Chicken Wire Might Be The Reason Your Home Has Terrible Wi-Fi Signal

If your home's Wi-Fi isn't working very well or if the signal is extremely weak, you may have serious problems with using the web, streaming, and anything else that requires an internet connection — it also probably isn't doing your home office setup any favors. While you may be eager to find a solution, Wi-Fi problems can sometimes be difficult to diagnose since there are many things that could be the culprit. You could have a defective router, there could be a problem with a cable, or your internet service provider (ISP) may be experiencing outages. However, if you have an old home, there's a good chance that the structure of the home itself is at fault. Metal structural materials can sometimes block Wi-Fi signals and cause problems. 

In particular, poor Wi-Fi signals in a home may be the result of plaster-and-lath walls that contain chicken wire. While chicken wire may be useful for keeping critters out of your garden, it's sometimes used in plaster-and-lath walls as well, especially in homes from the Victorian and Edwardian era. If chicken wire is the cause of poor Wi-Fi signal, home renovation is an option, but it isn't always practical. Fortunately, other things may help improve your internet connection instead.

To fix Wi-Fi issues, it's a good idea to check for specific dead zones in your home. To do this, simply move your smartphone or device around the home and monitor the level of the Wi-Fi signal it has. Make a note of spots where there's no signal or very little signal. You may simply want to avoid these parts of your home when using Wi-Fi or potentially make some renovations. 

It's also possible that the router itself could be located in a dead zone. You may want to move your router to a different location to get better signal where you use Wi-Fi in the home. Consider testing the router by placing it in different spots and checking the signal on your device.

Aside from chicken wire, you may want to check for other types of obstructions as well. Foil insulation, steel girders, metal ductwork, and other metal materials could also block the Wi-Fi signal. Water in pipes, swimming pools, and other large home water features could potentially cause problems as well. As an alternative to home renovation or moving your routers, consider using wireless extenders, repeaters, and boosters. These devices can help redirect and extend the Wi-Fi signal in your home and help it reach various areas of the home more easily.