We are now a world of people who always want to be online and connected. There aren’t that many places where you can go where there is absolutely no reception, no Wi-Fi, no 3G/4G, but a plane used to be one of those sacred places.

A place providing a precious few hours away from the digital realm and a break away from emails, WhatsApp notifications and all sorts of other pings. But no more.

You might have once been able to use the excuse “Sorry I didn’t reply, I was on a plane!” but in-flight Wi-Fi is now becoming an increasingly common offering – Mostly on flagship airlines but possibly the budget ones aswell.

And so you might find yourself wondering – How does in-flight Wi-Fi actually work? How can I get an internet signal when I’m 35,000 feet up in the air?

Well in simplest terms, there are 2 ways this can occur.

The first is from the ground via mobile broadband towers. The signals these sent are received by an aircrafts antennas which are usually found on the base of the main body of the plane.

Theoretically, there should be no interruptions in connectivity as the plane automatically connects and receives signals from the nearest tower as it travels through different parts of airspace. If, however, you are travelling over a large body of water or perhaps very remote terrain then this method can make connectivity an issue.

The second way to get Wi-Fi while you fly uses uses satellite technology. Satellites in geostationary orbit (35,786km above the planet) send and receive signals to earth via receivers and transmitters. These are the same satellites that are used in television signals, weather forecasting, and covert military operations. In the same way that devices on the ground can connect, so can the plane.

Your smartphone or device can then transmit information to and from the nearest satellite signal through an antenna on the top of the plane. The satellite acts as the ‘middle man’ as information is passed between the ground and the plane. Passengers can access Wi-Fi onboard the plane via a router.

As per usual, the US are a bit ahead on the whole Wi-Fi aboard your plane thing. Their infrastructure is much more developed than elsewhere in the world and so you will tend to find better (and cheaper) Wi-Fi offerings on American flights than those in Europe.

So now you know how you can get Wi-Fi on a plane, your next question might be, why is it so slow?

While technology is undoubtedly developing at a fast pace, it has strived but not quite managed to keep up with the sophistication and sheer number of Wi-Fi-guzzling devices and the demand for their use at all times.

The first onboard Wi-Fi service was launched by Gogo (previously known as Aircell) on a Virgin America plane a decade ago back in 2008. At this time, the connection was an adequate 3 Mbps, enough for the functionality of a few laptops (without the streaming of videos – that was prohibited). Here in 2018 however, every single passenger will likely have at least one device that they will want to connect to various apps, websites and multiple services which means there is a much greater strain and demand on resources.

Today you’ll likely see an offering of 12 Mbps via a satellite connection, but these are expensive to maintain and upgrade so we see this technology lagging behind too.

So whilst Gogo has a monopoly on US inflight Wi-Fi, it is been widely criticised for its painfully slow connection speeds.

In comparison to the inflight Wi-Fi speed of 12 Mbps, last year Ofcom reported that UK households enjoyed an average internet speed of 36.2 Mbps so there is rather a gap between what people are used to at home and what people get onboard their flight.

So if inflight Wi-Fi is so slow, why is it so expensive?

Both methods of technology come at a price, as do the in-aircraft systems. Not only that, but the necessary antennas also increase drag, which adds fuel costs onto the airline’s bill.

Factor in the maintenance and engineering costs and you’ll start to see that these fees are passed on to the customers. As with all service providers, there are price variations between airlines for in-flight connectivity, with some (like Emirates) offering the first 10MB free as a trial.

So if we’re paying over the odds for Wi-Fi, will it get faster in the future?

Yes, they’re working on it. The European Aviation Network [EAN] is being developed by communications firm Inmarsat and Deutsche Telekom. This will be a high-capacity satellite Wi-Fi network backed up by ground towers, promising to provide “a reliable high bandwidth broadband service in the air” throughout Europe. The EAN is on track for launch this year (more information here https://www.inmarsataviation.com/en/services/european-aviation-network/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-european-aviation-network.html )

By 2020, inflight Wi-Fi is set to be a billion-dollar revenue sector with over half of the world’s aircraft being equipped for inflight Wi-Fi within a matter of years.

Gogo, with a network that covers the whole country, currently monopolises US in-flight Wi-Fi. Despite it being criticised for slow download and upload speeds, it promises that its new 2Ku service will deliver up to 70 Mbps due to upgraded antennas and satellite services. Almost double the average connection you see on land!

We haven’t seen this in Europe yet as the connection to satellites has been patchy due to dense airspace. However, with the imminent launch of the EAN and their launch client IAG (who own British Airways) Europe will start to see Wi-Fi onboard short haul flights as soon as this Summer.

Unfortunately though, Britain’s budget airlines are less likely to be offering this service anytime soon, with Ryanair’s spokesman going as far as saying that their customers enjoy being off the radar and out of contact during their flight.

So you might get away with the ‘Sorry I was on a plane!’ excuse for a bit longer…

With thanks to luxuryactivist.com for the image.

What will happen if my company is not compliant with the GDPR?

Perhaps the biggest question companies are asking themselves regarding this. Non-compliance with the GDPR faces penalties of up to €20 million or 4 percent of global annual turnover, whichever is higher. Ovum reports that 52% of companies believe that they will be fined for non-compliance. It’s also been predicted by Oliver Wyman (management consulting firm) that the European Union could collect as much as $6 billion in fines and penalties in the first year.

You likely won’t be the only one if your organisation is not in compliance by May 25th. The general consensus is that about half of the U.S. companies that should be compliant will not be on all requirements. Solix Technologies released a survey in December where 22% of companies were not even aware that they must comply with GDPR. Furthermore, 38% said that the personal data they process is not protected from misuse and unauthorised access at every stage of its life cycle.

One requirement is looking to be particularly difficult for companies trying to gain compliance – The right to be forgotten. Almost two-thirds of the Solix survey respondents say they are unsure if they can get rid an individual’s personal information forever by the May deadline. This leaves many organisations vulnerable to facing fines.

How will penalties be assessed?

This is the big unanswered question. Will there be a difference in fines between a breach that doesn’t have much impact on an individual compared with one where their exposed personal identity information causes damage? And what will that difference be?

It’s thought that the regulators will want to make an example of a few companies to send out a message to those that are non-compliance. Following this, organisations can make a more accurate assessment of what to expect in the event of being found non-compliant.

Which GDPR requirements will my company be affected by?

Following GDPR requirements will mean companies need to change the way they process, store, and protect customers’ personal data. For example, when an individual consents, companies will be permitted to store and process personal data, but for “no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed.” Personal data must also be portable from one company to another, and companies must erase personal data upon request.

That last item is also known as the right to be forgotten, for which there are some exceptions. There are some legal requirements that supersede the GDPR and mean that an organisation may maintain certain data, for example, HIPAA health record requirements.

Although the term “reasonable” has not been well defined by the GDPR, company security teams must be able to provide a “reasonable” level of privacy and data protection to citizens of the EU.

