AirPort Extreme in closet

[Wirenut]

Hello!

I love in a 900sqft condo. It is a 30'x30' square with plaster walls. There is a small closet right in the center of the condo in which I would like to put my AirPort Extreme.

Will this effect the signal? Limit bandwidth? I have heard that the newer WiFi standards have issues with being near walls, so I was wondering if this is a bad idea?

 

[Fishrrman]

"I have heard that the newer WiFi standards have issues with being near walls, so I was wondering if this is a bad idea?"

I think it's a bad idea.
The "idea" is to get the strongest signal, unimpeded by having to pass through walls.
Put it somewhere in the open.
It doesn't look that bad, now, does it...?

 

[Wirenut]

Thanks for the reply!

It kinda does look bad now with the cable model and all the wires, but that's not the only thing. Where it is right now (living room) it has to go thru even more walls for some of my TVs and my office computer. If I move it to my office, it will be the opposite problem.

The closet in the center of the condo will make it so that some devices signal will have to pass thru less walls. It will also shorten the distance to many devices. But it will be enclosing the router in a box.

 

[Weaselboy]

Hello!

I love in a 900sqft condo. It is a 30'x30' square with plaster walls. There is a small closet right in the center of the condo in which I would like to put my AirPort Extreme.

Will this effect the signal? Limit bandwidth? I have heard that the newer WiFi standards have issues with being near walls, so I was wondering if this is a bad idea?

For that size condo it will work just fine in the closet. In theory, going through more walls reduces the signal a bit, but for that small a unit it won't matter.

 

[fanchee]

I have a 3/2/2 1800-ish sq ft home, and I have my Time Capsule in a small, central 'internet closet' along with the cable modem, printer, etc. This closet shares a wall with my office, so I routed some cabling through that wall to my work machines for wired connections. But everywhere else throughout the house picks up wireless signals fine. We have multiple phones, iPads, game consoles, TV streaming devices, etc. Works fine in a closet.

 

[Wirenut]

Good to know fanchee.

No matter where I put it, the signal will have to pass thru 1 or more walls. It's just that I read newer routers (I guess 5Ghz) have issues when too close to a wall in enclosed in something small like a closet. That was my concern.

 

[steve62388]

Good to know fanchee.

No matter where I put it, the signal will have to pass thru 1 or more walls. It's just that I read newer routers (I guess 5Ghz) have issues when too close to a wall in enclosed in something small like a closet. That was my concern.

It will affect signal strength, but possibly not enough to be any concern to you. There are so many variables when it comes to WiFi nobody will be able to advise you with 100% certainty, you will have to try it out.

 

[Fishrrman]

Try it in the closet, and use a utility like "Wifi Scanner" to measure signal strength.
Then, try it OUT of the closest, and repeat the test.

Any significant differences?