Can I unplug my router and move it

Internet connection depends on your router and other devices connected to it. Sometimes, we want to move a router to another room or location especially if the internet speeds are slow.

Wireless routers are very important devices since they’re all that we connect our wireless devices to including phones, PCs, and other devices. So, can you unplug a router and move it?

Yes, you can unplug a router and move it. However, this depends on several factors including the type of modem, the cable outlet, and the coaxial cable range.

How does an internet connection work?

To determine whether it’s possible to unplug and move a router, it’s important to first understand how an internet connection in your home works. When setting up an internet connection in your apartment or house, you need to first locate where the cable outlet is and if it’s active or not. You then need some equipment to connect to this cable outlet. You need a modem, an Ethernet cord, a wireless router, and an internet service provider (ISP). The cable outlet has a coaxial cable that supplies internet from the ISP to your house. The modem is very important because it receives the data gathered through several channels including fiber optic cables, phone lines, and cables; it then converts this data into digital signals. When you connect your wireless router to this modem, it then delivers these signals to your router which then allows your wireless devices to access this information.

So, you see, it’s not only the router that is involved in this process. There are a lot of things happening besides the router for you to be able to receive internet access on your device. Unplugging your router and moving it then expecting it to work as usual is not that simple. So, for your router to continue functioning, you need to move it along with the modem, unless the router combines both router and modem functionalities.

Factors to consider

Besides, the modem, other factors that determine whether you can move your router are the location of the cable outlet, how long your cables are (coaxial cable and the Ethernet cord), and the type of internet connection you use.

Coaxial cable & Ethernet cord

The coaxial cable is what connects the modem to the wall outlet while the Ethernet cord is what connects the modem to your router. For a wider range, you would want these cables to be longer but not very long. This is because, when a cable is very long, it increases attenuation which is measured in decibels (dB). Attenuation simply refers to the loss of signal strength in cables which may cause the signals to become distorted weakening the internet strength.

Internet connection type

If you have a DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), then you can unplug the modem and plug it into any telephone jack in your house.

How to move the internet without moving the router

Access points

You can better your Wi-Fi coverage around the house without unplugging and moving your router. Wi-Fi access points will help by acting as secondary wireless internet connection points allowing you to connect your wireless devices to the internet without being in the same place as the router.

Ethernet

You can plug an Ethernet cable in your router and then connect it to a Network switch at the point where you want the internet coverage. This eliminates the need to physically move your router.

Issue	Factors to Consider	How to Fix
Can I unplug my router and move it?	Coaxial cable & Ethernet cord	Get a longer coaxial cable or Ethernet cord. However, you shouldn’t get one that’s too long since it reduces the signal quality
	Router	To move a router, you need to move the modem too. This might be easy if your router also has an inbuilt modem.
	Internet connection	DSL connections are the best to use almost anywhere in your house as you can connect a modem to it wherever there’s a telephone jack.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the difference between a coaxial cable and an Ethernet cable?

Despite both cables being used for internet connection, they play different roles. Coaxial cables are used to transfer internet connection from a building or room to another while an Ethernet cable is used for connecting devices over a network.

Is Ethernet faster than coaxial cables?

Yes, Ethernet is faster than coaxial. It’s easier to get maximum speeds of up to 1 Gbps per second on Ethernet than it is to get on coaxial cables. Without equipment to support high-speed fiber-optic over coax, it’s hard to get such speeds.