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Wi-Fi Advice Wi-Fi Interference
What Causes Wi-Fi Interference?

Who put up their Christmas decorations at the weekend? It’s a little bit on the early side, but we think it can be forgiven this year! You might be wondering, what have Christmas decorations got to do with the causes of Wi-Fi interference? Read on and all will be illuminated (hint hint).

In last week’s blog we talked about how to diagnose Wi-Fi interference – What signs to look for that point to this being the cause of your Wi-Fi issues. As promised, this week we’re looking at the possible causes of Wi-Fi interference, and what you can do about them.

What causes Wi-Fi Interference?

2 of the main problems associated with Wi-Fi interference are Physical Barriers and Frequency Interference. Capacity can also cause Wi-Fi interference, but we’ll get to that next week.

Physical Barriers that can Cause Wi-Fi Interference

Does your home or office have that one particular spot where no matter how hard you try or where you place your device, you just can’t seem to get reliable Wi-Fi?

In this scenario the reason for Wi-Fi interference is probably the material that the building is made from. Certain materials can cause more of a barrier than others when it comes to Wi-Fi reaching your device.

Check out the chart below to see what materials act as the biggest barriers, and thus cause the most Wi-Fi interference.


Image 1. Chart to show the interference levels of certain building materials.

How can I combat a physical barrier causing Wi-Fi interference?

  • The first thing to try is moving your router or access point. Try a location that means the Wi-Fi signal doesn’t have to go through the barrier.
  • An alternative would be to try broadcasting your signal on a different frequency. If your device has this option available, then try changing it to use 5GHz. (This may only be an option on higher end devices).
  • Remember that humans make excellent barriers! If you’re experiencing Wi-Fi interference problems on a mobile device, consider holding it in a different way.

 

Wi-Fi Interference through Frequency

Imagine a narrow road with a car and lorry coming towards each other from opposite directions. They can’t both fit through at the same time – One of them is going to get through and one of them will have to stop. Frequency interference is a bit like this – If another signal crosses the path of your signal on a similar bandwidth and overpowers it, your signal will be interfered with.

What devices cause Wi-Fi interference with their frequency? The list is rather long unfortunately, and always being added to. Here is a list of devices that commonly cause bandwidth interference.

Christmas Tree Lights – Here’s why we were asking if you’d put your Christmas decorations up at the weekend! Christmas lights are commonly written about at this time of year because they known to be a common cause of Wi-Fi interference due to oscillating on the same frequency. Avoid placing your Christmas tree anywhere near internet equipment.

Other Wireless Devices – Any device that transmits or receives a wireless signal can also cause interference to another signal. There are many things in a home that could potentially cause Wi-Fi problems, such as wireless speakers, baby monitors and garage door openers.

Microwaves – Trying to scroll Instagram while your lunch is whirring around the microwave? If you’re struggling to do so then it might be because most microwaves operate on the 2.4GHz spectrum. This is the same as a lot of wireless devices (especially so on older, less expensive models). So that Instagram scroll might be a bit on the slow side.

Fridges – There are two things with fridges that can cause Wi-Fi interference. The first is the motors on the inside of a fridge, and the other is the fact that they are packed with ice which can act as a physical barrier. Keeping your router away from the fridge, and probably the kitchen in general, is a good idea.

Cordless Wi-Fi Phones – Remember when you couldn’t be online at the same time as someone talking on the phone? You might think those days are over but they’re not as distant as you may think. Cordless phones commonly operate on the 2.4GHz spectrum, so you may well experience Wi-Fi interference while you are talking on the phone or even just when the phone is ringing.

External Monitors & Displays – Commonly on the 2.4 GHz band (channels 11 to 14), certain displays can emit harmonic interference.
Satellite Dishes – Satellite dishes can leak signal interference into the local vicinity if they have been wired up wrong or if they are old and the wiring is deteriorating.

Hearing Aids – You may experience Wi-Fi interference if someone with a hearing aid in in close proximity to a wireless broadcasting device like a router.

