Had a similar experience with an older property I was working on—beautiful old place, but the walls were practically Wi-Fi-proof. Mesh systems were hit or miss, and powerline adapters definitely helped, but we still had some stubborn dead zones. Funny enough, what ended up working best for us was just repositioning the router itself. We moved it from a tucked-away corner to a more central spot upstairs (yeah, not exactly pretty), and suddenly coverage improved dramatically.
One thing I've learned from renovating older buildings is that sometimes the wiring layout makes zero sense—like whoever installed it was just winging it as they went along. Had one place where outlets in adjacent rooms were on completely different circuits...go figure. Anyway, glad you found a workaround too. Old homes definitely have their quirks, but there's something satisfying about finding creative solutions without breaking the bank or tearing everything apart.
"Funny enough, what ended up working best for us was just repositioning the router itself."
That's been my experience too, surprisingly. Many people overlook something as simple as router placement, but it can make a big difference. I've tackled a couple of older homes myself, and it's always a balancing act between aesthetics and practicality. Glad you found an affordable workaround—it proves that sometimes the simplest adjustments are the most effective, especially when budgets are tight.
Had a similar thing happen at my place—spent hours researching mesh systems and extenders, then realized just moving the router from behind the TV to a higher shelf solved most of my issues. Sometimes the simplest fixes are staring us right in the face...
Had a similar experience myself—spent way too long looking into fancy smart switches and hubs, then realized a couple cheap smart plugs and repositioning lamps made a bigger difference. Sometimes tech solutions just complicate things... simple tweaks usually win out.
"Sometimes tech solutions just complicate things... simple tweaks usually win out."
Couldn't agree more. When I first started, I almost got sucked into the whole "smart-everything" rabbit hole. But honestly, just swapping regular bulbs for affordable smart bulbs in key areas (like the living room and bedroom) and setting up basic schedules through an app was enough. No hubs, no complicated wiring—just straightforward setup and noticeable convenience. Keep it simple, save your cash, and upgrade gradually if you really feel the need later on.
