How to improve Wi-Fi throughout your home

Start with where the router sits, then work out where the signal fades.

The answer in 2 lines. Put the router in an open, raised position, as centrally as the existing connection allows. Compare the same device near the router and in the room where it struggles. If possible, also compare an Ethernet connection. Try these free changes before buying equipment. Extenders, mesh systems and powerline adapters can help, but the right choice depends on your layout, wiring and existing router.

The first changes to try

Move the router out of a closed cupboard and off the floor, without stretching the incoming cable.
Keep it away from radiators, large metal objects, fish tanks and interfering electrical equipment.
Check whether the problem follows a particular device or affects devices throughout the home. Note where performance improves.

Stop: danger

Do not open electrical sockets or route a network cable through mains wiring enclosures yourself. Get appropriate professional advice for concealed installation.
Do not move the fibre wall box or extend its cable yourself just to put the router in a more central position.

Separate coverage from broadband performance

Repeat a familiar task, such as a video call, near the router and in the problem room using the same device. Pause other heavy activity so the comparison is useful. If performance is poor everywhere, investigate the incoming service or router before buying extra wireless equipment.

For a wired comparison, connect a suitable computer directly to the router using Ethernet and turn off that computer’s Wi-Fi. Record whether the same task improves. Read Ofcom’s broadband speeds guidance to understand the difference between line performance and a wireless result before discussing a speed guarantee.

Choose a solution for the actual weak spot

Option	Useful for	Check before buying
Ethernet cable	A fixed computer or other device with a suitable port	A safe cable route and compatible connections.
Wireless extender	Extending an existing signal towards a weak area	Placement and possible effects on speed or responsiveness.
Mesh system	Coverage across several rooms or floors	Compatibility, placement and any ongoing charges.
Powerline adapters	Using the electrical wiring to carry a network connection	Suitability for your wiring and the installation instructions.

Use Ofcom’s Wi-Fi improvement guide to compare these approaches. Ask whether your existing service includes compatible coverage equipment before purchasing anything. Extra equipment cannot increase the speed supplied by your broadband package.

What not to do

Upgrading the broadband package before establishing whether the problem is confined to wireless coverage.
Buying extra units without checking how they connect to your existing equipment.
Changing several settings at once: it becomes difficult to tell which change helped.

Bands, passwords and updates

Lower-frequency Wi-Fi generally reaches further, while higher-frequency connections can offer more speed nearby. Not every device supports every option. Leave automatic selection enabled initially; ask support before splitting network names or changing unfamiliar radio settings.

The password used to join Wi-Fi and the administrator password used to change router settings serve different purposes. Follow the Metropolitan Police router security checklist to review both, replace insecure defaults and check your security settings. Keep passwords private and record changes securely.

For connected household devices, use the National Cyber Security Centre’s home device checklist to review updates, passwords and whether remote access is necessary. Follow the equipment’s update instructions rather than installing files from an unsolicited message.

When to involve your provider

Contact support if performance remains poor beside the router or over Ethernet, the connection repeatedly drops, or your existing equipment no longer meets your needs. Describe the rooms, devices and comparisons you tested. Ask whether a router replacement or coverage support is included, and check any return obligations.

A room with weak Wi-Fi does not by itself establish a breach of a broadband speed guarantee. Keep your original contract information and ask support which measurement applies. If you make a formal complaint, Ofcom’s dispute resolution guidance explains the independent escalation route and the six-week threshold introduced in 2026; follow your provider’s complaints process and retain the reference.

Good to know

Check equipment support and update arrangements before replacing a router.
Retest the problem room after each change and keep the arrangement that improves your actual use.
This guide covers England. The same radio principles and UK telecoms framework apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; results depend on the building.

Illustrative example: Aisha’s calls work beside the router but break up in the study. Moving the router out of a cupboard helps. She then discusses compatible coverage equipment with support, checking the cost and return terms before agreeing.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 6 November 2026, for England. Confidence: high for placement principles, comparing wired and wireless performance, and basic security; medium for coverage improvements, which depend on equipment, walls and wiring. No equipment price or guaranteed coverage is asserted.