Enhancing WiFi Connectivity: Tips for Better Performance and Signal Strength

Here are some valuable tips to enhance your WiFi connectivity:

1. Optimal Router Placement: The key to a strong WiFi connection is placing your router centrally in your home, preferably in the area where you frequently use your devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers.

2. Choose a Flat Surface: Position your router on a hard, flat surface, such as a table, countertop, shelf, or nightstand. If possible, avoid placing it on the floor and aim for elevating it at least halfway up the room, as the signal mainly propagates along the same plane it is located.

3. Keep an Open Space: Ensure that the router is not confined in enclosed spaces like cabinets, media consoles, or closets. To achieve the best signal, let it communicate freely in an open area.

4. Upright Orientation: Always place your router upright on its base. If you experience sudden connectivity issues, check if the router has accidentally tipped over.

5. Minimise Barriers: For an optimal connection, try to keep the router in the same room or within 1-2 rooms’ distance. Signal propagation is more effective through thinner walls, so consider placing the router closer to doors, as wood is less dense than older plaster materials.

6. Avoid Interference: Steer clear of common sources of interference within your home, such as major appliances (microwaves, refrigerators), thick materials (metals, concrete, or brick), fluorescent lights, other WiFi networks, and faulty electrical connections. Maintain a distance of at least 20 feet from these sources.

7. Consider Legacy Devices: If you have older devices that do not support WiFi6 features, such as reducing network congestion and latency, consider connecting them to the 2.4GHz band. For optimal speeds, connect newer devices to the 5GHz band and use Ethernet cables to connect to nearby mesh nodes when possible.

To assist you in optimising your WiFi setup, the Starlink App offers some useful tools:

The Range tool allows you to measure your Starlink WiFi signal strength in real-time as you move around your home, providing a summary afterward. This helps identify areas that may require router adjustments or additional mesh nodes.

The Advanced Speed Test option lets you directly test your WiFi speeds, ensuring they match the capabilities of your Starlink connection. When performing the test, avoid moving your device to allow the router’s beamforming capability to adapt effectively.

The Network tab displays the signal strength of each connected device on your WiFi. You can also split the WiFi bands, with the 2.4GHz band offering a longer range but more potential interference, while the 5GHz band has a shorter range but encounters less interference.