Do you know why wireless network monitoring (WNM) is a must to keep your organization running efficiently?
It’s safe to say that most businesses rely on a solid internet connection for at least part of their day to day operations, proving that fast and high-performing Wi-Fi is extremely important.
In large, complex organisations like hospitals, it’s an absolute must that the network is reliable and can handle hundreds of users constantly entering and exiting on both personal and business devices. It’s imperitive that people can stay connected.
This is where WNM comes in – It discovers and addresses any problems as soon as they happen.
So what actually is WNM and how does it work?
What is wireless network monitoring?
Using a set of tools, WNM continuously and proactively monitors an entire network, even the various devices on it. This includes any hardware like access points (APs) and wireless routers as well as user devices like smartphones, tablets and laptops. It maintains a reliable connection for the organisation whilst checking these all these devices.
The idea is to discover and rectify any problems with the network before a user detects the problem, thus providing seamless Wi-Fi. Due to the fact that wireless networks are largely made up of wireless devices (the clue is in the name…) it means that there is a lack of physical interfaces that would alert network managers to any issues, which is why it is so important to constantly monitor these networks to avoid outages and downtime.
How does WNM work?
The WNM equipment continuously tracks and assesses devices within a network and then sends the data through to network manages. The areas that this equipment monitors includes: evaluating connection rates, connection quality, client throughput, and data rates, packet latency, voice quality (MOS), utilization, signal strength, and RF interference.
The tools available will engage in WNM from any device and operating system, including Windows, Android, Mac OS, or IOS. The tool can alert network managers within minutes as to whether an issue is related to a wireless or wired device, or if it’s even device-related. It also works in the most remote locations of any facility.
You can also get equipment that focuses on the end-user experience and uses a Wi-Fi sensor to measure connectivity whilst simultaneously monitoring the quality of the experience that end users are receiving.
What are the benefits of wireless network monitoring?
1. Ensure business continuity and increase productivity
As we said at the beginning of this blog, most businesses rely on dependable wireless internet to keep things running efficiently. Wi-Fi massively benefits employees, enabling them to stay connected wherever they are on the premises. Using WNM effectively means that network managers can detect issues in good time to reduce outages and disruption to business practises.
It goes without saying that this goes a long way towards improving employee productivity and satisfaction. Not only will they be working more efficiently, they also won’t need to make support calls, saving time and money.
2. Avoid network downtime
Today, most people will have wireless, wearable technology on their person at all times, which means more wireless devices in a network than wired. The great thing about WNM is that monitors all these devices and gives network managers the chance to address any issues quickly and accurately.
3. Solve WLAN problems before they reach users
One of the biggest benefits of WNM is the ability to diagnose and solve a problem efore it’s even detected by an end user. This reduces complaints, possibly even eliminating them altogether. End users can’t complain about a problem that they’re not aware of!
4. Easy access through cloud hosting
What’s really great is that cloud hosting can be used. This means that access can be gained from anywhere, instantly. Another big plus for businesses is that it helps avoid maintenance like software updates or lengthy backup processes, as they are done automatically. This means there is also no disruption to the network’s performance or user experience.
5. Total visibility into Wi-Fi performance
The network manager, or other permitted users, are able to view the WNM system from anywhere in the network, meaning they have visibility of the entire organisation’s Wi-Fi performance. This also means that any configuration changes can be made immediately and with ease by network managers.
For more information on how WNM can help your business operations, give one of our Geekabit Wi-Fi experts a call. You get in touch on 0203 322 2443 (London), 01962 657 390 (Hampshire) or 02920 676712 (Cardiff).
