June 13, 2019 by Siobhan Climer
Wireless networks are essential to, well, everyone.
As organizations implement Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies and add smart devices to technology strategies, the strain on the wireless network leads to lost productivity. This happens across industries in business, education, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Unfortunately, the most common wireless network challenges are tolerable. Employees trying to check email on their phones while heating up lunch or attempting to connect to the wireless network in conferences rooms aren’t likely to submit a ticket to the company helpdesk.
Yet it is precisely these sorts of network downtime and connectivity problems that deeply impact the business. Solving these common wireless network challenges are positive ways IT can improve the environment for everyone and contribute directly to overall work improvement processes.
Common Wireless Network Challenges: Symptoms
- Wi-Fi Dead Spots
Whether it’s a snazzy brick wall or a 300 gallon fish tank, environmental interference and poorly placed access points can lead to certain spaces struggling to connect to the wireless network.
- Slow And Intermittent Connectivity
Signal interference is likely the cause of slow wireless speeds. Users usually establish a connection, but then lose connectivity – especially during large workload activities.
- Bandwidth Overload
A common occurrence in large environments – like hospitals or university campuses – where the number of users and devices easily number in the thousands, bandwidth efficiency and management can be difficult to manage.
- Network Security
While you want the wireless network to be easily accessible, you also want to protect your users and the network itself from malevolent intent. Implementing security controls can negatively affect network connectivity, which is why it is important to have an information security expert deploy these technologies.
You can’t fix what you don’t know. An Infrastructure Optimization Roadmap provides visibility for you into your internal network operations.
Common Wireless Network Challenges: Causes
A poorly configured wireless network is one of the number one causes of wireless network downtime. If the wireless network was installed incorrectly – either via misaligned settings or initial set-up challenges – examining the wireless network configuration often provides insight into why the network is not performing correctly.
In addition to environmental factors – like walls and outside interference (i.e. RF interference), network security concerns should also be addressed. A DDoS attack or rogue AP might be the culprit.
Common Wireless Network Challenges: Solutions
There are some immediate steps you can take to address common wireless network challenges.
Physical Relocation: If environmental factors are affecting your wireless connectivity, adjusting the actual location of WLAN hardware might reduce issues.
WLAN Upgrade: Ensure hardware is set to the latest standards and the hardware is up-to-date.
Deploy Network Monitoring Tools: Sometimes visibility into network activity can provide insights into the actual causes of the most common wireless network challenges. Cisco Prime is one great tool for improving network visibility and management.
If you are experiencing wireless network downtime, let our team of expert engineers diagnose and solve your wireless networking issues. Reach out today to discuss any wireless challenges with our engineers.
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About Mindsight
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About The Author
Siobhan Climer, Science and Technology Writer for Mindsight, writes about technology trends in education, healthcare, and business. She previously taught STEM programs in elementary classrooms and museums, and writes extensively about cybersecurity, disaster recovery, cloud services, backups, data storage, network infrastructure, and the contact center. When she’s not writing tech, she’s writing fantasy, gardening, and exploring the world with her twin daughters. Find her on twitter @techtalksio.