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Where the Hell Should You Hide a Wi-Fi Router?

You can’t live without a Wi-Fi, but you can live without having to see it all the time.

young man listening music sitting by desktop computer at home Cavan Images

By Tyler Chin

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You spend all your time poring over every detail in your home, but no matter what you do, that ugly clunker taunts you. And that ugly clunker is your Wi-Fi router. With its bug-like antennae and neon-glowing display, your Wi-Fi router tells you that no matter what you try to achieve with interior design, it will always, always, be there.

Chuck it in the closet, and don’t bother signing in to your next Zoom session because you’ll be frozen anyway. Hide it in a box, and it’ll heat up faster than a sauna. No, keeping you router out of sight is going to take some more out-of-the-box thinking than that. Here’s where you should really keep that dastardly device.

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Put it in (the right kind) of cabinet

Leave it to the professionals to know where to hide your Wi-Fi router. New Orleans-based interior designer Maureen Stevens is always having to find ways to make sure routers are out of sight but still working at peak performance. “I’ve always done it this way: somewhere inconspicuous like a space between a cabinet or chest and a wall,” Stevens says. “Most times, putting them inside cabinets or storage furniture with openings — like mesh or perforated doors — is the best solution.”

Anne Carr of Anne Carr Design does the same. “I would suggest putting the router in a cabinet or console table with a hole cut out for the wires to go through the back,” Carr says. “It can be a console or a side table but the secret is to have doors on the front.”

Not all boxes are the same

If you look carefully at a router (which you probably don’t), you’ll notice it has air vents. Like most electronics, routers get hot, and they need a way to stay cool. Throwing a router into a box may seem like a good idea design-wise, but doing so will suffocate the router and lead to a hot, malfunctioning mess. Instead, opt for a well-ventilated box, like something made of wicker. The open-weave design will give the router room to breathe, but it’ll still keep the device out of sight. If you go with a wicker basket with a lid for the ultimate incognito look, just make sure there are cutouts (handles will suffice) that you can run your wires out of.

If you’re not a fan of wicker baskets (though, truth be told, they fit in with almost any interior design style), then you can always opt for a purpose-built cable management box. These are designed to hold electronics, so they’re well-ventilated and feature cutouts for keeping your cords in order.

You can also opt for a wall-mounted router storage box. Typically made of wood (or at least made to look like wood), these ventilated boxes are mounted to your wall like a shelf and are specifically designed to keep your router hidden away, essentially transforming the device into a piece of decor.

Out of sight, out of mind

The best solution might be the easiest, too. Just chuck some nicer-looking things in front of your router, and none will be the wiser. Build a fort out of pictures and be reminded of your memories, not that eye sore. Or, one of our favorite tips is to just place a really nice plant in front of your router. This will leave your router’s signal mostly unobstructed while also adding some nature to your space to contrast the router’s techie vibe. Told you it was easy.

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