How To Move A Modem And Router To Another Room (Do This!)

Heather Robbins
by Heather Robbins

A router is an electronic box that provides an internet connection from your modem to electronic devices. These devices can be wired into the router, or many current devices feature a wireless connection. These devices are standard and almost necessary in every household, but do they have to stay in their initial position, or can you move a modem and router to another room?

To move your modem and router to another room, first, turn them off and disconnect them from other devices, then move them to the new position. Plug the modem into a coaxial cable or phone jack and reconnect any necessary hardware, including the router. Plug the modem back in and turn it on, then plug in and turn on the router. Check the connection and connection speed to see if the new position is a good fit.

Moving your router and modem is not as easy as unplugging it and plugging it back in at the new location. There is a specific and proper way of disconnecting wires, rerouting them, and reinstalling the devices. It is imperative to understand this process before you start the process of moving these electronics.

Simple Steps To Move A Modem And Router To Another Room

While moving your modem and router is not a cut and dry process, you can usually do it in just five easy steps. We will explain how to do that below.

Step 1. Understand The Installation Before Moving A Modem And Router To Another Room

In order to move your modem and router to another room, you want to ensure that you understand how it is connected. There can be a lot of wires with different colors and style ports; some will go from the wall to the router, while others will go from the router to devices. Being aware of how these wires go together will make reinstallation in the new room much more effortless.

All these wires are pertinent to your internet connection running smoothly, and it may even be a good idea to take a picture of the modem before disconnecting any wires. If you already started disconnecting and did not familiarize yourself with installation, you can always call your internet provider for help.

Step 2: Prepare The New Location

The cable to your modem comes into your house from the outside. It is routed through the rafters and the wall to get to the location where your modem is installed at. Before moving your modem and router, you will want to locate where this wire comes into your house. Doing this will help the relocation process go smoothly.

Once you locate this wire, you need to find a route to the new location. This may be something that is simple, or you could find difficulty with this. If there is any doubt about the work you need to do for this wire, it is recommended to consult with your internet provider. You want to ensure proper code when placing electrical wires and ensure it is not exposed to water or pressure.

Step 3. Power Off And Disconnect The Modem And Router

Before unplugging the cords, your devices should be properly turned off. This is easily done by locating the power switch, which should be on the back of the device.

Once this is done and you are confident with where the wires are, you can safely disconnect the wires. To keep things organized, you could get wire straps to wrap the wires in a neat coil and even label them to help remind you where they go.

Step 4. Reconnect And Power On Your Router And Modem

Now that your primary wire from the outside is rerouted to the new location and the equipment is disconnected, you are ready to take the devices to the next room for reinstallation.

This is where taking a picture of the wires or labeling the wires during disconnection will be handy to look at. For the most part, some wires are color-coded to help with the install.

After all the wires are reconnected, it is time to power your devices back on. Since the modem is the leading supplier of the internet network from an outside source, it should be powered on first.

When you switch it on, it is best to wait a few minutes to ensure a connection is made. Then you can turn on your router, which will distribute the connection to your other devices. You should know fairly quickly if something is not right.

Troubleshooting Moving A Modem And Router To Another Room

All of these steps should help you move your router and modem to another room without fail. However, sometimes things do not go right. There could be a chance that you move everything, following the steps correctly, and your devices are not working as they did before you moved them.

Before doing too many troubleshooting options, if you took a picture of the wires before you unplugged them check the picture against what you have connected. Make any corrections you may see.

If everything is correct, move on to unplugging and plugging everything back in again. This will ensure everything is pushed in all the way. Also, make sure to give the modem time to turn it on completely before turning the router on.

The Modem

The modem is the main supply for the internet connection, so if it is not working correctly, you will not have a connection made at all. This is easy to figure out since everything will work, but your router will not be able to connect to the network. You could plug the ethernet cable from the modem to the router directly to see if the globe icon comes up.

Another method to troubleshoot this issue is to unplug and plug everything back into place. This could eliminate a misconfiguration with the wires. If both of these methods fail, the last option would be to call your internet provider, and they should be able to help guide you to reconnect it.

