Devonport and the surrounding suburbs are full of lovely old villas and bungalows. They're not so lovely for wifi. Here's why the signal gives up halfway down the hall, and how to fix it.
Why older homes are hard on wifi
- Long, narrow layouts. The router is usually at the front, where the fibre comes in, while the family is in the kitchen and living area at the back.
- Walls and fittings. Brick and plaster walls, fireplaces, foil insulation and later extensions all block or soak up the signal.
- The router is hidden away. Stuck in a cupboard or behind the TV, it loses range fast.
Concrete apartments have the opposite problem: strong signal in one room, and almost nothing on the other side of a concrete wall.
Things to try first
- Move the router out into the open, as high and as central as you can.
- Restart it, and check that it's still getting updates. Old routers can really hold you back.
- Plug devices that don't move, like the TV or a desktop, in with a cable.
The fixes that work
Mesh wifi
Two or three units placed around the house work together as one network, so your phone switches between them as you move. For most villas, this is the answer. We stock mesh systems.
Wired access points
For bigger homes, or for the best possible speed, a network cable to each access point beats wireless every time. We can run the cabling neatly.
Skip the cheap range extender
Plug-in extenders often halve your speed and make devices hop between networks. Mesh wifi is usually a better buy.
Want it sorted properly?
Book a call-out and we'll test the signal through your home, explain the options, and quote before installing anything. See wifi & network setup.
Would you rather we sorted it?
Bring it in any weekday morning, or book a time online.