In a world of hybrid working and technological advancements, reliable and strong Wi-Fi speed is essential, whether you need it for an important business call or to stream your favourite TV show.

But did you know that placing your router in 'dead zones' in your home can impact its performance, leaving you staring at a buffering page constantly?

Geoff Pestell, CEO at broadband comparison site Fibre Compare, has explained the best and worst places in your home to place your router so that you can ensure your connection remains reliable and strong for seamless internet use.

Where should you avoid placing your Wi-Fi router in your home?

If you find you have poor signal strength when it comes to Wi-Fi connection within your home, you could unknowingly be interrupting its signal by placing it in less than ideal locations, including:

Inside cabinets or behind furniture

A common mistake many people make when it comes to placing a Wi-Fi router in their home is stowing it away in a cabinet or behind furniture. Many do this because it can 'ruin' the aesthetic or appearance of a room so they think hiding to conceal the device and its cables is the best solution.

However, what many people don't realise is that by doing this, it can actually significantly diminish the strength of the signal you get to your devices in your home, as well as causing all kinds of connectivity issues. This occurs because airflow behind furniture can become trapped in cabinets or small spaces, which can cause your router to overheat and perform poorly overall.

Near other electronic devices

Many people often place routers near other electronic devices, such as near TVs or phones, because it makes 'sense' to have them all in one place. But this is actually a mistake.

This is because other electronic devices can emit interference that can degrade the quality of your Wi-Fi signal and performance.

Rooms that are distant from the gadgets you require

You may also find that your Wi-Fi signal is weak if you place it far away from the devices that you require a strong connection for.

Things such as strong walls, flooring and large objects can all reduce signal strength and create what are known as 'dead zones' within areas of your house

With this in mind, it is therefore important to ensure that your router is positioned close to the electronic devices that require the strongest Wi-Fi signal.

Near windows and water sources

Make sure you also avoid placing your router near any water sources or windows. Things such as outside windows and walls, or moisture from showers, sinks and washing machines can damage electronic components or interfere with Wi-Fi signal, degrading its performance over time.

Under the stairs

Like keeping your router in cabinets, you should avoid placing your router under the stairs. Even if this means it is "out of sight".

This can seriously slow down your Wi-Fi speeds because the stairwell walls can block your signal and cause performance issues.

Where should you actually place your router?

In a central location

You should try and place your router in a central location in your home. This could be in somewhere like your hallway or on the second-floor landing if you need a strong Wi-Fi connection. However, make sure it is not in the way of any obstacles so that the signal can get to the devices that require it.

Elevated off the floor

You also need to ensure that your router stays elevated off the floor. This allows it to send out a signal more effectively, as fewer objects or walls can get in a signal's path.

Furthermore, a router placed on the floor may experience problems and signal problems due to the ground's ability to absorb it. Places where your router can be elevated off the ground include an end table or a shelf with multiple levels.

Away from obstructions

As well as keeping your router off of the floor, you also want to try and minimise the number of obstructions that can impact its signal.

As a result, even when you are setting it up high, like on an end table, you make sure that nothing else is on top of it or blocking its signal path. To make the router blend in with your interior decor, it can be tempting to surround it with trinkets and decorations, but doing so will only disrupt and weaken your signal.

Test different places in the house

Lastly, you could experiment with different spots in your house to determine the ideal location for your Wi-Fi router and signal in order to get the most out of both.

Where it works best can completely depend on its location. Its ideal position could be found by moving it and testing its speed to find the strongest signal.