The 10 everyday items that are slowing down your WiFi – and how to fix it
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Whether you work from home or stream Netflix, you’ll be more than aware of how valuable a fast and reliable internet connection is.
But you may be surprised to learn the ground beneath your feet is among some the many things that could be interfering with your signal.
Here are 10 suprising household items that could be slowing down favourite live stream.
Oddly, concrete is said to interfere with your network’s service – metal is a tough material making it hard to penetrate
Concrete
Oddly, concrete is said to interfere with your network’s service – metal is a tough material making it hard to penetrate.
So if you’ve opted for concrete walls in your property, you may experience a lag in signal – very frustrating if this occurs in the middle of an episode.
Metal
A similarly dense material that can affect your internet speed is metal – so think twice before you crowd your property with durable metal walls.
But if this isn’t realistic, place your router as far away from the offending material as possible.
Another solution is purchasing a WiFi extender.
Another metal offender is metallic blinds which you may find outside your house – but this shouldn’t pose problems, unless you’re trying to access the internet in your garden.
Plaster and drywall doesn’t cause as bad signal loss as metal and concrete, experts say
Plastic and drywall
Adding to the slew of building materials contributing your poor WiFi strength are plaster and drywall – albeit not signal loss isn’t as bad as it is with the tougher materials above.
Ceramic tiles
Like most Britons, you probably have ceramic tiles in your house – but whether it’s across your kitchen or bathroom floor, you risk disrupting your WiFi.
Marla Milano from the tech website High-Speed Options explained that ceramic is often coupled with other materials which can dwindle your internet speed.
‘Because tiles are often combined with plaster or drywall, the materials are likely to increase WiFi interference,’ she explained.
She added: ‘This is why placing your router in a high, central location within your home is considered best practice’.
If you have a certain type of windows, you may be more likely to be plagued with a slow connection
Windows
If there’s one thing on this list you definitely have it’s this – every household has windows and if you have a certain type, you may be more likely to be plagued with a slow connection.
Milano went on to add: This is especially the case with Low-E (low-emissivity) windows, which contain a type of metallic film to help reduce energy consumption.
The addition of the metallic film makes it even easier to absorb or interfere with WiFi signals.’
Mirrors
Similarly, mirrors also house a thin coating of metal behind their glass.
The tech expert said: ‘When you combine these two elements it can lead to a ‘decent amount of electromagnetic interference.
‘However, the extent that the mirror will interfere with your WiFi signal depends on its size’.
The extent that the mirror will interfere with your WiFi signal depends on its size
Water
However, what might be the most surprising addition to the list is water.
Fish tanks ‘and even human bodies can weaken WiFi signals as they hinder the passage of signals through water’, said Milano.
‘This can drastically impact signal strength and the ability of your devices to connect to WiFi effectively’.
Furniture
And if you have stocky furniture in your home, you may be surprised to notice a less stable internet connection.
‘The more furniture you have, and the bigger and thicker it is, the more your signal will experience disruption’.
‘If your router is currently hiding behind any furniture or is too close to any, move it to a more open, less obstructed area’, the High-Speed Options writer added.
White goods
If you place your router far from these everyday items, you may be able to salvage a weak WiFi connection
White goods can also be a cause for concern given that appliances like microwaves and dishwashers emit their own radio waves.
But if you place your router far from these everyday items, you may be able to salvage a weak WiFi connection.
It’s important to know that it’s not the end of the world if you face these issues in your home – with a few simple tweaks you could find yourself with better connection.
Has your WiFi ever been disrupted by these innocuous objects before? Let us know in the comments below.
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