A potentially challenging requirement is the rule around breach reporting. Following detection of a data breach, companies must report it within 72 hours to supervisory authorities and individuals affected.

Performing impact assessments to identify vulnerabilities and how to address them is another requirement, with the intention of helping to mitigate the risk of breaches.

Successful GDPR – A Case Study

Let’s take ADP as an example. This is a company that provides Human Capital Management via a cloud based system as well as business outsourcing services to more than 650,000 companies around the globe. That’s millions of people around the world that it holds personal identity information for So it’s hard to imagine a company that could be more affected by the GDPR. It’s not just regulators that will expect them to be compliant, but all of their clients as well, as if these clients are to be compliant, then ADP needs to be first. If ADP were to be found as non-compliant then it would not only face hefty fines, but potentially a huge loss of business as well.

The scale and global focus of ADP holds it in good stead and gives them an advantage when facing the regulations surround the GDPR. There won’t be a huge leap to adhere to these as they already adhere to so many privacy laws and security regulations. They are certainly not starting from scratch. There need for compliance is not just as a company, but as a service provider too.

ADP may well be better prepared than most, but it is still a large and global project which they began a year ago. Before GDPR had been discussed, they had already started working on data flow mapping and privacy assessments as a part of new products.

This is what they see as the key for successful compliance – The early onset of data flow mapping. “Data flow mapping is required to do inventory of products, and processing PII is a first step to data protection impact assessments that are required. We’ve also implemented privacy by design in our new offers and products.” ADP even provides training for its developers to support its “privacy by design” policy.

Another step towards success is pulling in people from many areas of the company. This project of complying with the GDPR is something that the whole organisation needs to be involved with. It affects all the operations, and the functional groups, not just a pure privacy or compliance project for the security teams. The right processes need to be implemented across the organisation as a whole.

One mechanisms for securing PII is encryption, which is something that ADP already have in place. Security wise, this is something that can then be communicated to their clients and then onto their employees and clients of their own.

ADP are very clear that they will be compliant and on time. They are a data processor for other companies, so this compliance is something they are making clear to their clients. They want to protect their personal data to the standard expected by the EU regulator, and thus, have applied for binding corporate rules for protecting personal identity data.

Setting a rather good example of where to start and what to do, here are ADP’s tips on beginning the GDPR compliance journey:

• As a company, understand what it means for you in terms of your business. Identify to what extent you will be affected by the new regulations and compile a gap analysis.
• Take an operational approach. Take each function of your organisation, and have a representative from each. This is not just a purely legal or privacy compliance project. Each organisational function representative can determine whether a requirement affects their department, and how they can or already do meet this requirement.
• Documentation. Part of the GDPR is being able to show how you have become compliant. Get your business people to do an assessment, decide what needs to be done, and then document what you are doing.

What should my company be doing to prepare for the GDPR?

• Get top management to set a sense of urgency. You must be prepared.
• Get all stakeholders involved. Get a task force in place that includes marketing, finance, sales, operations—any function within the organization that collects, analyses, or otherwise makes use of customers’ personal identity information. Information will be shared better, and will be most useful to those implementing the technical and procedural changes that the GDPR requires. Each individual team will also be better prepared to deal with any impact on them.
• Conduct a risk assessment: One of the biggest obstacles but the first course of action – you need to know what data you store and process on EU citizens and understand the risks surrounding this. This risk assessment must also outline the measures being taken to mitigate that risk. A key element of this assessment will be to uncover all shadow IT that might be collecting and storing PII. The greatest risk for non-compliance is from shadow IT and smaller point solutions – Don’t ignore them!
• Hire or appoint a Data Protection Officer: This could be someone that already holds a similar role to this position, as long as there is no conflict of interest in terms of ensuring personal identify information protection. If there is no one then you will need to hire a DPO. This could be a ‘virtual’ consultative role rather than a full time position.
• Create a data protection plan: This is something that most companies already have in place. You will need to review and update it with the GDPR in mind, to ensure that it complies with requirements.
• Don’t forget about mobile: According to a survey, 64% of IT and security executives access customer, partner, and employee PII using mobile devices. 81 percent of the survey respondents said that employees were allowed to install personal apps on these mobile devices. In terms of GDPR compliance, this creates a unique set of risks – If any of those apps access and store PII, they must do so in a GDPR-compliant manner which is very difficult to control, especially when you consider that employees will use unauthorized apps too.
• Create a plan to report your GDPR compliance progress: As the May deadline gets closer, organisations must be able to demonstrate how they are making progress with the new regulations by completing the Record of Processing Activities (RoPA). This centres around taking an inventory of risky applications. This will help you avoid being an easy target for regulators. Through doing this RoPA you are identifying where personal data is being processed, who is processing it and how it is being processed.
• Implement measures to mitigate risk: So you’ve identified the risks and how to mitigate them, next you need to put those measures into place. Following the RoPA, your GDPR team can identify and investigate any potential data risks and determine the level of security required to protect that data.
• Ask for help. If you have a small organisation then don’t be afraid to ask for help if needed. Smaller companies can and will still be affected by GDPR, some more than others. If you don’t have the resources needed to meet requirements then there are outside resources available to provide advice and technical expertise to help you through this process.
• Test incident response plans: Companies have 72 hours to report a data breach. Your response teams need to know how to respond and report a breach – Their ability to do this effectively will influence your company’s risk of fines. Do a test and practice this process.
• Set up a process for ongoing assessment: To ensure that you stay compliant, you will need to consistently monitor the processes you have in place and continuously improve them. You may wish to incentivise employees for following new policies, and hand out penalties for those that don’t. GDPR policy observances could even be added to employee contracts.

The aim of all of this is not merely to tick a box and comply for the sake of avoiding a fine. You can view this as a way of improving your business. Not only could compliance be seen as a competitive advantage, but it will also boost consumers confidence in your brand and service. In addition to this, and perhaps most importantly, the changes that will be made in order to comply with the GDPR will result in technical improvements, process efficiency and the effectiveness of how your organisation manages and secures data. All positive things!

With thanks to superoffice.com for the image.

GDPR is a regulation that covers transactions that occur within EU member states, and requires businesses to protect the personal data and privacy of these EU citizens. Non-compliance isn’t an option as it could cost companies dearly, so here below is what every company that does business in Europe needs to know about GDPR.

Companies that collect data on citizens in European Union (EU) countries have until May 25th to comply with strict new rules around protecting customer data. The GDPR will likely see a new standard set for consumer data and their rights – The challenge will be companies putting these systems and processes in place to make sure theycomply.

Security teams will need to assess the new expectations, particularly in terms of what is considered personal identification information. An individual’s IP address and cookie data will require the same level of protection as name, address and Social Security number.

There are some greyer areas where the lack of a set definition creates room for interpretation. Companies must provide a “reasonable” level of protection for personal data, but it’s not made explicit what exactly “reasonable” is. This might make you think that there’s scope for flexibility on the company’s part, however it actually gives the GDPR governing body a lot of leeway when it comes to assessing data breaches and non-compliance and deciding fines.

