network

Ofcom Moves Ahead with Plan to Share Upper 6GHz Radio Band for Mobile and Wi-Fi in the UK

Ofcom, the UK’s independent regulator for telecoms (among other things), has recently confirmed that the UK is set to be the first European country to adopt a proposal that allows low power indoor Wi-Fi signals and outdoor mobile broadband (4G, 5G etc.) networks to “share” access to the Upper 6GHz radio spectrum band (6425 to 7125MHz).

This comes as very welcome and celebratory news to Wi-Fi professionals across the country, who have been waiting for this to happen for a while!

The lower part of the 6GHz band (5925 to 6425MHz) has already been made available for Wi-Fi by Ofcom through the latest Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 standards. However, the availability (or lack of) of the upper part has remained the subject to debate.

Why do Mobile and Wi-Fi operators want access to the Upper 6GHz band?

Mobile operators want to harness the upper band, in a licensed way, in order to deliver faster 5G and future 6G based data speeds.

Other groups maintain that the upper band should be accessed by licence-exempt consumer Wi-Fi.

Current users of the upper band, for example, satellite, radio astronomy and fixed services, also share concerns that allowing access to other users will risk causing interference.

Part of the proposal has also been to allow outdoor and higher power Wi-Fi to operate within the Lower 6GHz band under the control of an Automated Frequency Coordination database (historically only low power indoor use Wi-Fi has accessed the lower band). The AFC database will help protect other users from interference, whilst improving Wi-Fi coverage in places like hospitals, factories and sports stadiums.

Both sides of the debate, for and against sharing access to the upper 6GHz band, have given strong arguments. Ofcom have spent the last few years looking into ‘hybrid sharing’ to try and find some middle-ground between the two camps. This would, hopefully, mean that both Wi-Fi and mobile could be used in the upper 6GHz band. We should caveat this by saying that the co-existence of the two without causing interference remains a challenge.

How does this ‘hybrid sharing’ of the Upper 6GHz band work?

Ofcom’s ‘hybrid sharing’ approach works by dividing up the upper 6GHz band. This means that Wi-Fi would be prioritised in one part and mobile in the other. Each would have clear technical conditions and controls attached, which would help to limit the risks from interference.

The new consultation closes on the 20th March 2026 and finalises Ofcom’s proposals. You can read the full consultation and statement here.

Although this is very exciting for us Wi-Fi professionals, we must remember that implementation will be a slow process.

Ofcom’s Group Director for Spectrum, David Willis said:

“Today’s announcements reaffirm the UK’s position as a leader in Europe in getting the most out of the airwaves we all rely on.

Sharing Upper 6 GHz would be a win for businesses and homes across the country who want both better Wi-Fi and mobile networks that are fit for the future. And our decision on lower 6 GHz will boost broadband services across the UK.

Our plans open the doors to further economic growth and investment, while supporting the delivery of crucial innovations like 6G in the future.”

What are the latest Ofcom decisions in the Proposal to Share Upper 6GHz Band?

Ofcom will authorise, under a licence exemption, use of outdoor and higher power Wi-Fi devices (up to 36 dBm EIRP) in the Lower 6 GHz band (5925–6425 MHz) provided they are under the control of an AFC system.
As a result, they will require implementation of an AFC system by third parties. They are separately consulting on the details necessary to implement that AFC system.
Whilst they are consulting further on approaches to enable Wi-Fi in the Upper 6 GHz band (6425–7125 MHz), they will proceed with making low power Wi-Fi client devices available across the Upper 6 GHz band, provided they are connected to an authorised Access Point (“AP”, for example a Wi-Fi router). This decision should allow client devices to be made available for possible future use of the band, thereby helping faster adoption. Use in the band, in practice, will only become possible once they have made a decision on the proposals below to enable Access Points in Upper 6 GHz.
They will adopt a sub-national licencing approach for mobile in the Upper 6 GHz band in the “mobile priority” portion of the band. They intend to award mobile licences in “high density” areas of the UK and expect to implement a local licensing arrangement (for example, on a first come, first served basis) outside of these high density areas. We will consult further on the specifics of this in spring 2026.

