It’s a common misconception that poor Wi-Fi is caused by not having enough Access Points.

Unfortunately, businesses often assume that the solution to dead spots or unreliable connections is to buy another AP. Of course, there are occasions where it might work – But there are also times when adding another AP could make an existing Wi-Fi problem worse.

It’s important to remember that Wi-Fi performance is about coverage, capacity and RF design, not just the number of Access Points. 

A specially designed network determines:

• Where AP’s should be located
• How they should be configured
• How they interact

The aim isn’t just to have maximum signal everywhere – It’s to have a predictable, reliable wireless network. And that is where professional Wi-Fi engineers like the team here at Geekabit can help get your network working at its optimum for your business. 

What Does a Wi-Fi Access Point Actually Do?

What is an Access Point? 

An Access Point is a networking hardware device that helps create a wireless local area network, for example in an office or business premises. The wireless local area network (WLAN) is a computer network that connects devices together using radio waves instead of physical cables. 

What does an Access Point do?

The Access Point connects wireless devices to a wired local network.  

An Access Point bridges networks by plugging into a wired router or switch using an Ethernet cable and translates that wired data into a Wi-Fi signal.

They extend coverage by creating a wireless zone in areas where the main router’s Wi-Fi signal cannot reach.

Access Points act as a central hub, letting phones, laptops, and smart devices connect to the network at the same time without losing speed or stability.

They support high capacity in locations like large offices or schools. Multiple Access Points work together to handle hundreds or even thousands of users depending on the size of the venue and network. 

AP’s in Business Networks

Business networks commonly have multiple AP’s working together. Devices move between AP coverage areas and need to be able to roam appropriately. 

AP’s share a finite radio spectrum with neighbouring AP’s and other devices. This means that simply installing more AP’s doesn’t automatically provide more usable Wi-Fi. 

• Business networks commonly have multiple APs working together.
• Devices move between AP coverage areas and need to roam appropriately.
• AP’s share a finite radio spectrum with neighbouring APs and other devices.
• Therefore, simply installing more APs doesn’t automatically provide more usable Wi-Fi.

How Many Wi-Fi Access Points Does a Business Need?

Wouldn’t it be lovely if there was a reliable formula based purely on square metres? Unfortunately there isn’t, it doesn’t work like that.

The number of Access Points that a business needs depends on:

• Building size.
• Building materials.
• Floor layout.
• Number of floors.
• Number of users/devices.
• Types of devices.
• Applications being used.
• Required speeds.
• Voice/video requirements.
• Existing neighbouring Wi-Fi networks.
• Available wired network infrastructure.

It makes sense that different businesses in different industries with different Wi-Fi needs – Think warehouse, hotel, office, school – would need different Wi-Fi designs, despite having identical floor area on paper. 

You also need to bear in mind that capacity can require additional AP’s even where signal coverage is already excellent.

What Are the Signs That I Might Need Another Access Point?

There will of course be scenarios where another Access Point would be a legitimate Wi-Fi fix. So how do you as a business recognise when you might need another Access Point?

• Identifying an area with genuinely inadequate usable coverage.
• Getting poor signal in rooms separated by substantial walls
• Requiring coverage across additional floors
• Realising some outdoor areas need Wi-Fi
• Having high numbers of devices concentrated in particular locations (high density areas)
• Noticing users experiencing poor performance only in particular physical areas
• Having an existing AP physically incapable of providing appropriate coverage

Whilst these scenarios may well benefit from another strategically placed AP, it’s worth saying that these symptoms justify investigation. Investing in a well designed Wi-Fi network could mean you don’t waste money on unnecessary APs. 

Can You Have Too Many Wi-Fi Access Points?

Simply – Yes! It is possible that having too many Access Points can cause more problems and make your WI-Fi worse rather than better. 

APs share available radio spectrum. This means it’s possible that there could be co-channel interference or contention between APs. This is when more than one AP uses the exact same frequency channel at the same time, in an overlapping area. 

Having too many Access Points can also cause Adjacent-channel interference where a transmission on one frequency leaks into a neighboring, overlapping frequency channel causing signal distortion.

Too many APs in one area causes excessive overlapping coverage.

Strategic channel selection helps your APs work to their most effective. Poor channel selection causes signal interference, slower speeds, and dropped connections.

Transmit power is also a strategic choice. You might think you should just set the AP to maximum power to get the best performance, however excessive transmit power can mean that APs are connecting to wireless devices inappropriately, when devices should roam and connect to a better placed AP that will provide a more reliable connection. Just because an AP is ‘shouting louder’ doesn’t mean it can provide the best connection. 

Unfortunately, excellent-looking signal bars don’t always translate to efficient wireless networks and often exhibit disappointing real world performance. Dense installations should always be properly planned and installed.

Why Full Wi-Fi Signal Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Good Wi-Fi

Signal strength is only one measurement, and can be affected by various factors between the AP and the device. 

We can scrutinise wireless signal in a few different ways. 

• RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) is a measurement of how strong a wireless signal is when a device receives it. RSSI is usually shown as a negative number in decibels-milliwatts (dBm) and a value closer to 0 means a stronger signal.

• SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) is the ratio comparing the power of a desired useful signal to the power of unwanted background noise, usually measured in decibels (dB). A higher SNR means a clear, crisp signal with very little interference. A low SNR means the signal is hidden or corrupted by static and noise.

• Noise and interference are unwanted radio signals or physical blocks that disrupt your wireless connection and slow down your internet.

• Channel utilization is the percentage of time that a specific wireless channel is busy transmitting or receiving data, or blocked by interference. In Wi-Fi, only one device can talk on a channel at an exact millisecond, so a busy channel forces other devices to wait. This in turn lowers overall network speed and increases lag.

• Regarding wireless connectivity, airtime refers to the actual duration an Access Point or client spends actively communicating data across a specific frequency.

A device can show full bars while experiencing:

• Slow downloads.
• High latency.
• Teams/Zoom problems.
• Dropouts.
• Poor roaming.

Remember, Wi-Fi is two-way communication. The AP must hear the client as well as the client hearing the AP.

Access Point Placement Matters as Much as Access Point Quantity

An AP shouldn’t simply be installed wherever an Ethernet cable happens to be available.

Here are some of the poor locations our Wi-Fi engineers have discovered APs when investigating a poorly performing Wi-Fi network:

• Cupboards.
• Behind televisions/screens.
• Inside cabinets.
• Above inappropriate building materials.
• At one end of a building.

Hiding APs away in cupboards aren’t the only things that can cause a wireless network to perform badly. Walls, concrete, metal, glass and building layout all affect RF differently too.

Ensuring the correct placement of Access Points can sometimes reduce the number of APs required.

Professional Wi-Fi network planning considers both coverage and capacity.

What Is Professional Wi-Fi Design?

The best Wi-Fi design starts with requirements rather than equipment.

When we investigate an office or business premises for a new or updated Wi-Fi network, our Wi-Fi engineers always determine:

• Where Wi-Fi is required.
• Number/ type of clients.
• Critical applications.
• Performance requirements.
• Physical environment.

Our engineers do this by carrying out an appropriate survey which can include:

• Predictive modelling.
• On-site measurements.
• Spectrum/RF analysis.
• Validation after installation.

AP locations, channels, channel widths and power settings can then be designed accordingly, meaning your Wi-Fi network actually matches your business needs.

Don’t Forget the Wired Network

Wi-Fi networks aren’t always just about the wireless element – There is also a wired component. The Wi-Fi Access Point ultimately connects to Ethernet. This means that problems with a Wi-Fi network could potentially originate in a wired part of the network, including:

• Damaged cabling.
• 100 Mbps links where Gigabit was expected.
• Faulty termination.
• Switch problems.
• Insufficient PoE.
• VLAN/configuration problems.
• Router/firewall problems.
• Internet connection itself.

Just blindly installing another AP won’t fix an underlying wired-network fault.

Should I Add Another AP or Get a Wi-Fi Survey?

If the cause of your Wi-Fi problems isn’t obvious, then it’s a good idea to diagnose the issue before purchasing more equipment.

A Wi-Fi Site Survey can identify:

• Coverage gaps.
• Interference.
• AP placement problems.
• Channel problems.
• Capacity issues.
• Cabling/ network issues.

Sometimes recommendations may genuinely be another AP! 

Other times, your existing equipment ends up being able to perform much better simply through a redesign or  reconfiguration.

Our approach here at Geekabit is always to diagnose the Wi-Fi problem first, and then prescribe the solution second.

How Geekabit Can Help

Here at Geekabit, our Wi-Fi engineers have specialist Wi-Fi and networking expertise rather than just generic IT support. Think of it as a GP referring you to a specialist consultant.

We can help with:

• Business Wi-Fi troubleshooting.
• Wi-Fi health checks.
• Wireless surveys.
• RF planning and design.
• Network testing.
• Existing network optimisation.
• New installations and upgrades.

It’s always worth discussing and investigating unreliable Wi-Fi before buying more equipment.

Our expert Wi-Fi engineers are based in Hampshire and carry out work for local businesses as well as London and UK projects as appropriate. Get in touch with our team here. 

FAQs

Can adding more access points make Wi-Fi worse?

• Yes.
• Poorly planned APs can increase contention/interference.
• Correct channels, power, placement and channel widths matter.
• More APs should be deployed as part of a design.

How many Wi-Fi access points do I need per square metre?

• No universally reliable ratio.
• Depends on construction, layout, users, applications and RF environment.
• Capacity can be as important as coverage.

Why is my Wi-Fi slow when I have full signal?

• Signal strength isn’t the same as connection quality.
• Could be congestion, interference, retries, network problems or internet issues.

Should every room have its own Wi-Fi access point?

• Not necessarily.
• Some environments benefit from room-level APs.
• In others it creates unnecessary density.
• Requirements should determine design.

How far apart should Wi-Fi access points be?

• No universal distance.
• Building construction and RF conditions significantly affect propagation.
• Placement should be based on required coverage and capacity.

Will a Wi-Fi survey tell me where to put access points?

• Yes, that can be one of the key outcomes.
• Can also identify configuration and RF problems with existing deployments.