Few things are more frustrating than your WiFi connection dropping out. Fast, reliable internet throughout our homes makes everyday life run more smoothly, which is why we’ve introduced our WiFi guarantee with WiFi Max. That means superfast, reliable broadband – and it’s our promise that you’ll enjoy download speeds of at least 30Mbps in every room or get £100 bill credit. 

It’s backed up by our signal-boosting mesh WiFi Pods (if needed) and Intelligent WiFi (self-optimising technology built into all our WiFi Hubs to automatically sort any WiFi issue) – at no extra cost with our Gigabit Fibre Broadband and Volt packages. You can also add our WiFi guarantee with WiFi Max to our M50 to M500 Fibre Broadband packs (without Volt) for £8 a month, with your first WiFi Pod provided automatically.

We’re revolutionising the way we keep people online, and our high-tech solutions will make your Virgin Media WiFi even faster and more reliable. But there’s also another surprisingly simple method that could give your signal a bit of a boost: moving your router. Follow these dos and don’ts, and you might find that you can stretch your WiFi further than expected…

Do… stay central

The best place for your router is right in the heart of the home. Imagine your ideal signal range like a huge bubble that surrounds your entire living space. If your WiFi router isn’t broadcasting from the bubble’s central point, your entire home is less likely to be covered by your internet connection. That’s where WiFi Pods come in.

Don’t… hide your Hub

Some people are tempted to tuck their internet router away for aesthetic reasons, but stowing yours in a cupboard or box is a surefire way to weaken your internet connection because any physical obstruction around your Hub will interfere with the signal. (It also increases the chance of the router overheating, which isn’t good.) For the same reason, you should avoid hiding pods behind furniture, especially bulky pieces like heavy chests of drawers or sofas.

Don’t… put your Hub near trouble spots

There are other places to avoid putting your router (if you can, since it’ll need to be near the network’s entry point into the property). Don’t put it in the kitchen if possible, because heavy-duty metal appliances – ovens, fridges, washing machines – and signal-emitting electronics like microwaves can interfere. make this a particularly inhospitable environment for your router. 

Fish tanks and mirrors are also the enemies of home broadband: water inhibits WiFi signal, and reflective surfaces (including stainless steel countertops and the like) can reflect the radio waves used to transmit wireless internet, which can have a negative impact on performance by scattering and distorting the signal. 

Do… position your Hub higher

Remember that huge bubble that surrounds your entire living space. By placing the Hub higher, you’re effectively wasting less of the bubble. Try positioning the Hub high on a wall using an unobtrusive mount or small floating shelf – lots of retailers now make these especially for this purpose – or high on a bookshelf, where it can blend in with the books behind it.

If you in live in a home with multiple floors, the best position for the Hub might in fact be on the ground on the first floor. And you’re still using height to your advantage.

Do… give it space

WiFi routers aren’t team players – they generally prefer to operate at a distance from their fellow electronic devices. If your connection is weak, check to see if your Hub is too close to objects that send out their own signals, such as TVs, wireless speakers or cordless phones. It will be happier if it’s at least one metre away from other electronics.

Don’t… go horizontal

Keep your router upright with the front lights facing into the room to ensure the WiFi antennas inside the router are in the most efficient orientation and less of your WiFi signal is wasted. Having the router upright will also ensure optimal air flow through the Hub and help avoid overheating.

Do… arrange WiFi Pods helpfully

Don’t place them directly in a WiFi blackspot: the most effective position is halfway between the Hub and the blackspot. If you’ve got WiFi Pods on multiple floors, the best place for them is one directly above the other, or as close as you can manage. As with the Hub, avoid placing them behind furniture or near electrical appliances, or in other places that could mean the signal gets blocked. And the bathroom is a total no-no. WiFi Pods and water don’t get on.

Also bear in mind that your WiFi Pods set-up may differ slightly depending on which one you’ve got. Click here for more info.

Do… manage your WiFi Pods

If you’ve got one or more WiFi Pods, you can download the Connect app and use it to keep an eye on how they are doing – see their signal strength, know which devices are connected to each one, get troubleshooting tips, rename them and much more.

Want to learn more?

To find out more about our superfast WiFi guarantee, click here. To learn more about WiFi Pods, click here.