Although not all routers are the same, it is a fact that it is a key device to have Internet at home. Some have better coverage, others faster, but in all cases you will be able to make some changes and adjustments to make them work as well as possible. In this article we are going to talk about something very specific: is it better to put the router lying or standing, in order to improve Wi-Fi? You will see that a small gesture can make your connection improve and the signal go further.
How to place the router
First of all, it should be mentioned that many routers are designed to be placed lying down or standing up. That is, putting it in another way will clash with the design and will have to be forced. On the other hand, in other cases you can place them in both positions. In addition, you can always make a fix to make it fit better on a piece of furniture or a table and put it standing or lying down as you are most interested.
But you should know that the router position it matters a lot. The device has internal antennas that are positioned in such a way that it allows the signal to be broadcast in the most optimal way possible. Putting it standing up or lying down, therefore, is key. If a router is designed to remain standing, as is the case with the Smart Wi-Fi 6 Router that Movistar currently provides, for example, you should put it like this. Although you can lay it down somehow, in case you need to put it on a narrow piece of furniture, you could be limiting the signal.
Therefore, it is best that you put the router in the natural position for which it has been designed. If that router is designed to be horizontal, put it like this. If they’ve designed it to stand upright, place it upright. The internal antennas will broadcast the wireless signal better and you will have fewer problems.
But also, another factor to take into account is power dissipate heat better. If you look closely at your router, you’ll see that it has different slots for air to pass through. If, for example, your router is designed to stand upright and you put it lying down, it is possible that you are covering those slots. The device will overheat more easily, especially in the summer months, and that will be negative.
Position your device well
Regardless of the position you choose, whether horizontal or vertical, it is essential locate the router well. It is important that you avoid placing it near heat sources, such as a television, a window through which direct sunlight enters, or any other appliance. This is going to make it work worse.
you should too keep it away from possible interferencesuch as devices that use Bluetooth or a microwave. In these cases, by using the 2.4 GHz frequency to work, they can block the Wi-Fi signal. You will see that the network works worse and you will have problems connecting devices. You can always prevent a device from connecting to the router, as it could affect the signal as well.
On the other hand, ideally it should be in a central zone of the house. This way you will get the signal to distribute better and reach more devices. Do not put it in a corner area, where you are not really going to connect. You would be wasting the capacity of your router and you would have problems to navigate correctly.
As you can see, the position of the router is going to be key to having an optimal connection. Do not try to force the placement, as this will limit the range of the wireless signal and could even cause it to overheat more. If it’s designed to stand up, do so. On the other hand, if it is created to be horizontal, this will be the best position.