If you have the luxury of more than one cable or phone line around the house, that means you have options for router camo. Because who likes looking at detracting flashing lights during a movie night, right? Check out these 5 smart and easy methods to help turn your router into a hidden internet distributing ninja.
1. Attach it to your main computer desk. Since you'll be next to that primary PC anyway, you don't have to walk halfway across the room to unplug it when it requires the monthly power restart (or weekly, depending on your router).
2. Get a router that doesn't look like one. Like this one, where it'll doubly function as a vase. Now isn't that nice?
3. Invest in a router with extreme range. This way, you can place it deep in the attic (given there's an outlet) and have it distribute internet to the entire house without ever having to deal with its deadly blinking lights. Thinkgeek has one over here.
4. Match it with other tech. We've seen routers take designs inspired from other products, using familiar palettes and materials. For example, this Netgear router strangely resembles a Nintendo Wii while the Belkin N+ seems to have the PS3 in mind.
5. Set up a wireless repeater. We've outlined easy-to-follow instructions here before, so you can't go wrong! After you have it all set up, you'll enjoy a nice and strong propagated signal around the house with your main router placed elsewhere. We usually recommend Apple's Airport Express because of its small form factor and ease of setup.
Have an idea to add to this list? We'd love to hear it! Just let us know below in the comments.
Comments (4)
i recommend an ikea expedit bookshelf. I have one in the bedroom and it happens to have the cable jack behind it, the expedit is deep enough to have an entire row of books in front of and still have enough room for a power strip, modem, router etc, behind them.
Get a power strip with a really big on/off switch, then you can just reach over the books, and click it on and off as needed
I have an Ikea PS cabinet. It has a hole in the bottom for cables and slots on the front for ventilation. Inside, I have my UPS, NAS, router, and cable modem. Surprisingly, it stays cool enough inside for the NAS and the metal doesn't effect wireless throughput.
@charmac I also love the IKEA PS exactly for those reasons. Plus, the design is so classic, I love it!
Our modem and router are inside one of the baskets that fits in the Ikea Expedit.