WiFi dead zones can be annoying since they can keep you from using the Internet in a specific part of your home. But why do WiFi dead zones exist? If the WiFi is on, that should be enough for the signal to reach each corner of your home, right? Not exactly.
Something can block these radio waves, therefore, preventing you from going online. WiFi dead zone can complicate things, but there are things you can do to try and get around them. What re WiFi dead zones, and what can cause them?
What Are WiFi Dead Zones?
WiFi dead zones are areas where the WiFi signal simply can’t get to. It’s an area where the radio waves are being blocked by something. It can be something such as thick walls or metal such as chicken wire. Unless you use a workaround, a WiFi dead zone will be an area of your home where you won’t be able to go online.
What Can Cause a WiFi Dead Zone?
Unfortunately, there are quite a few things that can cause a WiFi dead zone. For example, things such as:
- Other devices with WiFi
- Thick plaster walls
- Household appliances such as microwaves, cordless phone, etc
- Big metal things such as filing cabinets
- Placing the router at the opposite end of a big office
- Security systems
- Baby monitors
- Wireless sound systems
How to Fix a WiFi Dead Zone
The good news is that there is a way you can get around those WiFi dead zones. You can try things such as:
- Wireless repeater
- Move your router close, maybe to the center part of the room
- Make sure that the router’s antenna is pointing straight up. If it’s bent to the sides, your coverage will be less.
- Use a wired Ethernet connection. The cables may not be a pretty sight, but at least you’ll get WiFi where you need it.
- Put your router in the middle of the room, so it has a wide and open space
- Find the least-congested channel by using WiFi Analyzer for Android. You can also try inSSIDer for Windows and Mac
Conclusion
WiFi dead zones are something you’re going to have to deal with sooner or later. But, at least you know how to deal with this issue in the future.
Nancy Duplechian says
Yes I’m thinking though, that we are in an area in our neighborhood that a nearby military air base has created dead zones or somehow blocks information transmission. Not sure but a lot of my neighbors have issues with all internet service providers and cell phone signal service, whether they use popular services such as Verizon, AT&T, ox sumer cellular, etc. This base also has such a history of local bad weather systems going around it, I.e., they don’t get the bad weather we all get. They call it the Barksdale bubble for Barksdale Air Force base. It’s strange to se on weather maps when watching the news but everyone around here knows about it and just jokes about how things work. There are common dead zones where phone calls drop when you pass through them and it’s the same experience for most all folks here. But for the security of our nation, we take it with a grain of salt and just deal with it . I bout several extenders on the advice of other tech folks on our hood but have yet to set it all up. Great article to clear things up. Much appreciated!