What Blocks WiFi Signals at Home (& How to Fix It)

Key Takeaways

• Wireless internet interference happens when other signals or physical obstacles weaken, slow, or drop your WiFi connection, and it’s one of the top reasons the internet keeps going out.
• Dense materials (concrete, brick, metal, mirrors), water, large appliances, and nearby electronics are the most common culprits.
• Move your router to a central, open spot, change your WiFi channel, and keep the router away from other electronics.

Picture this: It’s after work, and you’re getting cozy on the couch to start binge watching the newest season of your favorite show. But when you click the app, your internet is not performing like you’d expect. Instead, it’s slow, grainy, and constantly taking time to buffer.  

If your WiFi isn’t working optimally, you may be dealing with wireless internet interference, which reduces your WiFi’s strength and range. Your high-speed internet shouldn’t stop because something is blocking the internet signal in your home!

We’ll dig into why the internet keeps going out in your home, what blocks a WiFi signal, and how to fix the issue for good.

What Is WiFi Interference?

If you’ve ever noticed your wireless internet connection flickering in and out, that’s interference. It’s also one of the most common answers to the question, “Why does the internet keep going out?”  

Usually, this happens when other electronics’ frequencies overlap with your internet’s frequency. This causes dropped connections and lower network performance, causing lag, high latency, and grainy picture quality.  

What Things Block My WiFi Signal?

A WiFi signal can be easily blocked by numerous things in and around your home (and not all of them are digital). Below are the most common sources of WiFi interference.

Nearby Routers

If you live in an apartment complex or have neighbors close to your home, their routers may use the same channel within range of your router. And just like that, you’re dealing with signal interference. If you notice more dropped connections or fuzzy pictures, change your WiFi channel to avoid interfering with a neighbor’s signal.

Christmas Lights

During the holiday season, homes are aglow with light, warmth, and, sometimes, a dropped WiFi signal. Christmas lights may be the ones interfering with your WiFi during the winter months, and that’s because incandescent and LED bulbs put out electromagnetic radiation moving through the cord. This creates a very weak electromagnetic field that can sometimes disrupt your WiFi. To mitigate this, try putting your router in different areas of your home away from lights.

Baby Monitors

Depending on what kind of baby monitor you pick out for your little one, you may be dealing with dropped signals and slower connection times. Some baby monitors are analog and operate at low frequencies that don’t typically interfere with WiFi. But digital baby monitors are often using 2.4 GHz – the same frequency as many WiFi routers.  

The best way to circumvent this issue is changing WiFi channels and positioning the router and baby monitor away from one another.

Dense Walls and Furniture

We’ve all been in a building where our WiFi connection drops without warning. Some walls are made a little thicker than others, and depending on the material and the layout of your home, some areas in your house may have a weaker signal. Be sure to put your router in a centralized location in the home so all areas can benefit from a strong connection. Dense materials like concrete, brick, plaster, and metal are some of the biggest culprits (see the full list of materials below).

What Materials Can Block a WiFi Signal?

Radio waves lose strength as they pass through solid objects, and some materials block far more of your WiFi signal than others. If you’re wondering what blocks WiFi signal in your home, these are the materials most likely to be blocking the internet:

• Metal: Appliances, filing cabinets, metal doors, and ductwork reflect and absorb WiFi signals.
• Concrete and brick: Thick masonry walls, floors, and foundations absorb a large share of the signal.
• Water: Fish tanks, water heaters, and the plumbing inside walls absorb WiFi signals.
• Mirrors and glass: Mirrors have a metallic backing that reflects signals, and tinted or low-E window glass has a metallic coating that can weaken them.

Solutions to Keep Interference Down

Just because your signal is a little weaker than you expected doesn’t mean your WiFi isn’t working – sometimes, it’s just an interrupted connection. Here are a few solutions to keep interference down and keep your WiFi moving at optimal speeds around the clock.

Move Your Router

As mentioned above, we recommend putting your router in a centralized area in the home that is free of overpowering LED lights, baby monitors, and other appliances like microwaves and Bluetooth devices. This may involve a little trial and error to see the best area for it, but try out options like a home office, front room, or spare bedroom. Place it up high, out in the open, and away from metal objects, mirrors, and fish tanks.

Test Your WiFi Speed

It’s easy to test your WiFi speeds at home to see what you’re working with. Take a free internet speed test to see if yours makes the cut. Run the test next to your router and again in the room where the problem happens. A big drop between the two points to interference or something blocking the signal.  

Call MaxxSouth Broadband

If you’re troubleshooting your wireless internet connection and it’s still not quite right, it’s time to call MaxxSouth Broadband. Our team of professionals can help you determine the cause and mitigate issues in the future. Give us a call today to find out why your internet keeps going out and get your WiFi back up to speed.

WiFi Interference FAQs

What blocks a WiFi signal the most?

Dense building materials like concrete, brick, and metal block the most signal, followed by water (such as fish tanks) and mirrors. Electronics that share your router’s 2.4 GHz frequency, like microwaves and digital baby monitors, cause network interference as well.

Why does the internet keep going out?

The most common causes are WiFi interference, a router that’s poorly placed or outdated, too many connected devices, or a service issue in your area. Plug a computer directly into your router with an Ethernet cable: if the internet still drops, interference isn’t the cause, and it’s time to contact your provider.

How do I stop WiFi interference?

Move your router to a central, open spot away from other electronics, change your WiFi channel, use the 5 GHz band for nearby devices, and consider a newer router or mesh system if your home is large or has dense walls.