Wireless Access Point Placement Best Practices

Poor access point placement is the most common cause of Wi-Fi coverage gaps and performance issues. Follow these guidelines for optimal wireless coverage. Height: mount APs on the ceiling or high on walls (8-10 feet) for 360-degree signal radiation — not behind equipment racks or on the floor. Central placement: position each AP to serve a cluster of users within a radius of 30-50 feet in standard office environments (concrete walls reduce range significantly). Avoid placing APs: near metal surfaces (reflections cause signal degradation), next to microwave ovens or cordless phone bases (2.4GHz interference), in equipment closets, or adjacent to elevator shafts (RF-absorbing materials). For multi-story buildings, vertically align APs between floors to reduce inter-floor interference. Overlap coverage between adjacent APs by 15-20% to enable seamless roaming. Use the 5GHz band for high-density areas — its shorter range is actually an advantage as it reduces co-channel interference between neighboring APs.