Just last week, Virgin Media issued an urgent alert about moving its routers away from the sunshine. Now, with the mercury set to soar this weekend and a UK health warning in place, it’s a very good time to take notice of this vital advice.
Just like most gadgets, Wi-Fi devices really hate getting hot. In fact, if they happen to overheat, they could end up shutting down leaving you without any internet access.
"Always keep it indoors in a cool place and out of bright sunlight to prevent it from overheating," explained Virgin in the message to users.
Along with Virgin dishing out this useful advice, Uswitch has also joined in with the comparison firm telling broadband users to keep things chilled over the weekend.
Uswitch says all homes must place their router in the coolest possible room and always keep it away from direct sunlight. That means avoiding windowsills as the mercury rises.
Another thing to remember is that Wi-Fi routers require ventilation to get rid of excess heat. It’s vital to position it away from other objects to enable proper airflow all around it, particularly beneath the device. So, if your router is surrounded by mess or shoved in tiny cupboard or is basking in sunlight get it moved to another position.
Speaking about the dangers, telecoms expert, Catherine Hiley said: “Routers have in-built fans that help them to cool down. This means they need space around them to let out the hot air caused by all the processing they need to do. If your router is surrounded by lots of other objects, it can’t properly ventilate and might overheat.
“So, if you’re worried about your router during a heatwave, keeping it out of direct sunlight, giving it some space and disconnecting any unnecessary devices can really help keep it cool and working efficiently.”
Other tips to keep your Wi-Fi in tip-top shape for the summer
• Keep your router away from kitchen appliances such as microwave ovens as the signals they emit will interfere with the broadband
• Fish tanks will bring speeds to a stutter as Wi-Fi really hates passing through water
• Keep your router out of cupboards and as high up as possible to get the best signal
• Give it a reboot once in a while as this clears up any issues and keep things running smoothly.
