic.
Move a few feet away from devices like microwaves, cordless phones, bluetooth speakers, wireless cameras, etc.
If you are using a USB WiFi adapter, try connecting it to a short USB extension cable, and place the adapter upright on your desk or a windowsill, so that it isn’t tucked behind the computer.
If your computer or USB wireless adapter has detachable antennas, start by positioning them vertically. For multiple antennas, try different angles (one vertical, one ~45°) to help in tricky rooms.
Use 5 GHz when you’re close to the AP for faster speeds; switch to 2.4 GHz when you need better range through walls. Try both to see which works best.
If performance is poor, move the device 3–6 feet in a different direction and test again.
Still having problems? Report the issue so we can check coverage and consider adding or retuning access points.