What are Ofcom proposing for Mobile and Wi-Fi use of the Upper 6GHz band? A Brief Summary:

Ofcom will implement prioritised spectrum sharing in the Upper 6 GHz band, with:

– A “Wi-Fi- priority” portion in the bottom 160 MHz of the band (6425–6585 MHz).

– A “mobile priority” portion in the upper 540 MHz (6585–7125 MHz).

Ofcom will make the Wi-Fi priority portion available on the same basis as spectrum in the Lower 6 GHz band. This includes indoor and very lower power Wi-Fi, and also outdoor and higher power Wi-Fi provided this is under the control of an AFC system.
Ofcom will enable early access for Wi-Fi in the mobile priority portion of Upper 6 GHz. In response to feedback from the February 2025 consultation, we propose to only allow this access for Wi-Fi which is under the control of an AFC system. This will ensure that we can clear Wi-Fi out of the way, in the locations and channels where mobile deploys later on.

Mobile Operator Use of the Upper 6GHz Band

Of course, as we said above, the full implementation of this will take a while, especially in terms of mobile use (4G, 5G, 6G).

This proposal and approach from Ofcom is in part linked to the efforts in Europe to harmonise the use of the same band. A policy very similar to this is expected in 2028. Ofcom is not expecting the support of mobile hardware equipment until 2030.

Wi-Fi Use of Upper 6GHz Band

As we mentioned earlier, the Wi-Fi side of things requires the new AFC database to help reduce the risk of interference, so that will show down implementation. How does AFC work? It automatically identifies frequencies that can be used by Wi-Fi, without having an impact on existing services. This keeps the task of spectrum management and administration as low demand as possible. The US and Canada already use the AFC system, and other countries are in the consideration stages.

What do you think about the proposal to share Upper 6GHz band for UK mobile and Wi-Fi?

Perspectives differ and the debate surrounding this is passionate on both sides. As Wi-Fi professionals, we have been waiting for this to happen for a while and we are excited about what this means for Wi-Fi deployment and coverage for many UK businesses.

Why will access to the upper 6GHz band be good for Wi-Fi professionals?

As Wi-Fi engineers, our job is to deploy strong, reliable Wi-Fi with robust coverage in a myriad of business settings and industries.

Access to the upper 6GHz band will provide Wi-Fi professionals like us here at Geekabit with a massive amount of clean, uncongested spectrum.

In simple terms, access to the Upper 6GHz band for Wi-Fi means:

faster speeds
lower latency
greater capacity

These are all essential for high-density and mission-critical environments like factories, hospitals, and stadiums.

Key Benefits of Accessing the Upper 6GHz Band for Wi-Fi Professionals:

Vastly Increased Capacity and Bandwidth: The 6 GHz band can add as much as 1200 MHz of new, contiguous spectrum (depending on the region), more than doubling the combined bandwidth of the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. This extra capacity is crucial for environments with a high density of users and devices, allowing networks to handle heavy traffic volumes without performance degradation.
Reduced Interference and Congestion: The band is a “greenfield” (empty) spectrum, meaning it is reserved for newer Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices only. This exclusivity eliminates interference from older legacy devices and neighboring networks, providing a much cleaner and more reliable radio frequency (RF) environment.
Lower Latency for Critical Applications: The 6 GHz band enables extremely low latency connections, often as low as under one millisecond. This is vital for real-time applications such as remote medical imaging, augmented reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR) training simulations, autonomous robotics in factories, and instant replays in stadiums.
Wider Channels for Higher Speeds: The large swaths of contiguous spectrum allow for the use of wider channels (e.g., 80 MHz and 160 MHz, and even 320 MHz with Wi-Fi 7). These wider channels facilitate multi-gigabit speeds and higher data throughput, which is perfect for transferring large files like high-resolution medical images.
Improved Network Efficiency and Management: Offloading newer, high-performance devices to the 6 GHz band frees up capacity on the existing 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. This improves performance for older devices that cannot access 6 GHz and gives Wi-Fi professionals more flexibility in channel planning and network design.
Enhanced Security: The adoption of the 6 GHz band with Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 often mandates the use of the latest WPA3 security protocol, offering more robust encryption and authentication to protect sensitive data, such as patient records in a hospital.
Support for Innovation: Access to this spectrum future-proofs networks, enabling the adoption of emerging, bandwidth-intensive technologies and services like IoT devices, real-time analytics, and advanced automation, which can enhance operational efficiency and customer care.