With only a few months left to make sure your company is complying with the new regulations, we thought it useful to provide key information and advice for meeting the requirements.

What is the GDPR?

In April 2016, the European Parliament replaced an outdated 1995 data protection directive with the GDPR. It sets out to ensure that businesses protect EU citizens’ personal data and privacy for all transactions that occur within EU member states. The exportation of personal data outside the EU is also regulated by the GDPR.

Companies have just this one standard to meet within the EU as the provisions are consistent across all 28 EU member states. The standard however is rather high – most companies will need to make a large investment to meet and to administer it.

Why does the GDPR exist?

Before the GDPR, the EU brought in it’s Data Protection Directive in 1995. At this point, the internet was not the online business hub that it is today, making this directive severely outdated. With the amount of business that is carried out online now, there is public concern over privacy and this is what the GDPR seeks to protect in Europe. Generally, Europe has had much more stringent rules around how companies use the personal data of its citizens, and with the dramatic increase in online business since the last directive, the GDPR replaces these outdated regulations. The GDPR addresses things that were not needed to be previously considered, such as how data is stored, collected and transferred.

Recently there have been a number of high-profile data breaches to hit the headlines, which makes privacy a very real public concern. The RSA surveyed 7,500 consumers in France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the U.S., and found that 80% of consumers said that lost banking and financial data is a top concern. 76% of respondents also stated lost security information (e.g., passwords) and identity information (e.g., passports or driving license) as a concern.

The report’s authors concluded that, “As consumers become better informed, they expect more transparency and responsiveness from the stewards of their data.” 62 percent of the respondents said that if there was a data breach and their information was lost, they wouldn’t blame the hacker, but the company. This is a rather alarming statistic for any company that deals with consumer data.

There seems to be a distinct lack of trust between consumers and companies when it comes to personal information, with 41% of respondents admitting to providing false information when signing up for services online in order to take their own countermeasures against security fears, unwanted marketing and the risk of having their information resold to third parties.

There’s not much forgiveness for companies that suffer breaches either, with 72% of American respondents saying they would boycott any company that seemingly don’t go to appropriate measures to protect their data. However a company that openly proves it’s dedication to data protection would see 50% of respondents choosing to shop with them.

The report concludes that “As businesses continue their digital transformations, making greater use of digital assets, services, and big data, they must also be accountable for monitoring and protecting that data on a daily basis.” This is where the GDPR comes in.

What types of privacy data does the GDPR protect?

• Basic identity information such as name, address and ID numbers
• Web data such as location, IP address, cookie data and RFID tags
• Health and genetic data
• Biometric data
• Racial or ethnic data
• Political opinions
• Sexual orientation

Will my company by affected by the GDPR?

If your company stores or processes personal information about EU citizens within EU states, then it must comply with the GDPR.

The specific criteria for companies required to comply is:

• A presence in an EU country.
• No presence in the EU, but it processes personal data of European residents.
• More than 250 employees.
• Fewer than 250 employees but its data-processing impacts the rights and freedoms of data subjects, is not occasional, or includes certain types of sensitive personal data. That effectively means almost all companies. A PwC survey showed that 92 percent of U.S. companies consider GDPR a top data protection priority.

When does my company need to be in compliance?

Companies have until May 25th 2018 to show compliance.

Who within my company will be responsible for compliance?

There are several roles that the GDPR defines as responsible for ensuring compliance. These are: data controller, data processor and the data protection officer (DPO).

The data controller defines how personal data is processed and the purposes for which it is processed. The controller is also responsible for making sure that outside contractors comply.

Data processors maintain and process personal data records – These can be an internal group or any outsourcing firm that performs all or part of those activities. The processors are liable for any breaches or non-compliance. Even if a company uses a processing partner like a cloud provider, in the event of a breach it is possible that both your company and the processing partner will be liable for any penalties incurred.

A designated DPO is required to oversee data security strategy and GDPR compliance. If a company processes or stores large amounts of EU citizen data, special personal data, regularly monitors data subjects, or are a public authority then companies are required to have a DPO. Some public entities such as law enforcement may be exempt from the DPO requirement.

How does the GDPR affect third-party and customer contracts?

Your company is only compliant if any third party processor is compliant. The GDPR places equal liability on data controllers (the organization that owns the data) and data processors (outside organizations that help manage that data). Everyone in the chain must also be able to comply with rules on reporting any breaches. Customers must also be informed of their rights under GDPR.

In simple terms, all contracts with processors need to clearly lay out responsibilities as well as be revised in order to define processes for data management, data protection and the reporting or breaches. This will be one of the largest exercises needing to be carried out in order to ensure GDPR compliance.

It needs to be understood where data is being stored or processed and where it’s being exported outside the company. Once these data flows are understood and their impact on the business, you can start to identify the vendors you need to be most focused on both in terms of a security perspective, and how you manage those relationships going forward. This needs to be memorialised in the contract itself so that outside firms know what they can and cannot do with the data to ensure protection. This could well see the GDPR changing the mindset of business and security teams toward data from it being an asset to a set of liabilities which is a thoroughly different frame of mind for legal and compliance.

To prepare operationally to handle GDPR compliance, you must go through a process of defining obligations and responsibilities. For example, in the event of a hacking, would your vendors know who to call and how to respond, all the while ensuring they are meeting the required regulations?

The GDPR has a 72-hour reporting window so it’s imperitive that vendors know how to properly report any breach. A regulator requires there to be the policies, procedures, and response structure in place to solve a breach quickly.

All revised and renegotiated contracts need to be in place by the May deadline or else are open to the following possible risks:

• Operational: If you haven’t agreed on what your processes will be with a vendor, it’s not clear how you will be operating under GDPR.
  Vendor management: Under GDPR, you need to know how your vendors operate including their security framework and how they manage data. Without that knowledge, you don’t know the risk they present.
• Regulatory fines: If a breach occurs, not having contracts in place might well work against the company. You need to know, and be able to show that you know, what your vendors are doing and how you are treating the data. This is a reflection on how organised the company is and how well you understand your data flows.

Head to Part 2 of this blog here: https://geekabit.co.uk/2018/03/04/part-2-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr-the-requirements-deadlines-and-facts/

We’ve spoken about interfering neighbours before. Not the ones who ask you to keep the noise down, or ask you to tidy up the garden – The ones whose Wi-Fi network stops yours from working! And guess what, you could be interfering with theirs too.

Common sense says that Wi-Fi networks interfere with each other, and with most houses being within range of at least one or two others, it’s no surprise that multiple Wi-Fi networks all cross over each other causing interference and slowing things down. You’ll also find that older Wi-Fi standards are even worse for this, so your old Wi-Fi hardware isn’t just damaging your network efficacy — it’s interfering with the guys next door, too.
Unless you’re lucky enough to live out in the countryside with no neighbours as far as the eye can see except for some grazing sheep, then this potential network interference is something you need to be thinking about.

