Coverage, Interference, and Range

A Wi-Fi network is only as good as its signal where people use it. Three related factors shape that experience: coverage (where signal reaches), interference (what disrupts it), and range (how far it carries). This lesson explains what weakens wireless signals and the practical steps to improve coverage so users get a fast, reliable connection everywhere they need it.

Radio signals lose strength as they travel, a process called attenuation. Distance alone weakens them, and obstacles weaken them more. Thick walls, concrete, metal, glass, and water (including people) all absorb or reflect signal. The higher the frequency, the more easily it is blocked, which is why 5 GHz fades faster indoors than 2.4 GHz over the same path.