When analyzing their Wi-Fi needs and looking for ways to improve speeds, few people think to look at the construction of their home. It is a little-known fact that the construction of your home greatly impacts your Wi-Fi signal throughout the home. Whether you are looking to enhance your home Wi-Fi or weighing the benefits of a home remodel, there are several factors to consider when it comes to Wi-Fi and how your home is constructed.
Housing Materials and Wi-Fi Issues
Concrete
If you currently have concrete walls in your home, you no doubt know the struggles that come along with them. Concrete and Wi-Fi do not play well together, concrete completely hinders Wi-Fi’s ability to move and makes it difficult to get a strong Wi-Fi signal throughout a home. When a signal cannot pass through the walls there are few ways to get it to penetrate throughout your home. It does not matter how good the Wi-Fi is coming into your home, the further you get away from the router the weaker your signal is going to get, and while this is true of all homes, those made of concrete take this to the next level.
Brick
Brick walls are very similar to concrete walls and how Wi-Fi travels through them. Brick does not play well with Wi-Fi and blocks a lot of the signal from passing through. Although brick is a popular home construction material, especially in colder climates, it makes for a more difficult home Wi-Fi setup. The homeowner will most likely need several mesh routers strategically placed around the home to get good coverage. While more involved, with a mesh Wi-Fi system even the most difficult of home designs can have good Wi-Fi coverage with a mesh Wi-Fi system.
Drywall
In contrast to concrete and brick walls, drywall plays very well with Wi-Fi. Drywall does not block the pathway of Wi-Fi signals; in contrast, it lets a good amount of the Wi-Fi signal pass through. The percentage of Wi-Fi lost while passing through the walls is minimal and you will still be able to get a decent Wi_Fi signal. This of course still depends on
However, one more element affects Wi-Fi signals even more. When your drywalls are unnecessarily thick, they cause Wi-Fi issues. Wi-Fi signals do not pass through them quickly thus leading to slow Wi-Fi speeds.
Wood
Wooden floors, walls, and structures in homes are very common. While not as drastic as the aforementioned material types, wood still has an effect on Wi-Fi signals. A thin wood will most likely not have a noticeable effect on your Wi-Fi. However, you might see slow Wi-Fi speeds when the wood used is thicker
The Solution
While the construction of your home can slow inhibit your Wi-Fi speeds it is not the end of the world, a mesh Wi-Fi system is the best way to combat this. A mesh Wi-Fi System is the best way to ensure stable Wi-Fi signals all-around your home no matter the size and can help fight against the materials blocking signals. It may be more involved, but with a mesh Wi-Fi system, even the most difficult of home designs can have good Wi-Fi coverage with a mesh Wi-Fi system.