Myth Debunked: Can Aluminium Foil Strengthen Wi-fi Signal?

It has always been a famous myth on the internet that aluminium foil can strengthen the Wi-fi signal of your internet router… but, does this actually work?

It can be annoying whenever you’re not getting the best signal out of your broadband plan. However, is it worth it to take the improvements into your own hands and trial some quirky fixes on your router? 

How does this work?

This works by wrapping aluminium foil around the antenna of your router. You direct the foil towards places where signals are the weakest in your home. This serves as a reflector, so that signals can travel across all directions and not just into one area. Doing this also allows the signals to move freely, even with the presence of obstructions like walls or panels.

Aside from strengthening signals, it can also divert signals to places in the home where you spend the most time in. For example, you can make the signals stronger in your room, in exchange for weaker signals in your laundry room.

Does it work?

It sounds absurd, but it may actually work. According to the researchers at Dartmouth University, it does. When done correctly, this household kitchen product can act like a flashlight where you can move the light in the direction that you want to.

To locate the dead areas in your house, they use an app called WiPrint. It's developed to specifically to make a prototype reflector customised to each home. After running some tests on several homes, the results proved to be effective! What’s more is that this solution is cheap, only costing about NZ$48.

Is it worth it?

While it’s effective, there can also be some negative effects to this hack. It can lead to overheating due to excessive voltage buildup. This happens because the internal cooling system of the router is interfering with the foil.

Also, it can lead to de-optimisation of your router over time, as there’s an external factor that prevents it from performing at its best. There may be other alternatives that you may be better off using instead.

What are my options?

Luckily, you don’t have to worry about getting a good wireless signal from your router. Upon your purchase of a new broadband plan, many leading broadband providers in New Zealand include a state-of-the-art modem that’s also easy to set up. 

One of your best options is the modem from Skinny Broadband that can work with ADSL, VDSL, and even fibre! It also produces 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz wireless connections, meaning that your newer 5G-enabled devices can connect to this router.

How can I take advantage of these routers?

If you want to take advantage of these high-quality routers, then purchase a broadband plan from one of the leading providers in NZ. They’ll give you a modern router that promises stronger wireless speeds and reliability all throughout your home.

To know which provider can give you the best internet speed in your home, compare them here at glimp. Our comparison tool will show you all the broadband plans currently on offer, so you can find the best broadband deal for your needs.