Neighbours – You can struggle with Wi-Fi signal and performance if your network is in close proximity to another one, especially if it is a powerful Wi-Fi network like the ones you tend to see in corporate environments. If you need help detecting this issue, you can install a WLAN controller with a rogue detection function.

Fish Tanks – These are known to be an issue to internet connectivity in general. They commonly cause interference to Wi-Fi signal as they oscillate on the same frequency. Always place fish tanks away from internet equipment, especially broadcasting devices.

Poorly Shielded Cabling – If you use external hard drives or other devices that you need to be physically cabled to in order to connect, then this can lead an interference with wireless signal. To test if any Wi-Fi issues are due to poorly shielded cables, simply remove the offending device temporarily and see if the problem improves. If the issue goes away then you can replace the troublesome cable to resolve the issue permanently for that device.

How do I solve a Wi-Fi interference issue if it’s due to frequency?

  • Most instances of frequency-based Wi-Fi interference can be solved by changing the broadcast channel on your Wi-Fi device.
  • Channels can largely be set between 1 and 13 – Try out a few different ones to see which one works the best.
  • In the UK, the best channels to use are 1, 7 and 13.
  • You can have a look and see which channel is most commonly used in your area by using a Wi-Fi scanning tool such as WiFi Analyzer. You can then choose the least used channel, confident that you will encounter less Wi-Fi interference.
  • If you have a high-end router, you will have the option to use 5GHz. This is the most effective way to solve Wi-Fi interference issues.

If you’ve checked these and tried the solutions but are still having Wi-Fi problems, then don’t be afraid to call in the experts! Our Wi-Fi engineers are still working, mainly out of Hampshire and London, and can help with a variety of Wi-Fi problems.

Check back next week when we’ll be talking more about Wi-Fi interference, in regards to capacity and coverage.

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Wi-Fi Advice Wi-Fi Interference
Are My Wi-Fi Issues Caused by Wi-Fi Interference?

Since 1997, when Wi-Fi emerged into the consumer world, it’s become integral to everyday life. For many it’s a vital way of staying connected with friends, family and colleagues – At home, at work and even out and about.

We tend to take it a bit for granted, when in actual fact we probably feel like we couldn’t live without it – Especially during 2020! And like so many things – We really only notice how much we depend on it when it’s not there. Much like when there is a power cut and all the lights go out – When Wi-Fi isn’t working properly, we really feel it’s absence.

Is there anything quite as frustrating as dodgy Wi-Fi?

Technology wouldn’t be technology without its issues, and Wi-Fi is no exception. So what can cause Wi-Fi problems? One of the biggest issues to affect how successful and reliable a Wi-Fi connection is, is Wi-Fi interference. In this blog we’re going to be looking at how you might go about detecting whether your Wi-Fi woe is an interference issue

How do I know if my Wi-Fi issue is due to Wi-Fi interference?

Here are a couple of problems you may experience if you are having trouble with Wi-Fi interference.

 

  • Trouble with signal strength, and having low signal despite being in close proximity to a Wi-Fi broadcast device like a router
  • You have no connectivity issues when using a wired connection, but have a considerably slower connection when connecting using Wi-Fi
  • Trying to transfer files between computers using Wi-Fi, and finding it very slow
  • Being unable to pair devices using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth despite being in close proximity to the receiver
  • Your Wi-Fi connection Intermittently dropping out

 

If you are experiencing one or more of these annoying Wi-Fi issues, then it’s quite possible that something is causing interference with your Wi-Fi.

There are two main types of Wi-Fi Interference – Physical and Frequency. We’ll be covering some examples of each of these in next weeks blog. Check back then to see how you can identify what may be causing your Wi-Fi interference issue, and how you can go about fixing it.

If you require any Wi-Fi help in the meantime, then please don’t hesitate to give our Wi-Fi experts a call. We’re still working under the current government guidelines, and mainly operating out of Hampshire and London. Don’t let dodgy Wi-Fi be the reason you can’t find a connection.