Wi-Fi Channel Interference

If you’re living in detached rural loveliness then stop reading now. For the rest of us, you probably live somewhere where there are multiple Wi-Fi networks near each other. To reduce interference, these networks need to be on different channels. All routers must operate their Wi-Fi network on one of several “channels” — these are different ranges of frequencies that the wireless network can operate on.

Most modern routers try to automatically choose the best Wi-Fi channel for the least interference, but you can also benefit from analysing the airwaves around you yourself, and choosing the Wi-Fi channel that is the least congested.

If you and your neighbours are using the same Wi-Fi channel, your Wi-Fi networks are going to make each other’s worse. This is especially true if especially if their wireless router is very close in proximity to yours.

2.4 GHz vs. 5 GHz

The 2.4 GHz range is used by the older networks like 802.11b/g/n. Unfortunately these are fairly common in terms of usage and are less than ideal for Wi-Fi channel interference. This range has 14 different wireless channels available and designated for use, but in actuality they overlap quite a bit. The most frequently used are channels 1, 6, and 11, so Wi-Fi networks on adjacent channels don’t interfere with each other.

However, if you have more than three wireless networks in a given area — and let’s face it, you more than likely do — unfortunately they’re just going to interfere with each other. Unless you’re willing to turn your home into something out of the twilight zone and cover all your walls in tin foil, there’s not a great deal you can do to ensure your neighbours’ Wi-Fi signals don’t interfere with yours.

Luckily, the 5 GHz range sees more modern Wi-Fi standards. For example, 802.11ac operates on only 5 GHz. 802.11n routers can operate on either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, but not both — and they’ll typically be set up to operate on 2.4 GHz. (Note: Single-radio 802.11n routers can only operate on the 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz range. However, there are multiple-radio 802.11n and 802.11ac routers that can create both 2.4 GHz interfaces for your older devices and 5 GHz ones for your newer devices.)

In comparison to the limited offering of 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi where there are only three non-overlapping channels, 5 GHz Wi-Fi offers 23 non-overlapping channels. While this doesn’t mean that the chance of interference is completely banished, it is a much less congested range which give a lot more room for Wi-Fi networks in close proximity to each other to spread out. If you are sharing one of the channels with another nearby 5 GHz WI-Fi network then of course there will be interference, but the chance of this is reduced.

If both your neighbours and you are all using the 2.4 GHz range for Wi-Fi, then you will all get considerably less interference if you go and upgrade to 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks.

Devices Interfering on 2.4 GHz

It’s not just your neighbours Wi-Fi that could be casuing interference, there are also a bunch of common devices that could be causing an issue in terms of internet speed and reliability. Whether they’re your devices or your neighbours, they could be causing a problem if you’re on the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi spectrum.

We’ve mentioned these in previous blog posts, but devices to be aware of are; many cordless phones, a variety of wireless baby monitors, microwave ovens and more. Of course, not all phones or baby monitors will cause interference, but if they are 2.4 GHz ones then they will likely cause a problem.
While you obviously can’t impose your thoughts on what devices your neighbours purchase, a way to avoid potential Wi-Fi disruption would be to upgrade to the 5 GHz range.

802.11b Devices Slow Down Newer Networks

Despite rumours saying otherwise, merely having a device running an older wireless standard nearby won’t cause your network to slow down. Assuming they are on a different wireless channel, your network won’t experience any slow downs due to your neighbour using an ancient 802.11b device on their network.

However, more modern networks like 802.11g or 802.11n being used by old 802.11b devices will cause the network to slow down. This is because the devices have to resort to dirty hacks to avoid breaking that old 802.11b device which slows things down for everyone on that network. Furthermore, if there are multiple networks on the same wireless channel, that old 802.11b device can slow down other networks on that same channel too.

More modern wireless network standards (like using an 802.11g device on a faster 802.11n network) handle this in a more sane way, so you only really need to consider replacing the older 802.11b devices. 802.11b came out way back in 1999 – pre-millennium! – so is definitely feeling pretty ancient now.

Assuming your Wi-Fi network isn’t sharing a channel with your neighbours, then they can use these old 802.11b devices without causing any bother to you. If however you are sharing a channel, this is just one more reason to upgrade to 5GHz and leave those 802.11b devices in the past where they belong. They can’t follow you into the realms of 5GHz.

Would you upgrade to 5GHz just to help out your neighbours? Well maybe, but probably not. But remember that interference isn’t just bad for them — it’s very much two-sided, and if it’s causing interference to them, it’ll also be interfering with yours. So upgrading really helps everyone!

And that’s when good neighbours, become good friends…

With thanks to wififorbeginners.com for the image.

There was once a great resource via CWNP.com (Certified Wireless Network Professional) where they provided a dictionary of terminology perfect for the technical writer. This seems to have disappeared unfortunately, but it is still useful to start with their definition of a site survey: “Site survey is the process of evaluating RF behavior in an environment and determining the best way to implement a WLAN based on this information”.

However, there is some variation with this term today depending on who you are talking to. The term “site survey” can be used to describe various tasks during Wi-Fi deployment.

As we began with CWNP, we may as well carry on. Their Study Guide states “A site survey is the most important step in implementing any wireless network”.

There is no circumstance where you don’t want a Wi-Fi network to truly work, and to the best of it’s ability. Thus, before installing a Wi-Fi network, you should perform a site survey to make sure there will be adequate coverage and performance with that network.
Take this as an example. You are about to deploy an enterprise Wi-Fi network. This network needs to support voice. You want to be looking for someone who understands how important it is to be carrying out a site survey first. You don’t want to be listening to, or buying from, someone who downplays it’s importance.

We spoke about there being a variation on how the term Site Survey is used. There are some Wi-Fi systems that say they have an “automatic site survey” feature. We would describe this more as a self check than a site survey – It is where the access points make a network self-check.
A site survey however should really be carried out where the actual users are, on ground level. Access points tend to be found high up, perhaps near the ceiling as to avoid any potential obstructions on ground level. However, end users don’t usually walk about on the ceiling… And there is quite a difference between RF signal levels on the ceiling and on floor level.

Therefore these automatic ‘site survey’ features are perhaps not surveying the network in the most ideal place, and certainly not quite where the end users tend to be. A site survey is most effective when carried out on ground level, assessing signal strength where the users will need it.

For the remainder of this post, we refer to a site survey as being the process of performing an actual walk-through to acquire information about:

• On-site RF characteristics
• Network connectivity and performance
• Wi-Fi infrastructure setup

How is a Site Survey carried out?

A Wi-Fi site survey is typicall performed by walking around the actual site, carrying a light-weight laptop or tablet computer. The computer will have the site survey application installed. This could be map-based professional software or a basic signal strength indicator. Whilst on the work round, various network measurements can be taken and recorded.

If a professional map-based site survey tool, you would walk around frequently clicking on your current location on the map. Using software of this nature means the site survey application knows where you are at all times. The site survey app is thus able to construct Wi-Fi coverage and performance heatmaps after, or sometimes even during, your walk-through using the location information. This is ideal, as you won’t need to keep stopping and manually recording the measurements as you walk around, but simply just walk around the site once. When finished, the measurements can be immediately analysed.

