A fast broadband connection is only as good as the WiFi that carries it around your home. Many people pay for a good package, then find that video buffers in the bedroom, calls drop in the kitchen and the garden office barely connects at all. The cause is usually not the broadband, but the WiFi. Mesh WiFi is one of the most effective ways to fix it.
Why do WiFi dead spots happen?
WiFi is a radio signal. It gets weaker the further it travels, and every wall, floor and object in its path absorbs or reflects some of it. Common causes of weak spots include:
- Distance. A router at one end of the house struggles to reach the other end.
- Thick or solid walls. Stone, brick and block walls, found in many older homes, absorb a lot of signal.
- Floors and ceilings. Signal loses strength passing between floors, particularly through concrete floors in newer builds and flats.
- Metal and water. Radiators, mirrors, fridges, washing machines, metal shelving and fish tanks all block or reflect WiFi.
- Foil backed insulation and plasterboard, often found in extensions and loft conversions.
- Router placement. A router on the floor, behind the television or in a cupboard loses much of its range.
- Interference. Neighbouring networks and some household electronics compete for the same airwaves.
Try these free fixes first
Before buying anything, it is worth trying a few simple changes:
- Move the router. Put it somewhere central, high up and in the open, not on the floor or inside a cabinet.
- Keep it clear. Move it away from mirrors, metal objects, cordless phone bases and microwaves.
- Restart it. A restart can clear temporary problems.
- Use a cable where you can. Games consoles, televisions and desktop computers near the router work best on an ethernet cable, which also frees up WiFi for other devices.
- Test near the router and in the problem room. If speeds are good near the router but poor elsewhere, the problem is WiFi coverage rather than the broadband. Our guide on how to test your broadband speed explains how to test properly.
With full fibre, the connection usually comes into the house wherever the engineer fitted the fibre box, which may not be the best place for WiFi. If that is the case, mesh is often the neatest answer.
What is mesh WiFi?
A mesh WiFi system uses two or more units placed around your home. One connects to your router, or acts as the router, and the others spread out through the house. Together they create a single WiFi network with one name and one password.
As you move around your home, your phone, tablet or laptop connects to whichever unit gives the strongest signal, without you having to do anything. The units talk to each other to pass traffic back to the router, and manage the network as one system.
How is mesh different from a WiFi extender?
A traditional WiFi extender picks up your router's signal and rebroadcasts it. It can help in a small home, but it has drawbacks:
- It often creates a second network name, so devices can stay stuck on a weak signal.
- It uses the same radio to listen and to rebroadcast, which can significantly reduce the speed it passes on.
- Extenders from different makers do not always work well with your router.
Mesh units are designed to work together. Many use a dedicated radio link between the units, called backhaul, so the connection between units does not compete with your devices. The result is usually more consistent coverage.
What about powerline adapters?
Powerline adapters send your internet connection through the electrical wiring in your home. They can work well in some houses and poorly in others, depending on the wiring. Some mesh systems can use a wired link between units instead of a wireless one, which is known as wired backhaul. If your home has ethernet cabling, using it to connect mesh units gives the best results of all.
Where to put mesh units
Placement makes a big difference. As a general guide:
- Halfway, not at the far end. Place each unit roughly halfway between the router and the area with poor signal. A unit placed in a dead spot has nothing to pick up.
- In the open. Keep units out of cupboards and away from the television, radiators and large metal objects.
- At a sensible height. A shelf or table is better than the floor.
- One per floor is a good starting point for a typical two storey house. Larger homes, long bungalows or houses with thick walls may need more.
- Check the app. Most mesh systems have an app that shows the signal between units, which helps you fine tune positions.
Garden offices and outbuildings
A garden office or annexe is often the hardest place to reach. A mesh unit near a window facing the building can help, but walls, distance and weather all have an effect. For a building used for work every day, a wired connection to a unit in the outbuilding is usually the most reliable option. Our home office broadband setup guide has more tips.
Do I need mesh WiFi?
Mesh is likely to help if:
- Your home has more than one floor, or is long and narrow.
- You have thick walls, an extension or a loft conversion.
- Several people use the internet at once in different rooms.
- You work from home in a room away from the router.
- You have a garden office, annexe or conservatory that needs signal.
If you live in a small flat and the WiFi works well in every room already, you probably do not need it.
Keeping your WiFi secure
Whatever setup you have, use a strong WiFi password, keep the equipment's software up to date, and change any default admin passwords. Most mesh apps make this straightforward.
Mesh WiFi with Cyber Fibre
You can add a router from Cyber Fibre chosen to suit your speed, or use your own. If your home needs a stronger signal upstairs, at the back of the house or in the garden office, you can add mesh units when you order. When you check your address and choose a package, the extras step shows the mesh units available with it, with the price.
You can read more on our WiFi and mesh page, see our home full fibre packages, or contact our team if you would like advice on what your home needs.