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4G 4G Mobile Broadband 4G Wi-Fi
Geekabit in the Community – 4G Mobile Broadband for Events
Events? Now? Covid and events don’t exactly go hand in hand, so what could we have been providing 4G mobile broadband for?

Over the past few weeks, Geekabit have been busy in our local community of Winchester, working with the guys at the city’s Round Table on one of their biggest projects of the year.

Winchester Round Table put on an annual Bonfire and Fireworks event to raise money for charities and worthy causes in the local area. It is a spectacular evening with a fireworks display of epic proportions. Like so many events this year, their traditional fundraising event had to be cancelled due to Covid-19. Social distancing regulations meant that the biggest one-day charity event in the city would have to adapt.

With so many charities struggling to survive the pandemic, this group of volunteers were determined not to lose their annual opportunity to fundraise. This brings us to the first requirement for 4G mobile broadband.

The Santa Sleigh

Every year in December, Winchester Round Table’s Santa Sleigh visits the estates around the city centre to collect donations and let the children see Santa. And even Father Christmas needs 4G sometimes!

Geekabit fitted a 4G antenna to the top of the sleigh so that it’s location could be tracked live online. Locals can monitor the sleigh’s location live as it moves around the roads, and then come out of their houses when the big man in red is approaching.

This November his sleigh came out a bit early to deliver light up merchandise to locals ready for fireworks night and create another opportunity to fundraise. Our 4G mobile broadband kit meant that people could use the online tracker and pop out their front door to donate just at the right time.

The Fireworks Sites

Bonfire night just would not be the same without a firework spectacular. They couldn’t hold the event in its original format – Crowds of thousands of people just wasn’t an option. But cancelling it altogether wasn’t an option either.

The Winchester Round Table fireworks committee decided to ‘Light Up Winchester.’ With 3 secret locations across the city to be the sites of the firework launches, locals across the city centre would be able to view the fireworks from their doorstep.

So where does the 4G mobile broadband come in? With 3 location across the city centre, the lighting of the fireworks in each location needed to be coordinated with the countdown live on Facebook and the drone footage of the fireworks themselves.

This transpired to a need for reliable internet in the middle of a field. Our Geekabit Wi-Fi engineer installed a 4G Wi-Fi router externally to help with this live streaming of drone footage on Facebook.

The success of this fireworks event just proves that with a tenacious attitude and a little bit of 4G mobile broadband, events can be successful even amid the pandemic and social distancing regulations.

You can read more on our website about both 4G mobile broadband as well as our expertise in Wi-Fi for events.

Get in touch with one of our Wi-Fi experts today to see how we can help with your Wi-Fi and 4G broadband needs.

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4G Wi-Fi Advice
It’s Business As Usual for Geekabit

We’re still here, and we’re not going anywhere.

We are lucky that much of our work is done remotely. And for situations where this isn’t possible, we are fortunately able to continue working within the government guidelines.

As the nation once again faces a period of lockdown, we thought we would link some previous blogs that might prove useful in the coming weeks.

Whether you’re in work or find yourself working from home again, you might well encounter some Wi-Fi problems. Thankfully, many of them are pretty common and are relatively easy to fix. The below blog will give you some top tips to keep you connected.

Common Wi-Fi Problems and How to Fix Them

Got yourself such good Wi-Fi that your neighbour’s sneaking on? You need to make your connection more secure. Here’s how.

Who is Stealing my Wi-Fi and How Can I Block Them?

Desperate for a bit of time out of the house? Bet you never thought you’d be longing for the office! The weather might be turning a bit too chilly to be enjoying the sunshine mentioned in this next blog, but it could help get your Wi-Fi set up in the garden shed. Don’t forget your hot water bottle and flask of coffee!

How do I get Wi-Fi in my garden?

A reliable, fast connection is once again going to be the thing to keep us connected – To colleagues, friends and family. Don’t let rubbish Wi-Fi be the thing that isolates you.