The best thing about heatmaps is that they really make your WLAN visible: They are great at revealing coverage gaps, any interference issues, areas of excessive packet loss, and unexpected data rate issues.

Not only that, but the site survey can also show up locations and other details about all the Wi-Fi access points. This makes it easy to find any rogue APs, see the MAC addresses, channels and SSIDs in your network, and drill into the 802.11n greater detail.

It’s not all laptop based however. There are a few other tasks that are also very helpful:

• Photos can be taken of the environment and AP/antenna installations. These photographs are much more helpful than lengthy word descriptions and make it easier to remember whereabouts on the site particular areas of interest are.
• Spectrum analysis spot checks – These provide a deeper understanding of non-802.11 noise sources.
• Real life spot checks – For example, if you are deploying for voice, it’s probably a good idea to perform some tests with an actual Wi-Fi phone. Some good Wi-Fi phones have a “site survey mode” that can be very useful, but there is nothing quite like testing an actual call for accuracy.

And that’s about it for site survey basics.

Wi-Fi site surveys are the key tool in anaylsing the performance of your network and helping to diagnose your issues. Here at Geekabit, we provide Site Surveys – For more information head to our website https://geekabit.co.uk/what-we-do/wi-fi-site-surveys/ .

You can also contact us on any of the below; We serve clients across Europe from our offices based in Hampshire and London.

Contact us: London 0203 322 2443 | Cardiff: 02920 676 712 | Winchester: 01962 657 390 |  [email protected]

With thanks to http://www.revolutionwifi.net for the image.

Should there be a rivalry between 5G and Wi-Fi, or are they separate entities?

For some technology experts, mainly 5G sceptics, there is a debate between whether or not 5G is needed now that Wi-Fi is so readily available and perhaps provides all that is needed. Many don’t share this view, particularly due to the fact that a lot of the arguments against 5G come from the dated views from Wi-Fi vs 3GPP.

5G is getting closer and closer as technology and cellular network providers move forward, and thus it is particularly useful to define the terms we are using in relation to this technology when arguing it’s potential effectiveness.

If we are talking about the actual radio standard in terms of 5G, then it would make sense that it will simply be a continuation of 4G. This means that the technology stems purely from the cellular community.

It is widely thought that Wi-Fi will continue on a different track for at least another generation of technology in this vein. Despite some recent progressions suggesting that Wi-Fi will introduce something more substantial, it seems to have lost it’s chance to contribute to the fundamental standards seen by current cellular technologies.

There was some convergence between 802.16 (WIMAX) and 4G, but if the two are indeed to come together once again, we would be looking at 5.5G or 6G.

There will be Wi-Fi extensions that will have some of the same characteristics of a 5G network but won’t be part of the main standards. Currently there are plenty of organisations that would choose a Wi-Fi network rather than a type of cellular network.

Some argue that there if Wi-Fi wants to be the ‘real 5G’ technology then there will be some new challenges. In radio terms, this argument centres around Wi-Fi fulfilling all the requirements for 5G without needing any new cellular standards.

The biggest difference between 4G and 5G will be that cellular 5G will be readilty available in an unlicensed and shared spectrum. This will make it far more available and appealing to stakeholders, and a more realistic possible alternative to Wi-Fi should someone want it, particularly for non mobile network operators.

Caroline Gabriel of Wireless Watch blog details this issue quite well in her abstract from “IEEE seeks closer collaboration with 3GPP, which could create ‘true 5G’” :

THE EXPERIENCE OF WIMAX CERTAINLY SHOWS HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR A STANDARD TO SUCCEED IN THE MOBILE WORLD, IF IT COMES FROM OUTSIDE THE FAMILY. AND THAT CERTAINLY SUGGESTS THAT, AS WELL AS CONSIDERING WHETHER TO SUBMIT TO IMT-2020, IEEE 802.11 SHOULD FORMULATE A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE 3GPP, TO ENSURE THAT THE TWO SETS OF STANDARDS ARE IN STEP, AND END UP BEING NATURALLY COMPLEMENTARY RATHER THAN CLUMSILY TIED TOGETHER, OR EVEN COMPETITIVE.

There is however a different definition of 5G as not merely a radio standard but a completely new network architecture. Parts of this are already evolving within Wi-Fi and 4G technology (e.g. virtualisation, carrier aggregation).

Using this definition makes it completely irrelevant to argue whether 5G or Wi-Fi will be superior as the main focus is to be able to mix and match different radios in various spectrum bands. These can be tweaked based on use case, cost and availablility. This dynamic multi-technology creates a more flexible network in which the barriers between Wi-Fi and 5G are broken down, having a transformative effect on business cases and applications. It doesn’t really matter whether it comes from IEEE or 3GPP.

The most important aspect here is the technological advances that a new architecture provides. There doesn’t seem to need to be an argument over whether Wi-Fi makes 5G unneccessary or a debate of Wi-Fi vs Cellular. Wi-Fi will likely remain a popular choice among the majority of business cases, and cellular 5G will undoubtedly provide new business opportunities as well.

With thanks to www.rcrwireless. com for the image.

In this day and age, everything is striving to always be ahead; be better, be smarter, be faster. Internet speed is no different – The world loves speedy internet connections whether it’s their Wi-Fi coverage at home or on their mobile phone while they are out and about. And what with it being the day of the smart phone, it’s not surprising that all the major telecom providers across the world are working tirelessly to make it faster and be the best in the business.

We are surrounded by devices that require connectivity. Smart phones (obviously), watches, our houses and even cars are all needing a stable internet connection to be able to function. In turn, this means that we will be needing a new form of wireless signal that can provide enough bandwidth – Introducing, 5G.

Next in succession to 3G and 4G, the 5G wireless connection is being built specifically to keep up with the rapid increase in the amount of devices reuiring a mobile internet connection. It’s not just mobile phones now – We are quiet literally surrounded by inert devices that are starting to connect to the web (home appliances, door locks, security cameras, wearable technology, dog collars… the list goes on).

It’s been predicted by technology research company Gartner, that by 2020 there will be 20.8 billion devices connecting to the internet. At the moment this figure is estimated to be around 6.4 billion. That’s a huge increase in the amount of devices needing a quick connection.

So exactly what is 5G and how will it be making my life better? Here is an easy guide to the future of wireless internet.

What is 5G?

Ever wondered what the “G” in 3G, 4G and now 5G stands for? It stands for “generation.” Remember the terms 1G and 2G being thrown around back in the ’80’s? No, didn’t think so, but that is technically where it all began. In the early 1990’s, wireless phone technology expanded to 2G when the world of text messaging between 2 cellular devices began.

This then moved on to 3G; people could now make phone calls, send text messages, and browse the internet on their hand held devices. After the third generation of wireless came the 4th; 4G enhanced many of the capabilities that were using 3G plus people could now even download and upload large video files without any issues.

