Walls, water, metal and some household gadgets all weaken the signal. Ofcom's advice starts with where the router sits, and security guidance adds a few settings worth changing on day one.
Pick the spot that sounds most like your home. The bar shows how much Ofcom's guidance suggests that spot could be holding your wifi back.
Based on Ofcom's advice on improving wifi and broadband speeds. Every home is different, so treat this as a starting point.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Newer standards, faster wifi.
One figure on what newer wifi can do, one on Ofcom's own router tests.
600+ Mbps
Typical maximum speed of Wifi 6
Ofcom's table puts Wifi 6 (802.11ax) at ultrafast, 600 Mbps and above, against 200 Mbps for Wifi 5, 100 Mbps for Wifi 4 and 20 Mbps for Wifi 3. Older devices will not benefit from newer features.
WIFI STANDARDS · OFCOM
15 routers
Home routers tested in a lab
Ofcom tested 15 routers in 2020. Newer routers generally outperformed older ones, speeds could drop significantly further from the router, and performance tended to be better over 5 GHz than 2.4 GHz.
ROUTER TESTS · OFCOM 2020
Ofcom also notes that lower frequencies give better coverage but lower speeds, and that your wifi will never outperform the broadband service coming into the home.
FOUR THINGS TO TRY
Better wifi, mostly for free.
Start with the free fixes. Spend money only once you know the router's position and the line itself are not the problem.
Move the router up and in
Put it central and off the floor, away from radiators, fish tanks, microwaves and cordless phones.
Test over several days
Ofcom suggests running a few speed tests at different times of day before deciding what is wrong.
Cable the devices that stay put
A computer or TV that never moves can use an Ethernet cable straight to the router instead of wifi.
Then consider mesh or powerline
Ofcom says mesh starter packs cost £60 to over £200, and powerline adapters start at around £20.
AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.
SECURING THE NETWORK
Your router has a front door too.
AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.
Ofcom warns that if a wireless router is not secure, anyone nearby could log on to your broadband. Check for the padlock icon next to your network name and use a password mixing numbers with upper and lower case letters.
CISA adds: change the router's login username and password, avoid personal details in the network name, use WPA3 Personal or WPA2 AES, keep the firmware updated, turn off WPS and put smart devices on a guest network.
Questions
Questions people ask
Where is the best place for a wifi router?
Ofcom suggests placing it centrally in the home and off the floor, for example on a shelf, and away from radiators, fish tanks and electrical devices that can interfere.
Is 5 GHz better than 2.4 GHz?
In Ofcom's 2020 router tests, speed and connectivity tended to be better at 5 GHz. Ofcom also notes that lower frequencies give better coverage, at the expense of lower speeds, and some older devices do not support 5 GHz.
Is a cable faster than wifi?
Ofcom says Ethernet cables often provide a better connection than wifi, as long as the cable can support your broadband speed.
Do wifi extenders slow things down?
Ofcom says extenders and repeaters amplify the signal but can affect data speeds and how responsive the connection feels. It says mesh systems improve coverage without reducing broadband performance.
How do I make my home wifi more secure?
CISA advises changing the router's login details, using WPA3 Personal or WPA2 AES encryption, keeping the firmware updated, turning off WPS and using a guest network for smart devices.
