Just because you've got high speed, universally available broadband in your country, don't assume everybody else in the world has it, too. This is actually a major election issue this year in Australia. In Bellingen, Northern New South Wales, Walter's modem picked up nothing at all when placed in the usual position near the PC, inside the house.
But, not to be defeated, my resourceful friend gathered an antenna and some other telecommunication wizardry and went off in search of some reception. He found it in the densest part of his "garden," several hundred metres from the house.So he set up a shed with a directional antenna behind it to house the modem. A fairly ordinary-looking aluminium shed, the kind
you buy at the DIY and assemble for yourself.
Rats and mice were a problem, so he had to put netting over the shelf where the modem sat.
When turned on the modem is warm and attracts ants which are always trying to build a nest inside the modem.
"Several times they succeeded, which finished off my old modem."
Just because you've got high speed, universally available broadband in your country, don't assume everybody else in the world has it, too. This is actually a major election issue this year in Australia. In Bellingen, Northern New South Wales, Walter's modem picked up nothing at all when placed in the usual position near the PC, inside the house. 
But, not to be defeated, my resourceful friend gathered an antenna and some other telecommunication wizardry and went off in search of some reception. He found it in the densest part of his "garden," several hundred metres from the house.So he set up a shed with a directional antenna behind it to house the modem. A fairly ordinary-looking aluminium shed, the kind
you buy at the DIY and assemble for yourself. 
Rats and mice were a problem, so he had to put netting over the shelf where the modem sat. 
When turned on the modem is warm and attracts ants which are always trying to build a nest inside the modem.