Next came LTE – ‘long term evolution’. This was not only the most consistent but the fastest variant of 4G in comparison to competing technologies like WiMax. The best way to describe the difference between LTE and WiMax is likening it to that of the differences between Blu-ray and HD DVDs. Both of these technologies achieved very similar outcomes, however it was important to create a standard for everyone to use. This is what LTE did, making 4G technology even faster.

So just how 4g built on 3G capabilities, and LTE improved 4G; 5G will once again build on the 4G LTE foundations. It will have the same capabilities as the previous, plus it will drastically improve the speed at which data can be transferred across a network.

WIth the world going HD crazy, 5G will enable to people to upload and download Ultra HD and 3D video a lot more easily.

In addition, earlier we mentioned the huge increase we are going to see in devices requiring internet connections in our everyday lives, and 5G will be making room for this to happen. You might liken the data connection upgrade to that of changing your standard garden hose to a fire hose. There will be a noticeable difference.

Is 5G really that much faster than 4G?

Well, yes. Internet speeds will be significantly faster. To put it simply, in perfect conditions the current transfer speeds you can expect are…

4G LTE > one gigabit per second > Approx 1 hour to download a short HD movie

But how often do you experience perfect connection conditions? And how often do you get 4G’s maximum download speed? There are so many potential disructions to the signal (buildings, appliances, other Wi-Fi signals etc).

In comparison…

5G > up to 10 gigabits per second > A full HD movie downloaded in seconds

It will also significantly reduce the delay before a transfer of data begins following the instruction which will give people faster load times.

The long and short of it is that it will provide wireless broadband with the capacity it needs to power the thousands of connected devices that will reach our homes and workplaces.

How does it work?

In the most basic of forms, our mobile phones are basically two-way radios. When we make a call to somebody, our phone converts our voice into an electrical signal which it then transmits to the nearest cell tower using radio waves. The cell tower receives the electrical signal and bounces the radio wave through a network of cell towers until it eventually reaches our friend’s phone. This is the same for other forms of data across the network, such as photos and videos.

Each time a new mobile wireless technology comes along, it is typically assigned a higher radio frequency. For example, 4G occupied the frequency bands up to 20 MHz. In the case of 5G, it will likely sit on the frequency band up to 6GHz.

Higher frequencies are not generally in use, which is the reason why new wireless technologies are generally assigned to them, and thus can then move information at a much faster speed. The only problem is that higher frequency signals don’t travel as far as lower frequencies. This means that multiple input and output antennas (MIMOs) will probably need to be used to boost signals anywhere that 5G is offered.

Perhaps most importantly, experts are expecting it to be backwards compatible so that it can still work alongside 3G and 4G. Furthermore, major global telecoms organisations are working to create worldwide standards so as to aim for interoperability across the world.

When will 5G be available?

It’s already available via test locations in some parts of the United States by their 2 largest internet service providers.

The UK telecoms regulator has set a timetable for the launch of 5G services in Britain by 2020, with early trials set to take place as soon as next year. The Ofcom announcement comes ahead of a spectrum auction due to take place this year that will free up the airwaves needed for faster 5G networks.

But will it be worth the wait? Yes, well worth it. Even now we expect a speedy internet connection as a given, almost a right, wherever we are. This need for fast connections is only going to increase with the rise in devices. 5G is going to help us reach the holy grail of blazing fast internet if that vision of billions and billions of future connected devices is going to be realised.

With thanks to www.kitguru. net for the image.

https://gizmodo.com/what-is-5g-and-how-will-it-make-my-life-better-1760847799

Last week you might remember us blogging about Wi-Fi dead spots within the home and how to remedy it. Our worst case scenario, last resort suggestion (apart from rebuilding your house…) was to use a bridge or repeater.

While using one of these might just give you that one last bit of coverage you need to reach the furthest corner of your home, there are some disadvantages to using a repeater.

As with any type of signal, wireless reception weakens with range. While the reasons behind this attenuation can vary, the broadcasting power of the router is the biggest contributing factor.

As we spoke about last time, there are other factors that can affect the range of your wireless signal, such as other radio emissions on the same frequency, the way your home is constructed, and even the version of the 802.11 protocol that is used by your router. In our last blog we detailed some ways around these issues that you could try to increase your wireless range, including the use of a wireless repeater. Here, we’re going to explain the possible downsides to using one of these.

Network Bandwidth

The main disadvantage to using a wireless repeater is that the bandwidth of any computers connected to it (instead of the main router) is halved. This is due to the repeater receiving the signal, processing it, and then rebroadcasting it in both directions, from the router to the computer and vice versa. This all takes time.

How Will Bandwidth Effect My Internet Usage?

When we say that the bandwidth will be halved, it sounds pretty bad, but that does depend on what you are using the signal for.
If you are just having a browse of the web or checking on your emails, you probably won’t see any noticeable effects – Most routers provide a greater bandwidth than a typical internet connection.

However, if you were to want to stream multimedia, or within a business setting wanted to send large files using a centralised server then you are likely to experience a slower connection and see a lower performance of those using the repeater bridge.
Good news though – The way that repeaters are set up means that it is fairly easy to avoid the main disadvantages of halved bandwidth.

Hardware Setup

Get your laptop and have a wander around – You’ll be able to notice where your Wi-Fi signal is strongest and where it starts to drop. When you’ve found a spot where it drops from 3 bars down to 2, you’ll know you’ve found the perfect place for your repeater.
The broadcast pattern of a router or repeater is roughly circular in shape, so you can use this imagery to determine the combined area of the two as overlapping circles.

Routers give out signals in an omnidirectional pattern, so be mindful of any potential building materials or devices that could block or reflect Wi-Fi when setting up and placing your repeater.

It’s also worth noting that whilst companies do sell wireless repeaters manufactured for this very reason, you can actually use almost all types of wireless router as a repeater too. If using a second, or even a third router will be a cheaper option then consider going for that.

Future Wi-Fi Standards

Wi-Fi products and services are seemingly changing all the time, with better, faster options being touted for devices and providers. Before you decide to invest in a Wi-Fi repeater, it may be worth considering buying a new, more powerful router.

The range you’ll find on a 802.11b and 802.11g router is approximately 90-100 feet. A possible alternative would be the 802.11n router which has a range of 160 feet. As this is likely more than the range you would with a ‘g’ compatible repeater, it may be the better long term option. As the signal isn’t being repeated, you’ll also get faster bandwidth. You do need to check however that your computer or devices are compatible connectivity wise with an ‘n’ router. An even longer range is promised from the current draft specification for 802.11ac, but very few computers would be able to connect to it as they don’t tend to have built in ‘ac’ capable Wi-Fi adaptors.

