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(StatePoint) — Whether it's to stream a movie from the bedroom or lock the front door using smart home technology, you've likely come to expect Wi-Fi to reach every corner of your house. The reality is that there are certain locations in many homes where Inter- net-connected devices and smartphones are unable to receive a steady Wi-Fi sig- nal (or any signal at all) from the router. These sad places are called "dead zones." "Dead zones typically include bathrooms, second- and third-story bedrooms, attics, basements, garages and back patios — and they can drive everyone in the house absolutely crazy," said Jeff Parker, the "Wi-Fi Guru," and editor of the Milo Wi-Fi Blog, a source for practical advice, new products, and leading-edge technology dedicated to enhancing the Wi-Fi experi- ence. So, given today's base- ment-to-attic demand for Wi-Fi access, what is the most economical and effec- tive strategy for winning the battle against dead zones in your home? Parker offers five no- cost/low-cost suggestions: 1. Keep your router away from metal. Objects such as mirrors, televi- sions, appliances or any- thing large made primarily of metal (i.e. decorative fur- niture, filing cabinets, even fish tanks) have the poten- tial to impair your net- work's signal strength. If possible, move such items and your router apart. 2. Switch to a less crowded frequency. In liv- ing spaces like apartment buildings, too many broad- casting networks can inter- fere with each other and impact Wi-Fi quality. Because routers broadcast across two wireless fre- quency bands, 2.4 and 5 GHz, when one is too crowded it acts like a high- way packed with cars. The good news is you can usual- ly switch frequencies with- in your mobile device set- tings to use the less-crowd- ed channel. 3. Reboot regularly. Routers asked to complete many requests, such as handing out multiple IP addresses to different devices and handling large downloads, can end up slowing down because of the heavy workload. You can think of rebooting your router as basically refresh- ing it and clearing any memory or stalled tasks. 4. Get the latest hard- ware. If you're still using that dinosaur router from the early 2000s, it's proba- bly time for an upgrade. Outfitting your home with a smarter and more advanced router could be the solution to your Wi-Fi woes, especially if your existing router is a very old model with limited capabil- ities. Internet service providers often provide router upgrades by request for no charge. 5. Consider a distrib- uted mesh Wi-Fi system. For Wi-Fi that reaches far- ther, consider a mesh Wi-Fi system, which consists of a main router connected to a modem and a series of satellite Wi-Fi distribution modules placed throughout the house. Those from Milo provide a strong uninter- rupted signal to every Wi-Fi device in the home, from attic to basement. To learn more, visit milowifi.com or call 1-877-426-6456. Don't just live with the dead zones in your home. By taking a few simple steps, you can enjoy a more satisfying Wi-Fi experi- ence. NOVEMBER 2018 HOME 7 K i t c h e n s | B a t h s | D e n s | C a b i n s | O f f i c e s | R e c R o o m s Work With Experienced Design Professionals "We Specialize in Cabinetry" 1005 Richards Road, Hartland | 262.367.9439 www.kitchencreators.com Cabinetry For Every Room, Every Budget! 262488005 We Beat All Big Box Stores and all Competitors | Visit Our Showroom By Appointment SHOWROOM CLOSEOUT SALE GOING ON NOW! WE SPECIALIZE IN NORCRAFT'S MID CONTINENT CABINETRY (c) nuclear_lily / stock.Adobe.com By taking a few simple steps, you can avoid Wi-Fi "dead zones" in your house and get the Internet humming along again. Five tips to bring your home's Wi-Fi 'dead zones' to life again