Getting Wi-Fi to reach every room in your house

A dead spot in the back bedroom or the far end of the house is one of the most common Wi-Fi complaints we hear, and it is particularly common around here. Aberdeen's granite and thick stone walls are lovely, but they are tough on a wireless signal. Here is how to think about it.

Why the signal struggles

Wi-Fi is radio, and radio does not like thick walls, chimney breasts, foil-backed insulation or large metal objects. Every wall the signal passes through weakens it, so by the time it reaches a distant room there may be very little left. Distance alone matters too, which is why the room furthest from the router usually suffers most.

Start with router placement

Before spending anything, try moving the router somewhere more central and out in the open, up high rather than on the floor. Even a small change can help. The trouble is that the router usually has to live wherever the broadband comes into the house, often a hallway, and that is rarely the ideal spot.

Why extenders can disappoint

The plug-in extenders you can buy cheaply do work, but they often halve the speed and create a second network you have to switch between manually. For a lot of homes they are a frustrating half-measure. If you have tried one and are still not happy, you are not alone.

Mesh is usually the real answer

A mesh system uses two or three small units placed around the home that work together as one seamless network. You keep the same Wi-Fi name everywhere and your devices move between the units without you noticing. For older, larger or awkwardly shaped homes, this is nearly always the fix that finally works, and it is what we recommend most often.

The gold standard: a wired connection

Where it is practical, running a network cable to a distant room and adding a second access point gives rock-solid, full-speed coverage. It is more involved, but for a home office or a room you really rely on, it is worth considering. We can advise on what makes sense for your particular home.

• ●Thick stone and granite walls are the usual cause locally
• ●Try moving the router higher and more central first
• ●Cheap extenders often disappoint and halve your speed
• ●A mesh system is usually the fix that finally works