The answer is simple – yes, you can take your WiFi box or router to another house and connect it to the Internet. However, you need to follow the correct procedures to make sure that the new WiFi box works with the Internet connection and there’s no interference between your old one and the new one.
In this article, we’ll discuss when it makes sense to take your WiFi box or router to another house so that you can connect to the Internet without any issues or problems.
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Why You Would Want to Take Your WiFi Box to Another House
If you’re looking to move to a new home, it might make sense to take your existing WiFi box with you and simply have your service provider activate it at your new address. Most ISPs will do so without charging a fee—although they might charge a one-time fee for sending out technicians to install new outlets in certain rooms. Note that in some cases, taking your router along may not be possible due to an existing network setup.
Make Sure to Get In Contact With Your ISP
An Internet service provider (ISP) may try to help you find a new router that is compatible with the network in your new house. They also may just be trying to upsell you on a new router when yours will work perfectly fine.
Be sure to let your ISP know that you are planning to use the same router in a new location. Ask when your service will be transferred and find out how this will affect your monthly contract so there are no surprises.
It’s important that you know when your Internet service will be cut off at your current home as well, so there won’t be connectivity issues at either home during the move.
What if My ISP is Not Available In the Area I’m Moving To?
Most consumers assume that if they move into a new house, all they have to do is purchase a new internet service and plug-in their router for high-speed Internet.
This isn’t necessarily true, especially if you’re moving to another state. Depending on your ISP, you may need additional equipment for a high-speed Internet connection in your new home.
And even if your old router still works, it may not be adequate for faster connection speeds—you may have to upgrade from lower gigabit Ethernet ports on older routers. If you’re moving into a new area where you don’t have an ISP yet, you’ll need to do some research before buying any equipment.
For example, some companies offer Internet service with download speeds of up to 2 Gbps (that’s 2000 Mbps) in select areas across the country. If you live in one of these areas and want that kind of speed, then you’ll need to upgrade to a compatible modem/router.
What If I’m Switching Internet Service Providers?
If you’re switching from one Internet provider (ISP) to another, there’s a good chance you’ll have to give up your old WiFi box and buy a new one from your new provider. Usually, the main device that connects your house to the internet is configured to work with a specific ISP.
Your current box likely won’t be compatible with your new ISP’s service. Even if it is, there’s also a good chance that it will be locked down so that you can only use it with its original ISP.
That means if you want to switch providers in order to save money or get better service, either find out whether your current router is compatible with your new provider—or invest in an entirely new device.
Will I Have a New IP Address When I Move My WiFi Box to Another House?
When you take your router from one home to another, your IP address will change. This means that all of your devices that are connected to your network will have a new IP address. The good news is that many devices remember their old WiFi hotspot and automatically connect when they see them again.
If you have any devices that don’t automatically reconnect for some reason, then you’ll need to manually set up those connections again after moving your WiFi box. This process is quick and easy for most devices and it only takes a few minutes of your time.
What About Internet Speeds at My New Location?
Unfortunately, your Internet speed is dependent on factors outside of your control. How fast you’re able to connect depends on how far away you are from your provider’s transmitter.
That distance will vary depending on a number of things, including whether you’re connected via cable or fiber-optic lines and what other devices are competing for bandwidth. If you move into a new area, call up your provider and ask about connection speeds at your new location. Then look at providers in that area for packages suited to your needs.
Placing Your WiFi Box in the New House
Here are some things to keep in mind after you have your internet set up in your new house.
Place Your Router Closer to Where You’ll Be Using Wi-Fi
As your wireless signal moves farther away from your router, it decreases in strength and speed. Place your wireless router as close as possible to where you’ll be using wireless connectivity for faster speeds—like on a desk or table near where you usually sit.
Placing your router higher up can also help increase signal strength, too. What’s more, Wi-Fi interference from other devices such as microwaves and cordless phones can slow down Internet speeds on any network.
Make Sure That There Are Outlets for Connectivity in the New Room
If the new house doesn’t have outlets for connectivity, how can you connect the router to the Internet? Actually, when it comes to making sure there’s a socket available before you move, we think it’s best to just ask and make sure.
If there is no room in the new place for your router, then we suggest either upgrading to fiber-optic broadband as part of your move or having your ISP install new phone sockets.
Purchase an Additional Router
Even if you can take your router with you, it may not be enough. If your new house is much bigger than your old one, you may need to purchase an additional router that can connect to a Wi-Fi extender.
The extender will broadcast a wireless signal throughout your home while connecting to an existing router that already has an internet connection. This setup is ideal if you want uninterrupted connectivity in multiple areas of your home and no technical background needed!
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