Before venturing into installing fiber, you should check if it reaches your home, in addition to knowing the best location to place your WiFi router.
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Fiber optic to the home (FTTH) allows you to reach speeds necessary for the new times, especially if you work from home, use many connected devices, or want to access series, movies, and video games without stops or jerks.
In Spain, according to the latest data from the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC), at the beginning of the summer there were 16.7 million lines of this type nationwide, with Movistar leading the way in market share, with 33.8% of the total.
Although it has numerous advantages in terms of connection speeds and reliability, it is not always possible to install this type of fiber optics, despite the fact that its adoption is already quite widespread.
This is because the typical cables, in some cases, may not reach the home, in addition to the fact that from the first moment it can generate rejection to have to carry out some type of work so that the cable reaches our home, even if the installation is minimal.
However, with the installation of fibre optics, many connection problems are solved that may be common in areas with a somewhat lower signal strength; in any case, before installing it, you should check if your operator has coverage for your address.
You usually won’t encounter any problems, unless you live in a secluded place. However, perhaps the location of the router—which will be connected to the cable – could be a headache, since you will need to think very carefully about where you are going to place it to achieve the most optimal speed.
What to consider before installing FTTH fiber optics
Although these are often confused terms, FTTH is a type of fixed broadband, so if there is coverage for it, you will have it for the former.
In this case, it is best to call the company with which you are going to contract the service directly, or if you prefer, you can also check directly if your address has this type of service from the official website of the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function.
Once you have checked that this service reaches your home, you will have to check very well where you are going to place your WiFi router, since the installation requires the general cable to reach this device, a vital issue to avoid encountering problems.
This type of fiber can reach speeds of up to 1,000 megabytes per second, although it will of course depend on the type of contract you have signed with your company. For example, 600 megabytes per second is enough for a connected home with access to streaming and video games.
The best thing to do before calling the installation service is to check where the cable is located on your street so you can perfectly choose which location best suits your router.
And, above all, opt for a router that you can take advantage of, regardless of the one that your internet provider can offer you for free, as you will unlock some features that could make your WiFi fly.
What is the best location for the WiFi router?
To consider where to place your new router where the wired connection will go directly, you will need to take into account several issues. First of all, if you are going to use one room or another more to connect.
In this sense, for example, if you usually use a room for teleworking or to watch connected television, it is best to place the router in this room; thus, you will make the most of its speed, and additionally, you will get the Ethernet cable to reach the maximum values.
Secondly, think very carefully about how your house is distributed, since if you access 5 GHz or 6 GHz connections, with less capacity to pass through walls, you could run into a lower speed.
On a general level, it is best to place the WiFi router at a high point in the house; if you have 2 plants, the one above is always the best, since your signal will be much better, always close to the value of -30 dBm, the optimal to receive the best intensity.
If you need to check these types of values once you have placed your router, one of the best applications is WiFi Analyzer, which is available from the Google Play Store for Android and is open source.
Among its various functionalities, you will also find some issues to take into account beyond the place where you locate the router, such as the channels that have the greatest availability, since it lists those that are usually free, to avoid saturation, something common in the afternoon or late night.
Finally, if you’re going to need to have wired connections directly to the router, for example, to play without latency, consider this before installing, as you’ll avoid later speed issues.
And always, always, change the settings of your new router so you can take full advantage of the capabilities of your new fiber.
FAQ from Content
Q1: Where should I place my router for the best Wi-Fi coverage?
A1: Place your router in a central, elevated location away from walls and obstructions, preferably in the middle of your home on the main floor.
Q2: What should I avoid when positioning my router?
A2: Avoid placing your router near metal objects, microwaves, baby monitors, thick walls, closets, or corners that can block or interfere with the Wi-Fi signal.
Q3: Does router height affect Wi-Fi coverage?
A3: Yes, placing your router 5-7 feet off the ground on a shelf or mounted on a wall typically provides better signal distribution throughout your home.
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