If WiFi only works near the router, do not buy a new router yet. First compare two devices at the same spots. If both lose the network at about the same distance, the home WiFi path is weak. If only one device fails, focus on that phone, laptop or adapter.
Run a two-device distance test
Use one device that has the problem and a second phone or laptop that normally works. Connect both to the same network name. Turn off mobile data on the phone so it cannot hide a failed WiFi connection.
- Stand a few feet from the router and open the same simple web page on both devices.
- Move both devices to the doorway, then to the room where the connection usually fails.
- Note whether the WiFi name disappears, the signal bars fall, or the network stays connected without loading.
- Repeat once with the devices held in their normal positions.
This is a comparison, not a speed contest. You are looking for the point where each device becomes unreliable.
Read the result before changing settings
| Test result | Most useful next step |
|---|---|
| Both devices fail in the same area | Check router placement, obstacles, band choice and coverage |
| Only one device fails | Test that device on another WiFi network and check its software or wireless hardware |
| The network stays connected but pages stop loading | Compare another device and check whether the issue is internet access rather than signal |
| One band works farther than another | Use the steadier band in that room or improve access-point placement |
If every device has a short WiFi range
A result shared by several devices points toward the path from the router to the room. Microsoft recommends reducing walls and other obstacles, placing the access point closer to the middle of the home and moving it higher when practical.
Move the router into the open for one test. Do not leave it inside a metal cabinet, on the floor behind furniture or beside a large metal object. Keep the modem or fiber equipment connected exactly as your provider requires. If the router cannot be moved permanently, the temporary test still tells you whether placement matters.
Compare 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
Many routers combine bands under one network name. If your router offers separate names or a temporary band control, compare 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz with the same device in the same room. Microsoft notes that 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz have different range and performance characteristics.
A steadier 2.4 GHz result in a distant room does not prove the router is faulty. A faster 5 GHz result near the router does not mean it will be the best band through several walls. Avoid turning off security or using an old security mode just to force a connection. Apple recommends WPA3 Personal or WPA2/WPA3 Transitional when compatible.
Check whether one device is the weak side
If another phone or laptop works well in the problem room, take the failing device to a second trusted WiFi network. Test close to that router, then move to a normal working distance.
| Second-network result | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| The device also needs to stay very close there | The device’s wireless adapter, antenna path, case or software deserves attention |
| The device works normally there | Compatibility or configuration on the home router is more likely |
| Bluetooth range is also suddenly poor | Record that symptom for the device maker because some devices share nearby radio hardware |
Remove simple device-side causes
Restart the device, install its normal operating-system updates and test without a thick metal accessory or a USB device sitting beside its wireless adapter. On Windows 11, run the Network and Internet troubleshooter in Get Help. Microsoft also recommends comparing another device on the same network before moving into deeper repairs.
For a laptop, use the computer maker’s support page for the exact model before changing a wireless driver. Do not download a random driver tool. If the WiFi range collapsed after a screen, hinge or hardware repair, tell the repairer exactly when it changed. Do not open the display or reconnect an antenna yourself unless you are qualified to service that model.
Restart the home network in order
If several devices are affected and placement has not changed, use the restart instructions from your internet provider or router maker. A common order is to turn off the modem or optical network terminal and router, restore the provider device first, wait for its normal online state, then start the router. Do not factory-reset either device during this test.
Decide whether you need coverage hardware
If both test devices work near the router and reliably fail in the same distant area, the symptom is a coverage problem. Moving the router or adding a properly placed access point may help. A mesh node or extender must itself receive a good connection; placing it inside the dead zone usually repeats the weak link.
Do not upgrade your internet plan for this symptom. A faster provider plan does not strengthen the radio path between a room and the router. Before buying hardware, map the rooms where both devices fail and note whether Ethernet works there.
Know when the router itself deserves suspicion
Router hardware moves higher on the list when every device suddenly has short range, both bands changed at the same time, the router runs abnormally hot or a second known-good router works normally from the same location. Check the maker’s current firmware and support notes before replacement.
If only one device has trouble, use our guide for WiFi not working on one device. If devices connect at normal range but drop repeatedly, follow the separate frequent WiFi disconnection checklist.
A short repair order
- Compare two devices at the same distances.
- Move the router into the open for one controlled test.
- Compare supported bands without weakening security.
- Test the failing device on another trusted network.
- Update or repair only the side the comparison identifies.
- Add coverage hardware only after both devices show the same room-level failure.
