this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2023
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If it has metal blades then it will reflect some of the radio signals, making the transceiver more directional. With how it's set up in the post, it could potentially be a benefit to devices that face the front of the router and fan, but a disadvantage to devices behind the fan. Same logic with that Facebook trick of putting tin foil or cut up drink cans behind the antennae.
However, most newer and higher end routers use beam forming antenna arrays which are already directional and can automatically focus the signal toward your devices. Having reflectors around those can actually interfere with the antenna array and decrease speeds for all devices.
Beam forming is a bit more complex than just being directional.
It makes the signal stronger in the target location, but the antenna is still very Omni-directional. It's just using extremely small signal offsets between transmission antennas to optimise the amplitude of the signal in the area of the receiver.
Directional antennas can still very much help, as well as wave guides to push more signal in the desired direction (sacrificing signal in another, potentially undesired or unrequired direction).
Source: over 10 years in IT with a focus on wireless network technologies.
It gets really interesting when you get into mimo and multi-user mimo, and the system is transmitting on the same channel to multiple endpoints at once, with different data for each. Shit is crazy.
Next you're going to tell me having the microwave on slows my WiFi down!
Facebook lmao. That trick was around decades before Facebook.