As we said, we’re still here for all your Wi-Fi needs. Perhaps you’re thinking that a business empty of employees and customers is the best time to finally get your patchy Wi-Fi sorted. In which case, do give our Wi-Fi experts a call. Operating out of London, Cardiff and Hampshire, our engineers can provide a Wi-Fi site survey, plan and design your new Wi-Fi network and then install it for you.

Maybe your home Wi-Fi network isn’t cutting it for all your zoom calls? Over the past couple of months we’ve installed a number of 4G broadband kits in place of intermittent Wi-Fi, especially in more rural areas.

To discuss any of the above, please get in touch with us today.

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Wi-Fi Advice
How to Measure RF Attenuation Through a Wall
Are you having problems with your Wi-Fi? Perhaps you didn’t carry out a Wi-Fi survey prior to designing and installing your network – Or maybe you skipped the design bit altogether!

 

Dodgy Wi-Fi can sometimes be put down to attenuation, or loss of signal. The main causes of this are the distance the signal is travelling from the transmitter, and objects in the way like walls.

It’s paramount that when you are designing a Wi-Fi network in a walled environment like an office, that you take into account things like walls and their attenuation values. These values can then be used in the design process, indicating where best to place devices and simulate any potential problems that may arise.

Not all walls are the same. Different materials will have a different attenuation value – Basically, some walls will block Wi-Fi signal more than others. Some may be plasterboard, or using plasterboard as a disguise over another material such as brick, concrete, or other materials.

Whatever the material, it’s important to identify what it is and how successfully a signal can get through. Here’s how you can go about measuring the attenuation of  a wall.

 

What you will need:
  • Something to generate Wi-Fi. This could be the hotspot function on your smartphone, a WLAN Pi in hotspot mode powered by a USB, or a battery pack powered Enterprise grade AP. You need to be able to control the transmitting power and the channel so that your measurements will be consistent.
  • A device with which you can measure Wi-Fi. This can also be done with a smartphone through AirPort Utility on iPhone or Aruba Utilities on Android. You could also use an AirCheck G2 or an Ekahau Sidekick. The device you choose will need to enable you to scan only the channel your Wi-Fi generating device is on.

 

What to do:
  1. Identify the wall you are wishing to test.
  2. Place the Wi-Fi generating device at least 4m from the wall, with nothing in-between the device and the wall.
  3. On the measuring device, set the channel to only the scan the channel that your generating device is using.
  4. Point the measuring device towards the generating device on the near side of the wall, making sure that there is a direct line of sight between the devices. Make sure you do not sit or stand between them.
  5. Take a few sets of measurements and make a note of the values. Identify the average for the near side of the wall. You could call this A.
  6. Next, move the measuring device to the other side of the wall, directly in line with where it was before. Again, point the measuring device towards the generating device.
  7. Just like before, take a few sets of measurements and make a note of the values. Identify the average measurement for the far side of the wall. You could call this B.
  8. Work out the wall attenuation: A – B. Make a note of this and document it.

 

Now you know how much the wall is (or isn’t) blocking the Wi-Fi signal. This can help you identify the best positions for devices like routers and access points when designing and installing your Wi-Fi network.

Thinking this all sounds a bit complicated? Luckily for you, our expert Wi-Fi engineers here at Geekabit are pros at carrying out this sort of investigation. We offer site surveys, Wi-Fi design & planning and Wi-Fi installation.

If you already have a Wi-Fi network set up, but have a sneaking suspicion that a particular wall might be causing you problems then we can also help diagnose any Wi-Fi issues in an already established network.

Get in touch with us today to see how our Wi-Fi experts can help you.

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Wi-Fi Advice
Three types of Wi-Fi wireless network
There are three main types of wireless network – How do you know which wireless network is right for you?

Here we’re going to talk about three wireless networks to help you identify which would work best for your business.

We’ll be looking at centralised deployment, converged deployment and cloud-based deployment to see which one suits different types of applications.

