- Investigative requirements A large number of plants can cause measurable signal loss in small spaces
- Moving a router away from houseplants can noticeably improve the Wi-Fi performance
- Wi-Fi 8 promises more reliable connection but arrives first in 2028
Students may not seem like a likely suspect when it comes to sluggish Wi-Fi connections, yet a new study has claimed that they could be partially responsible.
Research from the broadband Genia says that moving a router away from household green led to an increase in broadband speed of more than a third.
The rationale behind the claim is that moisture -rich soil and dense foliage can absorb or divert signals, leading to weaker coverage.
Plants and wireless signals
Broadband Genie suggests in a small apartment filled with plants, the effect can be noticeable.
“We were shocked to discover how much of a difference it can make just move your router away from your houseplant collection,” said the company’s broadband expert Peter Ames.
“Take status over where your plants are and where your router is currently placed and do what you can to make sure your router has a clear path where your internet is most used, without the houseplants blocking your Wi-Fi signal.”
However, walls, ceilings and even interference from the neighbors’ Wi-Fi network will probably play a far greater role in interfering with connection options than a potted fern.
Unless someone has an unusual number of plants packed around their router, the effect is unlikely to be dramatic.
Despite the questionable framing, the wider advice is convenient. Keeping Wi-Fi routers hidden behind plant pots or furniture is unlikely to improve performance.
Placing the device in an open, central location usually provides better coverage.
Moving a router closer to a laptop or phone that the experiment seems to have done would of course improve speeds regardless of plants nearby.
This raises doubts about how much the observed improvement was due to reducing interference in foliage compared to simply optimizing the location.
For households with uniform problems, it is only an option to change the router position.
Broadband Genie also recommends solutions such as Mesh Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi Extenders that distribute signals more evenly throughout the home.
These approaches can be particularly useful in larger houses where signals are struggling to reach certain rooms.
Alternatively, Powerline adapters that use existing electrical wires or standard Ethernet cables can provide more reliable connections than wireless.
In addition to quick fixes, the wireless industry is preparing for long -term improvements.
The upcoming Wi-Fi 8 standard, which is still under development and is not expected until 2028, aims to improve reliability by controlling signals more directly against devices.
Until then, users need to rely on current technologies and sensible setup practices.
The proposal that houseplants may be blamed for slow speeds may sound more like a quirky advertising stunt than a scientific finding.
Although it is technically true that all materials absorb some radio signals, the extent of the effect from indoor plants remains questionable.
Via the register
