WiFi works great next to the router, but poorly in the next room — what to do?

This is one of the most typical problems with home WiFi. You stand next to the router and the internet works great. Walk into the next room and pages suddenly load slower, videos start buffering, and the speed test result drops several times over.

Why does WiFi get weaker in the next room?

WiFi signal doesn't travel through your home without any loss. As it passes through walls, doors, ceilings, and furniture, its level drops gradually. Frequency matters too: 2.4 GHz generally copes better with distance and obstacles, while 5 GHz and 6 GHz can offer higher speeds but have shorter range.

1. Check how many obstacles sit between the device and the router

Don't look only at the distance in metres. A router 8 metres away in open space can give a better connection than one 5 metres away but behind several thick walls. The actual signal path matters more than the raw square footage.

2. Check what the walls are made of

Not all walls affect WiFi the same way. A light partition behaves differently than thick concrete, and differently again than a wall with additional structural elements. That's why an identical router can work great in one home and much worse in another.

3. Don't hide the router

If the router sits inside a closed cabinet, its working conditions are worse. It should have as much open space around it as possible — a central, reasonably elevated spot is a good starting point.

4. Check whether the problem affects only one room

If WiFi works well everywhere except one room, the problem may be local — for example:

• a thick wall
• several walls in a row
• a large distance
• interference
• a poor router location

If instead WiFi is weak in several distant rooms, the problem is probably with the whole coverage approach.

5. Don't rush to buy an extender

This is a common mistake. A WiFi extender can help, but only if placed correctly. If you put it where the main router's signal is already very weak, the result can fall far short of expectations. In bigger homes, a mesh system or an additional wired access point may be a better solution.

6. Measure WiFi instead of guessing

The best way to find the problem is to take measurements. Walk through your home with your phone and check the signal level in different spots. Pay attention to:

• signal strength
• connection speed
• stability
• the 2.4/5/6 GHz band
• distance from the router

How to improve WiFi in the next room?

You have several options.

Move the router. If the current location is extremely poor, simply relocating the router can significantly improve things.

Change which band you rely on. In some spots, 2.4 GHz can give a more stable connection than 5 GHz or 6 GHz.

Add an access point. In a bigger home, an extra WiFi point can be a better solution than trying to boost a single router's power.

Use a mesh system. Mesh can work well in larger flats and houses, especially when you need consistent coverage across many rooms — but placing the mesh points correctly is what matters most.

Where exactly should the extra WiFi point go?

It depends on the layout of your home. It shouldn't simply be placed "halfway" between the router and the spot with no coverage. It should sit where it still has a good connection to the main network point, while also effectively covering the area that needs improvement.

Summary

If WiFi works great by the router but poorly in the next room, that doesn't automatically mean the router is too weak. First check:

• how many walls sit between the device and the router
• what those walls are made of
• where the router is located
• which band the device is using
• what the signal level looks like across the whole home

Good WiFi starts with proper device placement, not with buying ever more powerful hardware.