Centralised Deployment

The most common wireless network system is centralised deployment. These lend themselves well to environments where buildings and networks are all in close proximity. This type of deployment brings the wireless network together which helps to facilitate advanced wireless functionality. It also enables easier upgrades. Wi-Fi controllers in these networks are based on-site, installed in a location at the centre of the network.

Converged Deployment

This type of wireless network works well for smaller environments such as an office building. They offer a consistency for both wireless and wired connections due to combining them both onto one network device. This device is an access switch which acts as both a switch as well as a wireless controller.

Cloud-Based Deployment

This deployment is ideal for networks that cover multiple locations. Devices connected on the premises of these different locations are managed by cloud software which via a dashboard, enables full visibility and management of said devices.

Once you’ve identified which network your business needs, you can then go about designing it. A site survey is invaluable at this stage, and enables a theoretical map to show up any potential problems before installation goes ahead.

If you need some assistance with your wireless network at any stage – From Wi-Fi site surveys, wireless network design, Wi-Fi installation or help with a current Wi-Fi network – Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today. Our expert Wi-Fi engineers are here to help, and are still working out of our Hampshire and London bases.

 

 

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4G 5G Google Technology Wi-Fi Offloading
How Public Venues Can Make Money on Wi-Fi Offload with Google Orion Wi-Fi

Imagine you could make money, just from your business having strong, reliable Wi-Fi – At the same time as offering customers better mobile reception inside your venue.

Google’s Area 120, an in-house incubator, has recently launched Orion Wi-Fi in the US which will enable public venues like shopping centres, grocery stores, shops, restaurants, conference venues etc to offer those using a smartphone the opportunity to automatically connect to their Wi-Fi via their mobile provider, to get better reception.

Google Orion acts as the intermediary between the public venue and the mobile provider, ascertaining whether the price and the signal strength is worth giving their customers access.

Why would mobile providers want to do this for their customers?

You may be wondering why mobile providers would decide to pay a public venue for their customers to use the Wi-Fi available.

Often, public venues like grocery stores, shopping centres and conference venues don’t have great 3G/4G/5G reception for those wishing to use their smartphones.

For customers to get better coverage direct, mobile providers would have to install more masts to try and cover these areas, which of course costs money.

An easier and cheaper alternative is to pay the public venue for their customers to use their Wi-Fi. The end user’s device would be picked up by Google Orion, which performs a rapid negotiation of cost and Wi-Fi strength between the venue and the mobile provider. The device would then automatically connect to the venues Wi-Fi upon entrance giving better reception.

The end user doesn’t drop their signal and remains happy with their mobile provider.

How would this Wi-Fi offload scheme work for public venues?

This Google Orion Wi-Fi device could be the first step towards indoor wireless communication being everywhere you go. And with public venues being paid for making their Wi-Fi available to mobile providers and their customers, there is even more reason to make sure your public Wi-Fi is up to scratch.

If you are a public venue and would like to make your Wi-Fi available to anyone with a smartphone walking into your business, you would sign up to become part of the Orion Wi-Fi service via their new portal.

You would connect via your Google account and then set up Orion Wi-Fi to work with your Wi-Fi network. According to Google, it is set to work with most commercial and enterprise Wi-Fi systems including the majority of AP’s and Wi-Fi controllers.

This isn’t yet in the UK, but presumably a person entering your venue on a participating mobile provider contract would then be able to connect automatically to your Wi-Fi. They would be happy that they have a good connection, associating your brand with good reception, the mobile provider would be happy that their customer can stay connected indoors, and you as a venue would be happy as you would be paid for making it available.

Current issues with Wi-Fi offloading

There are generally two main problems with Wi-Fi offloading:

– The quality of the Wi-Fi – It’s not great if end-users are handed over from their patchy mobile network to a bad quality Wi-Fi option instead.
– Connecting – End-users may be unlikely to spend time manually connecting to a different network when entering some public venues.
In theory, Google Orion addresses both of these issues and so it wouldn’t be surprising if every mobile provider would be interested. The prospect is that this could make Wi-Fi roaming even more powerful.

