Router distance

peasblossom · Apr 30, 2020, 19:00:43

I got a new router from IDNet and am still wondering what the answer to this question is. I have googled, but there's no definitive answer that I can see. So, what's is the best distance to position a router away from my phone? Currently, they are about a foot from each other.

nowster · Apr 30, 2020, 20:45:14

DECT cordless phone bases are known to interfere with DSL modems/routers. Moving them as far apart as you can is recommended.

peasblossom · Apr 30, 2020, 22:13:06

Quote from: nowster on Apr 30, 2020, 20:45:14
DECT cordless phone bases are known to interfere with DSL modems/routers. Moving them as far apart as you can is recommended.

But how close is too close? It's tricky getting them more than foot from each other given where the phone socket is but I'm prepared to think it through. (It is a DECT cordless.)

nowster · Apr 30, 2020, 23:58:47

Inverse square law applies for a point source. Two feet is four times better than one foot; three feet is nine times better.

zappaDPJ · May 01, 2020, 02:57:07

My DECT cordless base unit sits about 3 feet away from my modem/router and doesn't appear to have any major impact on my throughput, wired or WiFi. I'm not an expert but I believe a lot depends on which frequency your phone operates at.

nowster · May 01, 2020, 10:20:22

All DECT phones use one of ten frequencies between 1880 and 1900 MHz in the Europe region. The base station uses the same frequency as the handset. It isn't a continuous transmission, but pulses 12 times per second.

DSL modems aren't usually shielded against RF transmissions. If it's really bad, I suppose you could wrap your router in aluminium foil.

peasblossom · May 01, 2020, 10:39:22

I've shuffled things around and put the router on the next shelf up and they are now about 3 ft away from each other. I think that's as far as I can manage. I could turn the DECT bit off but the blurb doesn't indicate how that would affect the phone, if at all.

You mock foil, nowster? Tut.

peasblossom · May 03, 2020, 22:40:27

Measured it today. Nearer 5½ft! I think I'll leave it.

nowster · May 04, 2020, 10:33:11

Quote from: peasblossom on May 03, 2020, 22:40:27
Measured it today. Nearer 5½ft! I think I'll leave it.

Two metres is the standard for distancing nowadays.

Clive · May 04, 2020, 14:48:58

peasblossom · May 06, 2020, 21:09:06

Quote from: nowster on May 04, 2020, 10:33:11
Two metres is the standard for distancing nowadays.

Thank you, nowster.

peasblossom · May 07, 2020, 20:36:10

should have had

next to it.