Five common Wi-Fi mistakes 

The market is constantly evolving, with new trends such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, sustainability, and security regularly emerging as hot topics.

It’s a long list, but how do these trends impact your wireless network? 

The larger your environment, the higher the likelihood of potential interference, therefore, it’s crucial to have a well-designed wireless network. Mistakes in design, equipment selection, or network security and setup can be costly and we’ve outlined the five most common to help you avoid them.

Five mistakes to avoid when setting up a wireless network: 

1. No wireless site survey

A site survey analyses how well your wireless network is working. It evaluates several aspects including signal strength because by identifying potential sources of interference in advance, you can prevent issues such as poor network performance. Unfortunately, in many instances, a site survey isn’t carried out, which is a risky path to take. 

But how does a wireless site survey actually work? Professional software loads floor plans of the environment before physical measurements are taken on-site. This is especially important wherever there is a lot of steel and thick walls, or in environments where latency-sensitive applications are used. It can also help you prevent issues caused by incorrectly positioning access points, a too-small area of coverage and weak signal strength. So whatever you do, do not skip this step!

2. Incorrect design

In addition to conducting a wireless site survey, it’s crucial to develop a well-thought-out design. This should take into account various factors including the network capacity required, the types of devices/users, the critical applications in use, network security, and scalability.

The system is then installed and configured based on this design. Failing to take these factors into account during the network design phase can result in an inadequate Wi-Fi network, leading to poor performance, limited scalability, and lack of continuity,  effectively preventing future growth.

3. Poor or no monitoring and management solution

A professional Wi-Fi solution requires ongoing management, not just implementation. While proper design, correct implementation, and configuration are essential, monitoring and tuning are equally important. With a modern monitoring package, you can easily identify and address issues. You might be asking what kind.....

Latency, DNS, DHCP, and coverage problems are just a few examples. If you have an insight into the current status of the environment and have access to historical reports, many of these issues can be prevented and resolved.

4. Minimal network security

With the increase in mobile devices and IoT, the number of users on your network is growing making it even more important to pay extra attention to how you manage access to both your wireless and wired networks. 

As a network administrator, it’s crucial to know who is accessing the network, where, when, and with which device and automatic authentication and assigning the correct policies to devices and users are essential parts of a secure network security policy.

By implementing these, users and devices can be identified before they gain access to specific parts of the network, enhancing security, but also making it easier to manage the network. Without them, you run a much higher risk of unauthorised visitors accessing your network.

5. Insufficient scalability

With the rise in mobility, the demand for lightning-fast and stable Wi-Fi is growing, but as more devices, applications, and systems come online, our networks face increasing pressure and we need to ask ourselves if the network is reliable enough to support constant availability, if it is secure enough to protect confidential data, and most importantly of all, if it is scalable enough to support rapid growth. 

Businesses need network solutions that can grow effortlessly and adding access points should also be quick and easy, allowing for a speedy response to your enterprise needs. Scalability is, therefore, essential for a future-proof network. Without it, you risk falling behind the competition.

Wi-Fi as a Service – Growing with the times

With increased dependencies, complexity and cost savings, many businesses are looking to outsource their wireless network management with Wi-Fi as a Service (WaaS).

This brings the benefit of predictable monthly costs and 24/7 monitoring, plus it easily grows with your business to ensure your wireless network is always up-to-date and secure.