Are there any negatives to using Google Orion Wi-Fi?

ne plus about venues offering their own Wi-Fi portals to guests is the opportunity to collect data and engage new people. If they were to give up this chance to collect contact details and other personal information about their guests that they could use for future marketing purposes, they would need the appropriate compensation via payment from the mobile provider.

Of course, what would be even better, is if Google Orion Wi-Fi later offered both – Guest engagement and auto-connect. Maybe that will come.

Exciting developments on the horizon for new Wi-Fi technology

With current developments in the Wi-Fi industry starting to trickle through, it wouldn’t surprise us if there was real demand for Google Orion Wi-Fi.

With the arrival of a new Wi-Fi standard (Wi-Fi 6) as well as a wider Wi-Fi spectrum (1.2GHz in the 6GHz band), it would make perfect sense to offload mobile customers struggling with indoor reception onto reliable public Wi-Fi.

We’re hearing lots about 5G, but it will inevitably have difficulty reaching all indoor users as well as indoor cellular 5G systems being expensive.
Perhaps, as Google have intimated, now is the perfect time for a paradigm shift to Wi-Fi.

You can read more about it on the Google Orion Wi-Fi website here.

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4G 5G Technology
What’s The Difference Between 5G and 4G?

Wondering exactly how 5G is different from 4G? As the UK begins to embrace 5G technology, this is a question that more and more people will be asking.

There are actually many differences between 4G and 5G, but in this blog we’re just going to cover the main ones which will affect us the most.

1. What’s the difference in speed between 4G and 5G?

As with many technological advancements, one major difference between 4G and 5G is speed. 5G is much quicker than 4G – It is the fastest available form of cellular connectivity. Current real-world speeds of 4G are around 20-40mbps. In contrast, likely real-world speeds for 5G will be 300-500mbps, with theoretical speeds of up to 1Gbps. That’s a pretty big difference.

This is welcome news to those who have slow internet or connectivity problems – The new high speeds brought to us by 5G will make it a quick solution for many.

2. Will there be an improvement in latency when using 5G?

Commonly referred to as ‘lag’, latency is another improvement that 5G brings. Depending on signal strength, the typical latency of 4G is between 10 and 50 milliseconds. 5G will be more like 1 millisecond, or possibly even less. That’s quick!

But what does this actually look like in real terms? Well, imagine you are browsing the internet on your phone. The latency (or lack of) on 5G will mean that normal websites will be super responsive. What about video streaming on demand? 5G means that 4K video will become the norm.

3. When will 5G be available to me?

5G has actually been around in some places since last year (2019) when the initial 5G masts were introduced and turned on. Some users in London, Cardiff and other large cities were able to roam 5G zones.

However, 5G masts come at a high cost, as do other 5G technologies, so the rollout across the UK has been slow. 4G has of course been widely available for a long time, but the availability of 5G is slowly being increased across the UK so more consumers and businesses will start to be able to take advantage of the increase in speed and power. Those outside larger UK cities will have to remain with 4G.

4. Is the technology behind 4G and 5G different?

Perhaps it’s obvious, perhaps it’s not, but there are actually major differences between the technology behind 4G and 5G.

Due to 4G being commonly available for a while, the technology behind it and thus the hardware and devices available have had the chance to be refined. This means that the costs associated with this are lower.

As 5G is so new, the hardware to use it such as modems, masts and antennae are much modern and thus, more expensive.

As with most technological advancements, it’s inevitable that we will get to the stage of 5G that we are currently at with 4G, where it will be more cost-effective and les pricey. This isn’t likely to happen for a number of years however. The more that mobile phone manufacturers out 5G modems into their devices, the more 5G will be used and the more widely available it will become.

5. What are the differences in wavelength between 4G and 5G?

So far, the power and speed of 5G is making it sound pretty great, with only availability and price being a slight stumbling block. But it’s not as perfect as it seems. Whilst 5G is undoubtedly a great advancement in cellular and connectivity technology, there are some things to consider.

