"Too far" with a wireless router depends on whether you are prioritizing signal strength/connectivity or potential health concerns related to EMF exposure.
Most WiFi routers have a range of up to 300 feet indoors and 1500 feet outdoors. However, for best results, your connected device should be within 150 feet of the WiFi router. The WiFi will penetrate most walls, so you can have devices in different rooms and on different floors and still stay connected to the network.
If that's not practical, both myself and several of the EMF home consultants I work with agree that no one should ever be closer than 10 feet to a WiFi antenna. I feel best with a minimum of 20 feet between me and a router. If you have young children, it's best to keep them 30 or 40 feet away.
Common Methods to Extend Wi-Fi Long Distances
Yes, 5GHz Wi-Fi can go through walls, but its range and ability to penetrate walls are generally less effective compared to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi.
What is the range of 5GHz WiFi? The typical indoor range for 5GHz WiFi is approximately 100-200 feet (30-60 meters) from the router, although this can vary based on factors like building materials, interference, and router capabilities.
Pay Attention to Nearby Windows
Although they aren't a problem in the same way that walls and microwaves are, windows can hurt your signal strength. It's easier to lose the signal when your router is placed near a window, so keep this in mind when you choose where to place your router.
Places to avoid putting your Wi-Fi extender
Depending on the model and environmental factors, a range extender can add an additional 30 to 50 meters (98 to 164 feet) indoors.
As you may know, the further away a WiFi device is from the WiFi access point/router, the slower its speed. So by using WiFi Network Extenders around your home, you can shorten the distance between your WiFi devices and the WiFi signal thus increasing each device's speed and improving performance.
Don't place the router in a corner or against a wall. Avoid placing the router near metal objects or solid surfaces that can block wireless signals. Don't hide the router in a closet, cabinet or cupboard as it reduces wireless router signal strength. Small spaces can also lead to overheating.
Advantages of Using a Router
Comprehensive coverage for the entire home. Better speed and reliability compared to extenders. Advanced features such as parental controls, guest networks, and security settings.
Wi-Fi 7 range indoors is still about 230 feet, similar to Wi-Fi 6. Walls and floors will still disrupt your signal, so don't expect miracles there. The real upgrades are in better handling of interference and making connections more stable for multiple devices.
Yes, Wi-Fi technology allows your home internet connection to pass through walls, but you still need to take steps to optimize your Wi-Fi connectivity. The thickness of a wall can interfere with your internet signal, leaving you with dead zones in your home.
Many radio-controlled drones, model aircraft, model boats and toys use the 2.4 GHz band. These radio systems can go up to 500 meters in radio-controlled cars and over 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) in drones / airplanes.
How to Extend Your Wi-Fi Signal
Andrea Walters Bury a conduit with an outdoor-rated Ethernet cable or fiber (with fiber-Ethernet adapters). Or use a point-to-point wireless bridge. All three of these ways extend a Ethernet connection to the other building. Then put any wireless router in access point mode in the building.
WiFi extenders are not always reliable and can often slow down your internet connection. This is because the WiFi signal must travel from the router to the extender and back out again. As a result, even if you can connect, the speeds provided might be very slow, especially if you are far away from the WiFi extender.
Under unknown environmental factors, we can say that range of 2.4GHz is about 60feets(20 meters) and 5GHz is within 45feets(15 meters) to guarantee a good networking experience. Note for Q1: 1. For portable products, such as Mi-Fi M7350/M5350 or TL-WR710N/TL-WR702N, the range is about 10 meters.
To get the best results with your Wi-Fi extender, you should plug the extender into a power outlet midway between your router and the dead zone area. The extender can then pick up the Wi-Fi signal from your router and extend that signal deeper into your home.
WiFi repeaters and WiFi extenders both improve your WiFi signal and range, however, they do it in different ways. A WiFi extender connects directly to your router and creates a new WiFi network. A WiFi repeater connects to your network wirelessly and rebroadcasts your existing network signal.
With multiple devices spread throughout your home, a good mesh router can sling a speedy signal from room to room, and you won't have to juggle multiple networks like you will with a range extender -- you'll just connect to the same network throughout your home (or two networks, if you're splitting the 2.4 and 5GHz ...
Everyday Materials that Block WiFi Signal
Place in a central location
The best place to put your WiFi router is in a central location, so your home coverage will be better. This helps avoid outsiders accessing your WiFi and less likely to compromise your connection.
When these signals encounter objects, especially humans, they reflect, scatter, and diffract. By analyzing how Wi-Fi signals bounce back, it's possible to detect the presence, movement, and even the shape of people behind walls.