Mark the important places
Draw a rough floor plan and mark the router, work desk, television and usual phone seating spot. Test at those locations with the same device. Include closed doors and ordinary furniture positions so the result represents daily use.
Record a useful activity
Try loading the same content or making the same short call in each place. Note consistency as well as speed. If every room performs poorly, compare a wired connection or check the service status before treating the problem as a dead zone.
Place extra equipment deliberately
An extender needs a usable connection to the router, so placing it inside the worst dead spot may disappoint. A mesh system also needs suitable links between units. Where practical, wired access points remove dependence on a wireless link between rooms; check cabling feasibility before buying.