So there are a few things to think about. If the thought of routers and repeaters is giving you a bit of a headache then take a look at our website and the Wi-Fi services we offer – Perhaps we can help! To discuss your Wi-Fi requirements, contact us through one of the below.
London 0203 322 2443 | Cardiff: 02920 676 712 | Winchester: 01962 657 390 | [email protected]

With thanks to Devolo.com for the image.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/disadvantages-using-repeaters-71848.html

What’s your biggest pet peeve within your home? A leaky tap, poor mobile reception, a flickering lightbulb, clunky heating pipes maybe? All very irritating, but perhaps the most frustrating of all is the Wi-Fi Black Hole. Sometimes there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it – It’s just a complete Wi-Fi dead spot. Which is all the more annoying if it happens to coincide with your comfiest spot tucked up in bed.

This is actually quite a common problem and you’ll be pleased to know that there is likely a fixable cause! Don’t be shackled to within viewing distance of your router in order to get a good Wi-Fi signal – Let’s identify the biggest Wi-Fi killers and how to beat them.

Home Construction

So we’ll start with the one that’s the hardest to remedy – The way your home was built.

The way Wi-Fi can penetrate the house is directly impacted by the way a house is constructed. Nowadays I’m sure this is considered when architects are drawing up their plans. However, the majority of homes will pre-date the ‘smart age’. Mobile phone reception, 3G/4G service and Wi-Fi were probably not a tangible concept and far from the minds of any architect or builder.

Steel structures, thick concrete walls, and the layout of air-conditioning vents and returns could all kill your signal.

Another possibility is the dreaded Wi-Fi shield within your very walls. Literally a cage made of chicken wire, some houses that were built more than 60 years ago will have wood wrapped up in chicken wire holding up plaster and lath walls. Due to the spacing in the wire, it creates the perfect blockade to Wi-Fi signals, thus resulting in terrible Wi-Fi coverage.

Unfortunately there’s not a lot you can do about these Wi-Fi killers, but there are plenty of other possibilities that you can do something about.

Obstructions

We’ve talked in previous blogs about household items that could block signal. Remember those twinkly Christmas lights delightfully positioned across a router? There are plenty of other seemingly innocent accomplices aswell.

Aquariums can be a real problem if not placed in a thought out location, but thankfully can be easily re-positioned.

The spot where your St Bernard decides to have a little snooze can also, believe it or not, negatively impact your Wi-Fi reach. So you might have to move Beethoven’s bed to another location in the house.

You’ll also want to avoid thick walls, metals, and other electronics like microwaves, telephones or radios.

You can also move your router to provide more centralised coverage throughout the house – Maybe a bit easier than attempting to move a 190 litre aquarium full of fish, or 90 kilos of puppy dog eyes.

Interference

Those pesky neighbours, interfering again! No it’s not about noise levels this time, or the overgrown trees in your front garden. It’s their router!
We’ve touched on this before too. There isn’t a great deal of variety when it comes to routers for home users, and the manufacturing is pretty standard for residential use. Perhaps a bit of a sweeping statement, but most users will probably just plug in and go without fiddling about with the settings. For this reason, most routers will run off a default setting, meaning many will be using the same channel.

On your computer, go to view internet access and see how many Wi-Fi names are available within range. I have 9 in my list!

You could just be very unlucky where your neighbour has chosen to place theirs, or there may be so many within range that they are all interfering with eachother. Eitehr way, if you switch channels on your router, you should see a difference.

But which channel should you switch to? There are some online tools (e.g. Meraki Wi-Fi Stumbler, inSSIDer, iStumbler) which you can use to analyse your network and then identify the least-used channel nearby. If you have a mobile phone that runs on Android you can even download Wifi Analyzer and use it to walk around your house and see which channel is getting traffic.

And hey presto! Hopefully the interference issue is resolved.

Poor Placement

When you plugged in your wireless router, what potential issues did you consider, if any? The proximity to a power supply, perhaps, or maybe the box itself was rather ugly and didn’t match the decor so you wanted it out of sight.

If you decided to place it on the floor downstairs in the corner of the living room, in that convenient cosy space behind the TV, hidden by the home theatre receiver, then there may lie your problem.

To find the best spot for your router, you can use the VOICE acronym:
V is for VERTICAL – The antenna needs to be pointing vertically. Did you know that the Wi-Fi signal actually beams out from the sides of your antenna (not the tip) so you’re going to want it to be vertical. Whilst it might seem to make sense to have it pointing in a certain direction, to get a further reach you don’t want it to be beaming signal straight down into the floor or straight up into the ceiling.
O is for OBSTRUCTIONS – Keep the router away from dense concrete walls, electronic gadgets, metallic objects and that sleeping St Bernard.
I is for INTERFERENCE – Keep the neighbours’ wi-fi signals at bay by changing channels.
C is for CENTRAL – Choose the most central location possible in your house so that your coverage is as wide-reaching and even as possible.
E is for ELEVATED – Elevate your router wherever possible. It’s easier for Wi-Fi signal to travel sideways and downwards so placing it on a shelf, on top of an entertainment unit or dresser type piece of furniture will help give it a bit of a boost.

Not Enough Power

Assuming it’s not a structural issue (if your signal dies just outside the room the router is in then you might be looking at CAT cabling throughout the house…) then you can likely give it a little bit of a boost.

Here are some ways (some more interesting than others…) that you can boost your power and increase your Wi-Fi signal:
– Boost your signal strength in the router itself by Install DD-WRT or Tomato in the router itself to boost signal strength.
– Tinfoil-coated Windsurfer parabolic antenna attachment.
– Go all ‘Blue Peter’ style; Using copper wire, a wood screw, a drinking straw, and a black marker, physically extend your router’s antenna.
– Use a cooking strainer to improve reception at a particular spot in your house.
– Here’s one I made earlier: Use a shoebox and tinfoil for an ugly-but-effective extender.

Repeat the Signal

You might have waged war on your poor Wi-Fi signal with all of the above tips in your arsenal and come back from battle still not having won.
Frustrating, yes, but not a lost cause. If you just can’t get that last bit of your home covered then there is one last thing you can do; You can either use a bridge or repeater.

A bridge would provide devices with hard ethernet plugs with internet access through the Wi-Fi signal.

A repeater is a secondary router that will pick up the signal you have and then re-broadcast it into the negatively effected area of the house. You might lose a little bit of speed, but if it means you can cosy up in bed and have a little leisurely scroll through social media then it’s worth it.

So if you’re struggling with poor Wi-Fi coverage in your house, hopefully now you will stand a decent chance of sorting it out and kicking that pet peeve to the kurb. Just that leaky tap to sort out now!

With thanks to Networkcomputing.com for the image.

Different organisations require different Wi-Fi installations, and perhaps none is so complicated than that of a healthcare environment. There are many obstacles and potential issues to consider.

As with all networks, reliability is key. With a wide range of different services on a healthcare WLANS, such as Electronic Health Records, RTLS, guest internet, VoWi-Fi, not to mention the many biomedical devices present, it’s imperative that these networks are designed properly and cohesively.

