Wi-Fi and mesh network guides

Straight answers for anyone setting up or fixing home Wi-Fi. The numbers come from the same model the planner uses, and each guide ends with a test you can run on your own floor plan.

• Where should you put your Wi-Fi router?

  The best spot for a router is the middle of the home, 1 to 2 m off the floor and away from metal. See how much each wall cuts its range and what to do if the modem is in a corner.

• How many mesh Wi-Fi nodes do I need?

  How many mesh nodes to buy for a single-story house, two-story house, apartment or long house, with coverage for homes of {area.h60} to {area.h250} m² worked out by the same model as the planner.

• Mesh, extender or Ethernet cable: which is best?

  When to use a network cable, a mesh system or a Wi-Fi extender, what backhaul is and which link between devices keeps your speed, with numbers from the planner’s model.

• How much do walls and floors block Wi-Fi?

  Table of Wi-Fi signal loss per material at 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz: brick, concrete, drywall, glass, metal and floor slabs. Learn what a decibel is and how much each wall cuts range.

• What does Wi-Fi signal strength in dBm mean?

  What Wi-Fi signal strength in dBm means, why the number is negative, which value is good for video and gaming, and how to measure it on a phone or computer.

• 2.4, 5 or 6 GHz: which Wi-Fi band should you use?

  The difference between 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz Wi-Fi in range, speed and walls, when a 6 GHz router (Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7) is worth it and which device to put on each band.

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