Home > Router

How to Best Position Router Antennas?

Reviewed By: Kevin Pocock

Last Updated on August 11, 2023
TP-Link N450 Wireless Internet Router for Home (TL-WR940N)
PC Guide is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More
You can trust PC Guide: Our team of experts use a combination of independent consumer research, in-depth testing where appropriate - which will be flagged as such, and market analysis when recommending products, software and services. Find out how we test here.

You may not know this, but the position of your antennas matters a lot in terms of how your router performs. Yet, surprisingly, some users still can’t achieve their desired results despite buying a high-end router. So, have you ever wondered if positioning your antenna can make a huge difference and which position is best?

Continue reading to learn more about your router’s antenna positioning.

Do Antennas Matter?

Antennas play a vital role in a router’s overall performance; some users may not even know about it. They are not just for decoration but rather control the signals flow that controls their performance.


Top 5 Cyber Monday deals

This year's Cyber Monday has officially kickstarted, offering up huge discounts on some of the market's leading tech products. Below, we'll list the best Cyber Monday deals we can find.

Prices and savings subject to change. Click through to get the current deal prices.


Routers typically have two types of antennas, internal and external. Internal routers are inside the router to spread signals in every possible direction. The external antenna is outside a router which is moveable and controls the signals in various directions.

Best Router Antenna Positioning

Checkout the below easy way to position your internet router

  • A router with feet should be set up on its feet instead of any side positioning.
  • Locate the antennas on your router. If there aren’t any antennas, your router has internal antennas.
  • Next, position them vertically and horizontally if you have them at the top. This way, they will spread the signals over an entire floor.
  • Most router manufacturers recommend positioning the antennas vertically. A router works even faster when both the router and antennas are pointed in the same direction.
  • You can position the antennas at various angles to cover a wider area with more than one floor. No matter how many antennas your router has: four, six, or eight, each must be at a different angle. This positioning is best for covering wider are with a fast speed and stable connection.

Lastly, in a router with internal antennas, you cannot position its antennas. Therefore, you can change their position by placing them in a place at your home that does not have many obstacles like walls, floors, or other electronic devices. This will help to strengthen their performance results.

Conclusion

Positioning a router’s antennas can help solve most performance issues, such as low signals or connection speed, frequent disconnection, and no signals or connection. All these issues result in poor performance. Therefore, you must consider positioning your router occasionally when you change your place and move to a farther living spot to attain maximum coverage.

Kevin is the Editor of PC Guide. He has a broad interest and enthusiasm for consumer electronics, PCs and all things consumer tech - and more than 15 years experience in tech journalism.