There are five appliances you should never keep your WiFi router close to as they can stop the connections from reaching further in your home. Slow WiFi is extremely frustrating, especially when you're trying to stream movies or work from home. There are several factors that affect how well your WiFi performs, and router placement is the biggest thing to consider. Many households rely on WiFi more during the winter months, as we stream festive films and shop online for Christmas presents.

One expert has shared a go-to trick for helping WiFi signals reach further in your home to places like the attic and the rooms furthest away from the router. WiFi strength and coverage are greatly affected by where you put your router, so make sure that it's nowhere near these five common household appliances when you want to maximise its performance. According to Sam Jenkinson, a garden room expert for Tiger Modular, items like TVs and microwaves significantly impact how well your WiFi performs.

He revealed: "When placing your Wi-Fi router, avoid positioning it near thick walls, metal surfaces or large electronics like TVs and fridges, as these can absorb or block the signal.

"Similarly, devices like microwaves, cordless phones, baby monitors and Bluetooth gadgets can interfere with the connection because they operate on the same frequencies as many Wi-Fi signals."

The appliances you should keep your WiFi router away from are:

• Microwaves


• Fridges


• Bluetooth devices (such as smart speakers)


• TVs


• Cordless phones


• Baby monitors

He said: "Interestingly, mirrors and fish tanks can also disrupt signal strength by reflecting and absorbing the signal. While it might be tempting to hide your router in a cupboard or behind furniture for aesthetic reasons, doing so can dramatically reduce performance. Instead, aim to place it centrally, elevated, and in the open, think of Wi-Fi like light from a lamp: the more visible and unobstructed it is, the better it works throughout your space."

Sam also explained that you should consider upgrading to a more modern router if you don't get Wi-Fi in certain areas of your property.

He said: "Your router is the heart of your setup. If it's old or outdated, it might not be capable of delivering a strong signal to the far corners of your property, let alone the garden. Upgrading to a modern, high-spec router can dramatically improve coverage and speeds."

"Wi-Fi extenders work by rebroadcasting your router's signal to reach further, while mesh systems use multiple devices that communicate wirelessly to create a seamless wireless network that blankets your home and garden," he added. "They're both great for smaller setups or when the distance isn't too extreme.

"However, these solutions rely on having a decent existing signal to work with. If the garden room is too far out or the signal is being blocked by thick walls, you may find performance drops off."