The Router

Every router is different depending on your internet provider. However, they all usually have the same icons on the front of the router. This is where a globe icon will indicate if an internet connection is being received by being illuminated. Sometimes this icon can flicker, but that is a normal thing to occur.

On the other hand, if this icon is not lit, then that is a definite indication that the router is not connecting to the network. If an internet connection is not being made, then there may be a problem with the modem.

Cable Route

The last thing to check is the new route you provided for the cable to reach the modem. Somewhere along the route, your ethernet cable could have become disconnected. Although this is very uncommon, it can still happen. If there is a problem with this cable, more than likely, it is due to damage from installation.

Where To Place A Modem And Router

The modem is connected to a wire that goes outside, so there are some restrictions on where you can place your modem. The modem needs to be placed closer to a phone jack or the cable connection.

The technician from your cable provider may have run an entirely new line to connect the modem; in this case, you may not be able to move your modem or router.

First, check the back of your modem to see what kind of connection your modem has. If you have DSL internet, they use a phone jack type of connection; however, cable internet uses a cable connection similar to your television cable line. If you have a compatible connector in another room, you are in luck of having an easy reinstallation process.

Your router, ideally, should be out in the open and up off of the floor. This way the signal is free to roam so to speak. It’s also ideal if you can position the router somewhere in the center of our home.

When setting up your router, play around with different positions so you can find the place with the best signal.

Why Would I Need To Move A Modem And Router To Another Room?

The best place for the modem is a centralized location of the house. Since the router, which is responsible for your overall WIFI, is connected to the modem, this will help provide optimal WIFI transmission. If your modem and router are not centrally located, you may notice some drops in the WIFI signal. Moving your devices may fix these minor technical issues.

However, if you have a gaming system or a desktop computer, it may be best to place the devices in the same room. This way, you will be able to make a direct connection from the router to your electronic devices. This will give you not only the strongest connection but the most reliable.

Places To Avoid When Moving A Modem And Router To Another Room

Just like the recommendation of centralizing the location of your modem and router, there are a few places in the house where it is not recommended to install your equipment. These places or household items can affect the strength and reliability of your WIFI. So before you move a modem or router to another room, make sure it isn’t one of these areas.

Don’t Install A Modem And Router In The Kitchen

The kitchen is a room of the house that should not even be considered as a location for your modem and router. Not only are spills a risk in the kitchen, but there are a lot of electronics.

Electronics, like microwaves and radios, use the same frequency as the WIFI connection. Having your devices near these electronics can disrupt your connection or the strength of the connection. Check this out if your Wemo Light Switch Not Connecting To Wifi?

Avoid Weird Places

Odd places to avoid that you may not even think of as a potential risk is fish tanks and mirrors. Mirrors will cause the WIFI connection to reflect, which will scatter and weaken the WIFI signal.

This can happen with any reflective surfaces, like stainless steel countertops. The water in the fish tank hinders the stability of your WIFI, in addition to the risk of water getting on your electronics.

While there may be legit reasons why you need to move your router and modem, it’s crucial that you understand this is not a simple unplug and plug task. You need to understand the installation method before you do anything else.

Always avoid sticking your router or modem in weird spots such as by mirrors or in your kitchen so that you get the best wifi signal available. When in doubt, you can always call a friend or family member to help you.


Related Questions

Can I plug my modem into any coaxial connection? 

The modem will only work if you plug it into an active coaxial connection. In many older homes, these plug ins still exist, but they aren’t connected to anything within the wall. Therefore, before moving your modem, make sure you move it to an area with a working connection.


What if I am unable to move my router to get a better signal?

If for some reason you are unable to move your router, there are other ways to try and boost your Wifi signal. You can use powerline adapters to essentially turn your outlet into an internet hub.You can also try wireless access points, mesh systems, or range extenders. All of these devices work in different ways to either extend, boost, or increase your Wifi signal. You can find them at an electronics store like Best Buy or online.

Related Articles

Heather Robbins
Heather Robbins

Heather is a passionate writer who loves anything DIY. Growing up, she learned everything from home repairs to design, and wants to share her tips with you. When she's not writing, she's usually hiking or searching for her next DIY project.

More by Heather Robbins

Next