Move the Access Point

Move the Access Point
Fact: A wireless signal degrades with distance. You might find that the place
where you originally placed your AP doesn’t really fit with your subsequent
real-world use of your wireless local area network (LAN). A move might be in
order.
After your access point is up and working, you’ll probably forget about it —
people often do. Access points can often be moved around and even shuffled
aside by subsequent gear. Because the access connection is still up (that is to
say, working), sometimes people don’t notice that the access point’s performance
degrades when you hide it more or move it around.
Make sure that your AP is where you want it to be. Check that other gear isn’t
blocking your AP, that your AP isn’t flush against a wall (which can cause
interference), that the vertical orientation of the AP isn’t too close to the
ground (more interference), and that your AP isn’t in line of sight of radio
wave interference (like from microwaves and cordless phones).
Even a few inches can make a difference. The best location is in the center of
your desired coverage area (remember to think in three dimensions!) and on
top of a desk or bookcase.
For more about setting up access points, check out Chapter 6.
Move the Antenna(s)
Remember the days before everyone had cable or satellite TV? There was
a reason people would fiddle with the rabbit ears on a TV set — they were
trying to get the antennas into the ideal position to receive signals. Whether
the antenna is on the client or on the access point, the same concept applies:
Moving the antenna can yield results. Because different antennas have different
signal coverage areas, reorienting it in a different declination (or angle relative
to the horizon) will change the coverage pattern. And a strong signal
translates to better throughput and performance.
Look at it this way: The antenna creates a certain footprint of its signal. If
you’re networking a multi-story home and you’re not getting a great signal
upstairs, try shifting your antenna to a 45° angle to increase a more vertical
signal — that is, send more signal to the upstairs and downstairs, and less
horizontally.