If your Wi-Fi feels slow, spotty, or about as dependable as a South Dakota blizzard forecast, the problem might not be your internet service at all.
It might be what’s sitting next to your router. A lot of everyday household devices quietly interfere with Wi-Fi signals, especially in the 2.4 GHz band. Just putting a little distance between them and your router can make a noticeable difference.
Here are the biggest troublemakers to keep away from your router:
1. Baby Monitors
Many video baby monitors use the same 2.4 GHz frequency as Wi-Fi.
When they’re too close to your router, they compete for the same airspace, causing buffering, dropouts, and unstable connections.
Tip: Keep baby monitors several feet away from your router.
2. Microwaves
Microwaves also operate around 2.4 GHz. Even modern units leak small amounts of radiation near the door seal, just enough to weaken Wi-Fi signals.
Tip: Don’t park your router on the kitchen counter or near the microwave.
3. Bluetooth Devices & Wireless Speakers
Bluetooth lives in the same frequency range as older Wi-Fi networks.
Multiple active speakers, headphones, or game controllers near your router can create signal collisions and slow everything down.
Tip: Move Bluetooth devices away from the router or connect devices to the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band when available.
4. Cordless Phone Base Stations
Cordless phone bases constantly transmit radio signals.
When they sit right next to a router or Wi-Fi extender, they can noticeably degrade performance.
Tip: Put cordless phone bases in another room or at least on a different shelf.
5. Wireless Cameras & Smart Home Hubs
Security cameras, smart hubs, and other always-on smart devices are constant radio chatterboxes.
If they’re too close to your router, they can eat up bandwidth and reduce overall Wi-Fi quality.
Tip: Spread smart devices out instead of clustering everything around your router.
6. Metal Surfaces (Fridges, Cabinets, Radiators)
Metal reflects and absorbs Wi-Fi signals.
Placing your router near a refrigerator, metal cabinet, or radiator is basically asking it to whisper through a brick wall.
Tip: Choose an open area with as little metal nearby as possible.
7. Aquariums
Water absorbs radio waves extremely well.
An aquarium between your router and your devices can behave like a solid wall.
Tip: Keep routers and fish tanks on opposite sides of the room.
How to Position Your Router for Best Performance
A few small placement tweaks can go a long way:
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Put it in a central location so Wi-Fi spreads evenly throughout your home.
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Elevate it on a shelf or sideboard (floor-level placement weakens signals fast.)
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Keep it in the open (not inside cabinets or behind TVs).
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Use the 5 GHz band if your router supports it, it’s faster and less congested.
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Enable automatic channel selection so your router avoids crowded Wi-Fi channels.
The Easy Button: Whole Home Wi-Fi (Now Included with Santel Internet)
Here’s the honest truth:
Even with perfect router placement, many homes still struggle with dead zones, weak bedrooms, and buffering TVs.
That’s exactly why Santel now includes Whole Home Wi-Fi with every residential internet package.
It uses professionally installed Wi-Fi access points placed throughout your home to:
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Eliminate dead spots
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Deliver stronger, more consistent Wi-Fi in every room
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Support all your phones, TVs, tablets, cameras, and smart devices
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Automatically manage and optimize your network
No extra boxes from the big box store.
No guessing where extenders should go.
No duct-taping together a Wi-Fi system on your own.