'I'm a tech expert and there are 10 items at home that will slow down your Wifi'
It's the dreaded moment in any household - especially if you're settling down to watch the next episode in your latest favourite Netflix series.
But it might not just be your provider's service which is causing your WiFi to glitch temperamentally. There are several factors in your home or even the land your home is sitting on which could be disrupting a smooth operation.
From concrete walls to fish tanks, WiFi connections have been known to become disturbed or obstructed by various materials lying in or around your house. Many of these unfortunately may be things you can't change, but it's handy to know what could be causing your poor connection - some may be fixable by simply moving your router to a different part of the house.
Metal
Metal built into your home's walls has been known to interfere with connections. Just like keeping car keys in a metal tin can stop thieves using relay devices to break into your car from outside, encasing a router between sheets of metal will likely offset its reception.
WiFi extenders can help in rooms that seem to be difficult to reach however. These can bought be fairly inexpensively on sites such as Amazon.
'I want to cut my neighbor off our WiFi - they've been using it for months'
Concrete
Another material in homes which has been known to interfere with internet connection is concrete. Concrete walls can be difficult for your router to penetrate.
Anyone with a home built with concrete and cement may experience slower connections.
Plaster and drywall
Another in the horde of building materials known to frustrate your WiFi is plaster or drywall, although this is less disruptive than the previous two denser materials. As most modern homes use plaster on the walls, it's likely yours does, too, and replacing it is hardly an option.
According to Signal Boosters, plaster walls will slow down the WiFi as it travels through your home. Drywall and plywood too may also weaken reception.
Ceramic tiles
Marla Milano from tech site High-Speed Options, claims ceramic tiles have also been known to disrupt your internet, so placing routers on a kitchen worktop by the splashback tiles may not be the wisest option. "Because tiles are often combined with plaster or drywall, the materials are likely to increase WiFi interference,' she writes.
"This is why placing your router in a high, central location within your home is considered best practice."
Windows
And unless you live in a cardboard box, one thing your home will inevitably have which has the potential to slow your WiFi is your windows. This is especially the case with Low-E (low-emissivity) windows which contain a film to reduce energy consumption, Ms Milano added, potentially able to absorb signal from your router.
Mirrors
The same counts for mirrors, which contain metallic film behind the glass - both of which could interrupt your connection. Routers situated behind a mirrored wall should be moved elsewhere in your home if you suspect it's slowing down your internet speeds.
Small decorative mirrors are less likely to impact it, but it's worth moving if you feel this is still causing a problem.
Water
Big fish tanks in your home? They may not be helping either. Water absorbs internet signal, as well as refracting and reflecting waves. So big bodies of it encased within glass might just be what's causing the streaming of your favourite shows to buffer.
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Consider moving fish tanks away from the router, or shifting the router if they're unmoveable.
Bulky furniture
One disruption which may be a bit easier to solve is certain furniture which could be blocking your connection. Ms Milano explains: "The more furniture you have, and the bigger and thicker it is, the more your signal will experience disruption."
She adds: "If your router is currently hiding behind any furniture or is too close to any, move it to a more open, less obstructed area."
White goods
Last on the list of household items potentially breaking up your connection is white goods. Fridges and microwaves and dishwashers have been known to disrupt WiFi, so moving your router out of the kitchen or at least away from any of these goods may help salvage a weak connection.
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