Computers & Hardware > Networking

Wireless hub positioning

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jelv:
This question was posed on the Plusnet forums:


--- Quote ---I heard that it is better to have your router/Wifi so that the signal can "drop/spread from above" (i.e. upper floor) rather than have it downstairs so the signal has to "rise".....is that true?
--- End quote ---

An answer given was:


--- Quote ---In theory, the signal will radiate at 0° all around the router. In practice, it will always be angled upwards to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the frequency and proximity to ground level. It will certainly not 'drop from above'.
Better therefore, in a two storey house, for the router to be on the ground floor.

--- End quote ---

I've never heard this one before - any truth in it?

Iain:
I think he missed the 36 in front of the 0° !

Of course much will depend on the shape, and even direction of the antenna. Not much you can do with the standard router types.

j0hn:
With routers like my Asus RT-AC68U with external aerials pointing up, I would place the device on the ground floor. I see no reason why a signal would "drop" easier than it would "rise". There's no mass to drag it down, the signal should radiate in all directions.

With my router I imagine the signal radiating out evenly apart from straight down as the main body of the device is directly beneath the aerials. This would surely have some impact on the signal if you were directly beneath it.

For a router with no aerials it would depend where in the device the internal aerials were positioned.

Weaver:
I think that is highly dubious 'certainly not drop from above' given that many wireless access points such as my Cisco units for example are specifically designed for ceiling mounting. It all depends on the design of the unit and where the aerials are in relation to other metal if any in the device. If there is no other metal then all depends on the orientation of the units. And you can always mount a device on the ceiling upside down if you wish so that proves that all devices can drop from above. Am I correct?

aesmith:
Any antenna with a gain above 0dB by definition doesn't have a fully spherical coverage.  The so-called Omnis generally radiate 360 degrees with a dead zone where the antenna is pointed and in the opposite direction (an aside, radio control sets using 2.4 specifically shouldn't have the antenna pointing to the model).

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