Wi-Fi Installations – Wireless Networks

Wireless technology (Wi-Fi) explained

Let’s take a look into the basics of Wi-Fi networking and how making the right choice can help your company’s goals.

Wi-Fi wireless technology allows users to access the Internet from any Wi-Fi capable device without bothering with cables. Desktop computers may need a special wireless card in order to access Wi-Fi networks, but most laptops have this capability built-in. Older laptops may have difficulties with the latest Wi-Fi standards, like 802.11ac, but older standards, like 802.11b/g/n, are practically universally supported.

Using Wi-Fi, users can move throughout an area while being able to check email, access web pages, and perform other tasks which requires access to the Internet. Network performance does depend on each device’s capabilities, and on the Wi-Fi connection parameters. Otherwise, a wireless Internet connection provides all the same functionality as any regular Internet connection would.

By using special Wi-Fi media adapters, a wired Ethernet system can be converted for wireless use throughout an office building or other general area. The Ethernet system can then be accessed by anything with the capability to use it, similarly to Internet. The difference between Internet and Ethernet Wi-Fi systems doesn’t involve the wireless connection itself, which is basically the same thing either way: a router which is connected to the physical network and which broadcasts wireless signals.

Wi-Fi Ethernet allows for wireless LANs, Local Area Networks, to be formed. Through these networks, users can access data on a local server and view other computers which are connected to the network. This sort of network is convenient in many circumstances where a small, locally accessible server serves better than the Internet itself. It does not, however, permit access to the Internet (although dual Internet and Ethernet accessibility through a single router is possible, if both networks are installed within the building).

Pros and Cons of Wi-Fi Wireless Technology

The advantages of wireless technology, combined with the compatibility brought about by the Wi-Fi Alliance, should be fairly obvious. Let’s review them quickly:

• A wireless network allows portability for users within a building, so they can travel short distances while still using their laptops or other portable devices with full functionality.
• It also all but eliminates the mess and hassle of cables: even though the wireless router itself must be physically connected to the network cables, no extra wires will need to be present in public areas.
• The lack of cables also means that nobody will be accidentally knocking wires out, which helps to prevent some problems that could be caused by an unexpectedly lost connection.

Of course, everything has cons as well as pros, and wireless networks are no exception:

• The main problem with wireless networks is their lack of range: indoors, a wireless network can cover up to 300 ft., and this range is even smaller for older standards, like 802.11b and 802.11g.
• Until a few years ago, Wi-Fi connections were also slower than wired Ethernet links. This is no longer the case, but older devices may still be limited to speeds below 1 Gbps.
• Wireless networks may also be susceptible to interference.
• Security-wise, modern Wi-Fi technology offers good security guarantees, but legacy devices that use legacy authentication and encryption protocols, like WEP, may be vulnerable.
• Having Wi-Fi routers placed too far apart or too closely together may result in dead zones or in crossing signals which make it impossible to connect properly.

Fortunately, many of these cons may be circumvented with a skilled professional performing wireless network planning and installation.

Wi-Fi Surveys

To avoid dead zones or ineffective overlapping signals, routers must be placed in strategic locations within a building. Wi-Fi surveys take the building’s dimensions and construction and the range of different routers into account to be sure they are placed effectively. The best way to determine where Wi-Fi routers should be placed is to have a professional perform an on-site consultation.

Active Communication Company Ltd provides these consultations for free, and can assist any company with building a custom network which is perfect for them from start to finish.

Naturally, in this age of technology, there are computer-based options available to conduct automated surveys as well. Software from the Internet can calculate the specifications of a building and the range of different types of Wi-Fi networks to help determine where routers should be placed for maximum coverage and effectiveness.

Buildings which already have a Wi-Fi network in place and wish to add a new router or two may find it more convenient to simply download the software. However, for any network which is being built from scratch or added to substantially, a professional and personal on-site survey is highly recommended.