Where to Start – Consultation and Identification of Symptoms

First and foremost, the Wi-Fi coverage is not the main concern when designing a hospital – The needs of a healthcare organisation are complex and varied. For the WLAN design to meet the unique set of requirements that the above services need, they must be combined together to determine the best possible outcome for all.

The first stage of this process is a Site Assessment or Wi-Fi Survey. Perhaps there is already a WLAN in place, in which case the primary port of call would be to see what issues, if any, arise within this one.

The survey should show up any interference, identify any gaps in coverage and find any misconfigurations. A great start! Another important starting point is attenuation – seeing how signals perform and locating areas where there is no or limited propagation through walls.

There are many possible sources of interference in a hospital, including but not limited to surgical cameras, security cameras and everything inbetween. There are specialist adapters that can be used during site surveys to pick up and record the sources of interference so that these can be avoided when deciding where to place Access Points, for example.

Much like an MRI can act as a patient’s basic map, a floor plan in your hands as you walk around the facility can act as a tool to mark areas of consideration. For example, noting wall and ceiling construction – This information will be invaluable when planning accessibility for cabling installation during the design process. It is also useful to note down good potential areas to install access points – There may also be areas you will wish to avoid for signal reasons (e.g. lift shafts, areas over 90m from the telecommunications closet, places with high moisture levels, and rooms wrapped in metal) as well as personal preference of employees.

These floor plans need to be as recent as possible, or at least checked for accuracy to include any changes made between the original plans and the most recent construction adaptations.

We mentioned attenuation earlier. There are 2 main ways of gathering data for Radio Frequency. The first is using a portable access point (APoaS) which enables you to place it in different proposed locations and assess where the signals propagate. Another option is to use a signal meter to directly measure the decibel loss between an access point and the other side of a wall.

The Next Step – Diagnosis

Once you’ve completed the Site Survey, you are ready to start your diagnosis and begin to design a Wi-Fi network that meets the needs of the healthcare organisation.

Real-time locating systems (RTLS) are used to automatically identify and track the location of objects or people in real time, usually within a building or other contained area.Within a healthcare organisation, any assets which are part of this system will need to be surrounded by access points. It is suggested that you start your design from the outer edge of the building and then work your way in. The goal of the WLAN design is to ensure that these assets are ‘heard’ by at least 3 access points, and at an acceptable level of signal.

There is specialist software that you can use to create a model of what your wireless network will look like. This software uses real-world data and can be an extreely useful tool during the design process.

We spoke about the important of checking the propagation of signals. This information will give you the values you need to use in your design. This again enables you to model your WAN with your chosen software.

When designing the interior of the organisation, you need to make sure that the capacity, RTLS, voice and data requirements are met with a 5GHz WLAN. One particular function that requires two 5GHz worth of signal coverage is VoWifi. Where Wi-Fi is used to transmit telephone conversations, the access points need to be placed as close to where the clients will congregate as possible. For example, meeting rooms, break rooms, waiting areas and nursing stations.

It’s not only VoWiFi sets that will be using these either, as the staff members will likely be carrying smart phones or devices as well so it needs to be able to cope with the amount of connections.

When designing for voice, you will need the information gleaned from checking “2nd strongest” on the frequency band to check AP overlap requirements.

During the design stage, depending on how many channels you are using you will likely need to reduce to 40 or 20 MHz. This is because the hospital environment tends to have more access points.

As you will be designing for a multi-floor facility, attenuation and propagation characteristics will need to be taken into account not only for walls but ceilings and between floors aswell. You should be able to monitor the 2nd strongest signal strength, channel overlap and network health during this process.

Once you have finished designing, you can then build. configure and validate your WLAN.

As with all diagnoses, you will need to be ready to modify your treatment plan following the discovery of new symptoms or treatments that don’t work. During the construction of your network, you may find that you need to modify your design according to any unexpected issues that arise. For example, locations of access points may need to adhere to multiple requests from different people. You can use your software to ensure that any changes will also meet the other requirements specified.

Administering a Treatment Plan

Hopefully when you’ve administered your prescription, the treatment will be effective – Following the build of your new WLAN, you will need to validate it’s effectiveness by carrying out a validation survey. The most important part of this, is to show whether the deployment matches your original design – Does the treatment meet the diagnosis? Be sure to use the channels used in your design in your deployment – The software you have used should have used real world data and thus should have pre-determined what will work.

Use your chosen software to assist you in tuning. Look at the Signal Strength, Channel Overlap, Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and Network Health views. There is of course a possibility that what you designed may not quite carry over onto the actual access points or controllers, in which case you may need to adjust channels and work around unexpected interference.

Take your time with the tuning element, as this is what will help ensure overall effectiveness. Make sure your access points are installed as designed, and are placed in such a way as to not negatively affect coverage patterns.

Just as we all need regular check ups from time to time, the best way to keep your WLAN healthy is to carry out regular validation surveys. Once the network is in use, you may start to get feedback from users in terms of problem areas which will need to be addressed. Having a visual representation of signal strength within your design software is a particularly handy tool to have.

Here are a few general Do’s and Don’ts when designing a Wi-Fi network for a healthcare organisation.

Do….
– Utilise the software available. Learn how to use it properly, even take a class on it if needs be!
– If you are not sure how to design a WLAN, then learn properly first. Look at books, online guides or even hire in a professional to do the hard work for you.
– Make sure to gather all of your requirements – Voice, Data, Location, Capacity, Applications.
– Get as much information as possible – Ask plenty of questions during site visits, and even try to talk to those that will be using it.
– Observe the users in action – Particularly for VoWiFi, watch for traffic flows, where people tend to congregate, identify any current problem areas or issues.
– Look at their current WLAN and find out exactly what it does. Is it meeting their needs? Will their needs change?

Don’t…
– During the design process, do not place access points too close together, higher than ten feet, or hanging on a wall.
– Do not be tempted to cut corners and design the WLAN sitting at your desk. You need to complete the on-site survey and do so in detail.
– Remember you are not just designing simply for coverage. For healthcare you need to take all of them into account.
– Installation of access points can be easier if they are all lined up, but do not be tempted to do this. These so called “Hall-Fi” designs create co-Channel interference (CCI) which will reduce your WLAN capacity.
– Don’t be tempted to generalise by using ‘lazy’ WLAN design statements. Saying “one access point per three patient rooms”, or “one access point per 1,000 square feet” is counter-productive and may not achieve the best results. More detail than that is needed.
– Don’t skip the validation stage. Once your WLAN is built, be prepared to adjust your design following the results. A good doctor won’t keep repeating a prescription when the medicine isn’t working – They will reassess the symptoms and adjust their treatment plan accordingly.

At Geekabit, we are experts at designing and installing networks. To discuss your Wi-Fi requirements, contact us through one of the below.

London 0203 322 2443 | Cardiff: 02920 676 712 | Winchester: 01962 657 390 |  [email protected]

Photo via http://drwifi.rescatec.com/ with thanks.

See also: https://www.ekahau.com/blog/2017/06/06/dos-donts-healthcare-wi-fi/