In terms of wavelength, 5G is very different to 4G in terms of varation and versatility. What’s different about 5G is that it has a few different variations of wavelength, from low-band to millimetre wave.

Low-band 5G – This might be the slowest form of 5G, but it can travel long distances. Low-band 5G is the most similar wavelength to 4G.

Mid-band 5G – This is the ideal in-between: A slightly faster form of 5G and the most common form of 5G transmission. It’s a bit of the best of both worlds – It provides pretty high speeds, but can also cover a medium size area with minimal masts.

Millimetre 5G – This is by far the fastest form of 5G, but it comes with its limitations. Millimetre wave might be able to achieve high speeds pf up to 1Gbps, but in order to achieve this it requires line of sight to the device. This means that there would need to be 5G masts on every lamppost for this to be effective – Something that will cause the rollout of this technology be very slow, and very costly.

Of course, this is rather different from 4G, which although has a smaller range of wavelengths and not as versatile, but far cheaper for mobile operators to roll out.

Perhaps the common approach to this will be to introduce the mid-band 5G into wider areas, with city centres having a few millimetre wave spots.

6. What will the uses of 5G be compared with 4G?

Hands up if you use 4G in your everyday lives… Yep, us too. We know too well how useful it is, and what we use it for whether it’s browsing, streaming or making video calls to colleagues, friends and family (we’ve done enough of that over the past few months to know how valuable it is).

Everything that has been possible with 4G, will be furthered more by 5G. The IoT (internet of Things) will benefit from 5G through smarter and more efficient connectivity for smart devices.

Due to 5G having a better internet connection that 4G, it will also mean that 5G could be used as a fixed line alternative in some scenarios. This means that homes or businesses that struggle to get fibre broadband lines could use a 5G router instead.

Hopefully this blog will have explained the biggest differences between 4G and 5G, and what we can expect from this technology over the coming months and years. There’s no doubt that it offers increased speed and power – Let’s see if the price and availability follow suit.

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Uncategorised
Wi-Fi Predictive Surveys, Heatmaps and Why It’s Important

What is a Wi-Fi Survey and why do you need one?

Well, the simple answer is that it is the foundation for any professional and effective Wi-Fi installation. It takes an expert in the Wi-Fi field to get it right, and it acts as the start of any wireless LAN design.

If you’re thinking that a Wi-Fi predictive survey is something we have saved and just fire out by email to all of our prospective clients, you would be wrong.

It’s not a one-size-fits-all, and is very much tailored to each unique client and their environment.

So where do we start?

The first stage in Wi-Fi design is a predictive survey.

At this stage, the walls are drawn in on the maps and the AP’s (access points) are placed.

A prediction is then made via a Wi-Fi heatmap that shows the projected coverage based on the walls of your premises and the placement of the AP’s. This can then be communicated to you in a report.

 

What’s a Wi-Fi heatmap? 

A Wi-Fi Heatmap is a visual representation of the way radio frequency (RF) power is broadcasted.

The ‘hottest’ areas, where the Wi-Fi strength is the strongest, is seen on the map in blue. It gradually bleeds out into light green.

Wi-Fi heatmaps demonstrate how our model will allow consistent levels of RF power from each AP to the end users. There are no grey areas on the map – Any areas identified as ‘grey’ and therefore not receiving a consistent level of RF power would be rectified prior to presentation to the client.

One of the main outputs from a predictive survey is a Wi-Fi Heatmaps – They are an excellent tool for illustrating how successful our Wi-Fi design and model will be.

Once this stage is completed, you would be provided with a custom report on your individual environment, including any Wi-Fi heatmaps as well as analysis of any possible issues we might encounter.

 

How can we be confident that a computer model is accurate?

A pre-install survey also complements this stage by carrying out onsite tests with an AP. This enables us as the Wi-Fi designer to test the building fabric and check that our model of your environment (in the predictive survey) is going to work. If any adjustments need to be made, e.g. if some walls are thicker than others, these can then be made in the predictive model.