By leveraging the upper 6 GHz band, Wi-Fi professionals like us can design and deploy more resilient, high-performance, and secure wireless networks capable of meeting the rigorous demands of complex environments like our clients in factories, hospitals and stadiums.

by admin14th January 2026

New Ubiquiti UDB Switch Offers 5 and 6 GHz Wi-Fi Uplink and PoE+

(Image source: Ubiquiti)

Ubiquiti’s new UniFi Device Bridge (UDB) Switch is designed to easily connect multiple remote IoT devices with wired connections to a network and supply them with power via Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+).

How does the UDB Switch Work?

The UDB switch connects IoT devices with wired connections to a network and supplies them with power via PoE+ by using a Wi-Fi 7 uplink across 3 frequencies.

For example, an environment with heavy Wi-Fi traffic would use the 6 GHz band.

For wired devices that are installed in places that can’t be reached with a cable, the UDB switch acts as a Wi-Fi Bridge. The switch also has features that can bring PoE devices onto a network.

Power

The UDB switch itself needs 25 watts of power, but it also supplies 185 watts to connected powered devices. These can be connected to eight RJ45 ports. PoE+ (also known as IEEE 802.3at) with up to 30 watts is available as well.

It should be noted that Ubiquiti only includes a 60 watt power supply with the switch, which reduces its power budget to just 35 watts. Users who need more than that should order the optional power supply with 210 watts.

Speed

Furthermore, there are noteworthy differences in terms of speed. One of the ports is a 10GbE connection that can also serve as an uplink, while the other 802.3bz ports offer up to 2.5GbE.

Network Connections

For connecting to the main network, the UDB switch also has a Wi-Fi unit. The 6 GHz and 5 GHz bands are used for this, it does not support the lower band. Moreover, it supports the Wi-Fi standards 802.11a/n/ac/ax/be and WPA3. According to the spec sheet, 802.11b/g is not supported.

Diagnostics and Environment

For diagnostics on-site, the Ubiquiti UDB switch comes with a small non-touch status display.

The network device is also flexible in diverse environments such as warehouses where temperature can fluctuate. The UDB switch can be used in cooler environments down to -30°C and warmer climates up to 40°C.

If you’re going for the optional additional power supply, then do bear in mind that it’s only suitable for temperatures above freezing.

Coming Soon

Ubiquiti’s new switch will be available in the UK soon for £286.80 inc. VAT.

You can shop the range of Ubiquiti Wi-Fi Bridging on their website here.

by admin4th December 2025

Business Wi-Fi Connectivity Home Network Network Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi 8

Wi-Fi 8 – The Smarter, More Stable Wi-Fi Standard

Can Wi-Fi 8 bring the stability of a wired network to wireless? Let’s look at handovers, coordination between wireless technologies, and the influence of AI.

Based on the upcoming 802.11bn standard, Wi-Fi 8 is purported to be smarter and more stable than it’s Wi-Fi 7 predecessor, instead of merely faster.

According to an announcement by Qualcomm, Wi-Fi 8 will respond to new needs in both home networks and business by focusing on reliability and consistency, even in poorer conditions.

