Why is the WiFi in my bathroom so bad?

Why is the WiFi in my bathroom so bad? We know that nobody admits to doing it, but sometimes we need to access the internet from inside the bathroom. And when this happens, some people notice that the internet is slower and less reliable: why? 

There are many theories as to why this could be the case, ranging from the simple fact that the signal from the router is blocked by the walls and copper pipes of the bathroom, to the more complicated idea that the WiFi router is placed in the wrong spot and is feeding a reduced signal to that area of your house or office.

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Why is the WiFi in my bathroom so bad?
Why is the WiFi in my bathroom so bad?

There’s a mystery in the toilet: Bad WiFi

It seems a bit odd to worry about WiFi on the toilet – but the truth is that millions of people find themselves using their smartphones while in the bathroom.

It turns out a whole lot of people who do use the bathroom use the bathroom for one reason or another, and they need WiFi to do so. The problem is, there’s not a whole lot of WiFi in the bathroom.

If you’re having problems with your WiFi, it could be because you’re using a router that is in a different room, or even in a different building. The same signal can travel through walls, but it will have to bounce off them to get to the other room.

A survey showed that 90% of millennials use the phone while in the toilet. Further research shows via Statista that 70% of devices used in the bathroom in the United Kingdom are smart phones.

You might be losing WiFi in the bathroom because of your neighbor

 Why is cellular and WiFi signal usually bad in bathrooms? There’s probably a reason, since RF signals attenuate in reflective channels, just like in a bathroom.

Furthermore, there’s no loss (line of sight) due to the closed geometry of the bathroom.

This means that the signal has to travel longer distances to the bathroom, and then transmit through walls with copper pipes, which causes the signal to be weaker.

Think about the following router placement tips to get better WiFi in the bathroom:

  • If you’re in a building with a lot of walls, you might have trouble getting a strong signal. If you’re in a building with lots of floors, you might have trouble getting a strong signal.
  • WiFi routers are not supposed to be placed near walls. They are meant to be placed near the center of a room, so that the signal reaches every corner.
  • The problem could be that your router is in the wrong place. You might have a router in the bathroom that is feeding a weaker signal to that area of the bathroom.

How to make your Wi-Fi more reliable when you’re at home, or on the toilet

In addition to the fact that your WiFi is a nuisance when you’re out and about, it’s a bigger problem when you’re in the bathroom. Most people don’t think about their internet usage in terms of ‘bathroom hours’, but if you’ve got a smart router (or router-capable modem), you might want to set it up to cut out some of the distractions in the bathroom.

With the right settings, you can have your WiFi provider (ISP) temporarily turn off the internet connection during times of high-network use. This means your internet connection won’t be interrupted if you’re streaming Netflix or watching a YouTube video on your laptop or phone.

To get the best results, you need a dedicated WiFi hotspot and a router that supports this feature. And you should change your WiFi password on a regular basis. That’s because an easy to guess WiFi password can make you a target for hackers and spammers.

Conclusion: Can You Get Good WiFi in the Bathroom?

Now that we know why the WiFi in the bathroom is so bad, we can look at ways to maximize signal in there. This is possible with mesh WiFi, stronger WiFi router signals, and even having units installed in your ceiling. Its also worth considering how much time you’re spending in there, and maybe trying to rely less on your phone while you are in there.