Outdoor WiFi Installation Services in London

Major Challenges in Outdoor WiFi Installations and How to Overcome Them 

While outdoor networks have a lot of things in common with their indoor counterparts, they also have a lot of intricacies that make them harder to install properly. This is why we always advise our customers to work with licensed and skilled installers: one mistake can completely ruin the performance of your outdoor WiFi network.

Check out the most common challenges in deploying outdoor WiFi networks:

1. Making the Connection with the Wired Network

One of the most common errors about WiFi in general and outdoor WiFi in particular is failing to realise that you still need a connection to the wired network. Generally, this is not a big issue for indoor WiFi solutions.

Outdoors, though, everything changes. First of all, you need to make sure that you have access to a connected building that’s close by. Outdoor WiFi networks use hops, which means that they “hop” from one mesh access point to another before traveling back to the wired network.

Each of these outdoor hops will slow down the speed of the network. In fact, it will cut it in half. This is why an assessment of the outdoor space and a carefully designed plan is essential.

2. Interference Is Hard to Avoid

While there are a lot of software options for outdoor WiFi planning, this process cannot be completed without engineers and technicians assessing the site.

Outdoor wireless planning software is a great start, but it can only see so much of the surroundings. It can give you an idea of where you should place your access points for optimal connectivity and speed but it can’t spot all the interference sources. This is where experienced engineers come into play!

The installation process is a hands-on one that requires both network and software engineers be present on-site. Otherwise, performance issues will be quite common, along with the frustration they cause.

3. The Tendency to Over-Compensate Is Real (and Harmful!)

Outdoor WiFi systems are typically installed at the top of buildings or as close to the top as the construction allows. However, certain building materials can harm the performance of your network.

Unexperienced engineers try to solve this problem by over-compensating – adding more access points. At first glance, it makes sense: the more APs you have, the stronger and faster the connection. However, this is not true. In fact, more access points than needed can harm performance.

The proper way to deal with such challenges is to scale as needed and allow for some extra wiggling room, but without over-loading the network with access points. Again, this is where the on-site survey truly shines: it gives the engineers a chance to evaluate the area and to design a custom system that works flawlessly.

4. Weather and Seasonal Changes Have to Be Factored in

It takes a full year to be completely certain that your outdoor WiFi works perfectly. Why?

Let’s say you had it installed in winter, when the leaves have fallen from the trees. In spring and summer, when everything is in full bloom, you may experience connectivity issues.

This is why, at ACCL, we take everything into account. We have been installing outdoor systems in London for more than 20 years, so we are more than familiar with the climate and how it can influence performance.

Want an outdoor WiFi system that works seamlessly 24/7, 365 days a year? Get in touch with London’s premier cabling and internet installation services provider!