What is a WiFi Dead Zone, and How Do You Fix It?

Nothing’s more exasperating than theoretically having WiFi for your entire home, only to find that your actual speeds are less than stellar when you go into a specific room or take your phone too far from your router. Slow speeds, constant lag, and even total signal drops are common symptoms of WiFi dead zones: the bane of big households.

This can be a frustrating experience, but it’s not unfixable. In fact, you can learn how to fix WiFi dead zones in your home right now – just keep reading!
 

What is a Dead Spot for WiFi?

A WiFi dead spot – also called a WiFi “dead zone” – is any area within your home where your wireless internet signal is very weak or nonexistent. In a WiFi dead spot, you might have trouble connecting to your home network or find that your favorite online activities, like streaming or gaming, suddenly slow down or stop working completely.

Dead zones are typically caused by obstacles or interference that prevent the WiFi signal from reaching certain areas. Regardless of the cause, knowing how to fix these pesky low-signal areas is key to enjoying your WiFi consistently wherever you are in your house.
 

What Causes WiFi Dead Spots?

WiFi dead zones could happen for lots of different reasons, including a combination of a few factors. Here are some of the most common causes:
 

• Your router is too far from your devices. If your router is positioned on one side of your home or building, it may not have enough range to reach connected devices on the opposite end (say, where you’ve set up your PC). Large homes or those with multiple floors are especially prone to this issue.
• There are thick walls between your router and device(s). Typically, rooms like basements have walls that are made of concrete, brick, or metal that can absorb and weaken WiFi signals as they pass through. This reduces your router’s ability to deliver strong WiFi to all areas of your home.
• Close proximity to metal furniture or appliances. Metal surfaces can reflect or block WiFi signals, creating interference that contributes to weak spots. Placing your router near metal shelving, filing cabinets, or large appliances like refrigerators can also lead to connectivity problems.
• Interference from other WiFi networks or devices. Other electronic devices – think baby monitors, cordless phones, and microwaves – can interfere with your WiFi signal. Additionally, if you live in an apartment complex or a densely populated neighborhood, overlapping signals from other WiFi networks could disrupt your connection.

By identifying which of these is most likely to be causing your WiFi dead zones, you can begin to take steps to minimize their impact and boost your WiFi signal.
 

How to Fix a WiFi Dead Zone

Even if you think you’re having WiFi difficulties because of several factors, good news – there are also several solutions you can try to get your downloads and uploads zipping along at lightning-fast speeds. Let’s take a closer look.
 

Move Your WiFi Router to a Better Spot

Where exactly you place your WiFi router plays a major role in determining the strength and reach of its signal. For the best results and optimal coverage, we recommend:
 

• Placing your router in a central location to ensure the signal reaches all areas of your home equally. Try doing it in the living room or even a hallway, so long as it's roughly equidistant to your home's different device centers.
• Not placing the router too close to walls, in closets, or on the floor, as these can block or weaken the WiFi signal. Instead, keep it elevated on a shelf or table for maximum reach.
• Keeping the router away from large metal objects, appliances, or electronics that might interfere with its signal.

If you’re lucky, just moving your router can resolve your dead spots without the need for additional equipment. If it still doesn’t broadcast effectively, don’t forget to restart it – your router may need a brief software update to get back up to speed.
 

Use Different WiFi Bands

Many modern routers operate on two frequencies: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Each band has its strengths and weaknesses.

For example, the 2.4 GHz band provides a longer range but is more susceptible to interference from other devices like microwaves or older WiFi networks. The 5 GHz band offers faster speeds but has a shorter range and struggles to penetrate walls.

If you’re experiencing a weak wireless internet signal in a specific area, switching between these bands may help. For instance, use the 2.4 GHz band for areas farther from the router and the 5 GHz band for rooms closer to it. Most modern routers allow you to adjust these settings easily through their mobile apps or web interfaces.
 

Try a WiFi Extender or Booster

Moving your router and switching WiFi bands didn’t resolve the issue? It might be time to invest in additional hardware to strengthen your signal.

WiFi extenders rebroadcast your existing WiFi signal to areas that are out of range of the main router. WiFi range extenders are ideal for eliminating dead zones in larger homes or spaces with multiple floors.

Meanwhile, WiFi boosters amplify your existing WiFi signal, improving its strength and coverage. This can be a good solution if your main router struggles to provide strong internet connections throughout your home.

For the ultimate in WiFi connectivity and stability, look into mesh WiFi networks. A mesh network includes multiple extenders (sometimes called nodes) that work together to blanket your home with consistent WiFi coverage. This option is particularly useful for bigger homes or households with high internet usage.
 

Trust Glo for WiFi Without Dead Zones

Of course, you can also forget about WiFi dead zones when you get your internet from a trusted service provider. At Glo, we offer wall-to-wall whole-home WiFi with our amazingly fast fiber optic internet speeds. Using a combination of advanced, user-friendly devices, we ensure that your internet experience is exceptional – wherever you happen to be!
 

Switching starts with just one conversation. Get in touch with us today