Metal is the main enemy. Inside a metal cabinet, behind a fridge, or in an appliance recess, wireless signal drops sharply. Solid masonry attenuates more than plasterboard. Water absorbs 2.4 GHz signal, so a large aquarium between device and router is a genuine obstacle rather than a curiosity.
Clearance matters too. Manufacturers specify some space around these devices, partly so the microphones can hear over the device's own audio and partly for airflow. Pressed hard into a corner, a speaker also sounds different — corners exaggerate bass.
Avoid direct heat, direct sunlight, and humid rooms such as bathrooms.
On distance from the router. For daily use, the device needs adequate signal, which usually means the same floor as the router or one floor away with reasonable coverage. Signal crossing between floors passes through joists and flooring, which weakens it more than an internal wall does. If an upper floor has genuinely poor coverage, a mesh node or a wired access point is the answer — no setting on the speaker overcomes weak signal.
On switched sockets. A device on a switched socket, or on a smart plug, loses power whenever the switch is used and takes a minute or two to return. Putting a speaker on a smart plug to "control" it is a common mistake that mainly makes the speaker unavailable half the time. An unswitched socket, direct to the wall, removes a variable.
Setting up somewhere else. You can complete setup in a room with strong signal — often the room with the router — then unplug and move the device. Network details are stored on the device, so it rejoins on its own when powered up elsewhere. Update the room it is assigned to in the app afterwards.
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