After both these surveys have been carried out, we can then be confident that the model is ready for installation and any cabling can be put in.

 

Why carry out a Wi-Fi survey with Geekabit?

Here at Geekabit, our Wi-Fi experts and engineers have the experience and knowledge to identify the needs of your wireless network and design the best option to meet them.

  • Every network and environment is different – Knowledge, expertise and experience is necessary to identify any issues on site and design a wireless network that will be reliable and effective.
  • We are meticulous and methodical in our approach, ensuring that our design and model will meet your needs and satisfy end users.
  • We don’t advertise our services and rely on word of mouth. This means we will always go above and beyond to make sure our clients are happy.

If your Wi-Fi isn’t currently up to scratch then a Wi-Fi survey might be your best option and prove a worthy investment. The only way to ensure a reliable wireless network that supports your business operations is to design it to your unique specification.

You might be wondering why you can’t just get a copy of the design software and design it yourself. If you have the knowledge and expertise that might well be an option, however as you’ve landed on this blog asking why you need a Wi-Fi site survey then it may be a fair estimate that you’d be better off leaving it to the experts.

It’s not just about inputting information into a computer and getting the perfect model out. A we said above, the predictive survey is best done alongside the pre-install survey where this model is tested and if needed, refined. These surveys together ensure that a computer model will work in the real world.

Want to call in the experts for your Wi-Fi survey?

You’ve come to the right place. Here at Geekabit our Wi-Fi experts have the knowledge and experience to help you to design your Wi-Fi network for the best coverage possible.

Don’t put up with sub-par Wi-Fi any longer and get in touch today.

 

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New Remote Support Service and Cloud Hosted Ubiquiti Controller

Looking for a remote support service for your Wi-Fi needs? Interested in the benefits of a Ubiquiti UniFi Controller but don’t want the on-premise device?

Here at Geekabit we are pleased to announce some new services to our Wi-Fi repertoire. We are now offering remote support options as well as Geekabit-Cloud hosted Ubiquiti UniFi Controllers. Remote support will be provided both through a reactive service and a proactive monthly plan. We also offer cloud hosted Ubiquiti UniFi Controllers to negate the requirement for a Cloud Key or constantly connected on-premise device.

For more information on both of these services, read on.

 

Remote Support

When you have a hosted Ubiquiti Controller, or can provide access via remote desktop, we can diagnose many issues with your network without having to visit your business or home.

This enables quicker diagnostics, as well as potentially quicker resolution depending on the issue.

 

Geekabit-Cloud Hosted Ubiquiti UniFi Controller

 Use the Geekabit-Cloud to host your Ubiquiti UniFi Controller and you can take advantage of the following benefits:

  • There is no need to have an on-premise device attached
  • There is no need to invest in, and maintain, a legacy Ubiquiti Cloud Key or Cloud Key Gen2
  • It will be automatically upgraded with the latest controller software
  • It is a fully managed and automated server with https SSL certificate
  • You will have full remote access to the Ubiquiti UniFi Controller from anywhere
  • We charge a small amount per month as opposed to the initial large investment in hardware

 

Proactive Monthly Plan

 As part of our monthly plan, you can enjoy the following services:

  • We constantly monitor your Ubiquiti UniFi devices for downtime, current data usage, traffic usage and latency issues
  • We check for access points and other UniFi devices dropping out or disappearing
  • We check for created alarms
  • We check for number of connected clients on each AP and whether this is too many for optimum performance
  • We check for when there is an update to the firmware available on devices
  • We check the number of guests attached to the network
  • All of the above actions produce a notification which can then be sent via email or Slack to your defined administrators
  • You can then choose to have daily, weekly or monthly PDF reports sent you via email

If you would like more information on our monthly plan and the above new services of Remote Support and a Geekabit-Cloud Hosted Ubiquiti UniFi Controller, get in touch with us today.

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