Address
Floor 3, Building B, Honghua Science And Technology Innovation Park,
Longhua District, Shenzhen
Work Hours
Monday to Friday: 9AM - 9PM
Weekend: 10AM - 6PM
Address
Floor 3, Building B, Honghua Science And Technology Innovation Park,
Longhua District, Shenzhen
Work Hours
Monday to Friday: 9AM - 9PM
Weekend: 10AM - 6PM
Wi-Fi is great because of the flexibility it offers, and basic operation requires little effort. But it is frustrating when Wi-Fi doesn’t work well, especially since the problems and remedies are not always obvious. A good business wireless network requires specialized tools and knowledge for design, installation and troubleshooting.
How bad can business Wi-Fi be? We’ve seen a wireless network in which one-third of 7,000 access points (APs) were ineffective due to bad network design, improper configuration or poor installation. That’s an expensive set of unused equipment. In this particular wireless environment, end users reported inconsistent results. Some places were good, while others were unusable.
Before we delve into business Wi-Fi setup tips and best practices, let’s explore what Wi-Fi is, why it’s important for businesses and how it works.
Business Wi-Fi is Wi-Fi that uses wireless APs with a centralized wireless controller connected into a corporate route or switch network. It provides network connectivity for mobile devices and the workforce within a business location. A small business that uses a single wireless router connected to an ISP, however, is more like a residential installation than a business Wi-Fi network.
Many devices are now wireless, including tablets, computers, phones, warehouse barcode scanners and robots. In many places in businesses, Ethernet cable is difficult or impractical. With Wi-Fi, it’s possible to cover large spaces like classrooms, auditoriums, sports venues and warehouses.
Good business Wi-Fi makes it easy for staff to seamlessly change locations, like between offices and meeting rooms. Healthcare Wi-Fi, for example, needs to support a highly mobile staff and provide good network security to protect personal information, including guest network connectivity for patients and their families.
If wireless networks are designed properly, Wi-Fi can also support location tracking. Some businesses need to track expensive assets such as X-ray machines in hospitals or manufacturing subassemblies like airplane engines and wiring harnesses. A small, low-powered Wi-Fi device attached to each asset can track and locate the equipment when needed. Staff members — such as a specialist in a hospital or a staff member who needs to be informed of an at-home emergency — can also be located.
Before setting up business Wi-Fi, it’s useful to have a basic understanding of how Wi-Fi works. The most important aspect is its susceptibility to interference from other sources. Microwave ovens, APs from nearby businesses, a poorly designed installation, wireless cameras, smart TVs and hot-spot nodes are just some sources of interference.
The Wi-Fi protocol functions much like polite conversation around the dinner table. If the channel is busy with another transmission, then the AP or endpoint delays its transmission until the channel is available. Any interference sources reduce the opportunity to transmit, causing communication delays.
Wi-Fi is a shared medium, so maximum speeds are shared among all the devices connected to a single AP. Newer APs and endpoints support multiple input, multiple output (MIMO), which enables multiple devices to communicate at the same time. MIMO helps as long as there’s not an outside source of interference blanketing the channels.
The network design should anticipate the maximum number of connected devices. Most APs support up to 35 concurrent devices while providing acceptable performance. Dense deployments, like sports arenas and auditoriums, require specialized approaches. Access points that use directional antennas can help in difficult coverage situations.
Wi-Fi networks have three frequency bands: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz. Let’s explore these bands further:
The 2.4 GHz band has three non-overlapping channels: 1, 6 and 11. It has the longest reach, the lowest speeds and is good for older endpoint connectivity or IoT devices. It tends to be highly congested, with many systems on one channel or on overlapping channels.
The 5 GHz band has nine non-overlapping channels not subject to dynamic frequency selection, which is typically shared with weather radar, or 25 channels if there are no local radar systems. It has shorter reach than 2.4 GHz, but 5 GHz is less congested. High-speed connections are supported through channel bonding.
The 6 GHz band is a new 59-channel allocation with propagation similar to 5 GHz. More channels make it easier to avoid interference, and channel bonding supports high-speed connections. But, as of 2022, few endpoint devices support these channels.
While you can take a DIY approach to business Wi-Fi, you’ll get better results if you follow accepted industry steps.
The section above, on setting up a business Wi-Fi network, covers the most critical items. But some additional best practices can keep your system performing well.