This is a popular time of year for hosting friends and family. Stocking up on essentials is a must — drinks, snacks, the list goes on and on.

But there's one necessity in your house that might get overlooked: Wi-Fi. Whether your guests want to show a funny YouTube video, stream the latest Taylor Swift song or post a selfie on Facebook, everyone will want a strong and fast Internet connection.

So your Wi-Fi better be ready.

Here are some tips to make sure the Wi-Fi in your home is ready for the holidays, not to mention every other day of the year:

1. Don't put your router on the floor

Get your router off the ground at least five to seven feet if possible. Your router is like a light bulb; when you turn it on you want it to shine as far as possible, not straight into the ground.

2. Don't put your router in an isolated part of your home

A lot of people put their router in an upstairs office, but that's usually located in a remote corner of the house. Even worse: the basement; that area makes it hard for the wireless signal to reach all areas of your home. Put your router in the center of the home, preferably on the first floor.

3. Don't put your router near large windows

Your signal will decrease in strength because it is not being contained within the home.

4. Don't put your router next to or behind a TV

Media components like TVs can seriously affect your wireless performance. Also, stay away from enclosed consoles with heat producing appliances like a DVD player or game console. Those will also cut down your wireless signal.

5. Other devices

Speaking of devices, steer clear of basic home appliances like cordless phones and microwaves that also can affect performance.

6. Don't hide your router

Set it up out in the open, not tucked in a cabinet.

7. Got a fish tank?

Wireless signals don't pass well through water so keep it away from Nemo and Dory. They won't be using it anyway.

8. Captain Obvious

Figure out where in your house you use wireless most often and put the router within a clean line of sight to that room. A central location, off the ground and out in the open, is the ideal location. Most signals bounce off walls.

9. Limit applications that hog your speed

If your kids are always playing games online or doing video chats, this can make your wireless experience slower for everyone else. You can check your speeds using the Xfinity Speed Test located here.

10. Regularly reboot your router

There are a lot of software updates made to your equipment that require a restart just like any other consumer device. You can automatically reboot it by using an old outlet timer.

Finally, regardless if you rent or own your wireless router, make sure you have the latest equipment and are running the latest system software. Older wireless routers running older software may not be able to handle the speeds that you receive with your Internet service. Follow some of these tips, and you'll definitely have your Wi-Fi optimized for your next big event. And for more solutions for optimizing your Internet experience, click here.

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