Qualcomm’s Vice President of Technical Standards Rolf De Vegt said;

“Wi-Fi 8 marks a fundamental pivot — moving beyond peak speeds to prioritize reliable performance in challenging real-world conditions. It’s designed to deliver consistent, low-latency and near-lossless connectivity even in highly congested, interference-prone and mobile environments.”

Whilst the main design feature of Wi-Fi 7 is to maximize speed and bandwidth, Wi-Fi 8 will focus on stability of performance. In lab conditions, there were impressive results for Wi-Fi 7 speeds, however this is harder to replicate in reality within everyday environments like office buildings and residential areas. Wi-Fi 8 will provide stability even when faced with congestion, interference or multiple devices moving in real world environments.

According to Qualcomm, Wi-Fi 8 plans to offer:

25% higher throughput in challenging signal conditions such as blocks of flats
25% lower latency at the 95th percentile of latency distribution
25% fewer dropped packets when roaming between access points

Handover, What Handover?

Wi-Fi 8 will see the wonders of Single Mobility Domains. Traditionally, small interruptions during the handover process between access points are completely normal happenings. A major innovation of Wi-Fi 8 will mean that devices will be able to move between access points without any interruption or lag. Just imagine – Continuous, uninterrupted connectivity as you move throughout domains within a multi-storey office or large buildings where users (and their devices) are always moving around.

Previous standards saw the edges of a network as a weak spot. Wi-Fi 8 will also bring improvements to this area. Technical adjustments in the optimisation of the physical layer of the protocol means that Wi-Fi 8 doesn’t just increase transmission power, leading to more stable performance even at low signal strength.

Another improvement will see access points working together rather than separately. Wi-Fi 8 will enable the coordination of behaviour and sharing of information between access points in a network. This will help to reduce conflict on the radio frequencies and improve the efficiency of transmission time. Thus, Wi-Fi 8 will bring a smoother network environment for places with many users and devices for example, stadiums, schools or blocks of flats.

Better Coordination Between Wireless Technologies

Research is being conducted to look at how radio systems such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and ultra-wideband can work better together instead of causing interference. The use of multiple wireless technologies by a single device simultaneously (devices using a single antenna for multiple radios) is becoming more prevalent, making the need for better coordination between the technologies vital.

Prevalence of AI Leading Wi-Fi 8 to Focus on Stability Instead of Speed

AI is placing a huge raw demand on networks, especially in terms of reliability and latency.

We’re seeing an increase in prevalence of wearable AI, smart device embedded AI and autonomous AI. In order for AI systems to work effectively, they need to be able to pull from access edge or cloud based systems in near real time, making reliable connectivity vital.

The current Wi-Fi standard is struggling to support the abundance of AI use in everyday life. These struggles aren’t anything new – The ever increasing use of personal devices using wireless connectivity has been putting a strain on Wi-Fi networks for a while.

With the evolution of smart homes, the size and scope of our networks has needed to expand quickly in order to support the number of devices used in our houses.Indeed, larger homes are requiring enterprise-grade networks in order to meet the level of connectivity people expect.

Wi-Fi 8 and Medical Monitoring Devices

AI garners much of the attention when discussing Wi-Fi 8 and the need for stability over speed, however there is another prevailing need increasing in our homes and that is medical monitoring devices.

Doctors are starting to rely on patients self-monitoring from home more and more. For the health of non-critical patients, these home-based options are a real life-line. Doctors can keep tabs on patients without the need for them to visit the practice as regularly.

This is yet another area where network reliability and response time is imperative to enable doctors to communicate with patients via their home network, especially in potentially life-threatening situations.

Will Wi-Fi 8 Bring the Stability of Wired to our Wireless Networks?

In the press release, De Vegt writes that they want Wi-Fi 8 to bring wireless networks closer to having the same reliability and responsiveness of wired infrastructure. Whether or not Wi-Fi 8 manages to get close to that ambitious aim we’ll have to wait and see.

The Wi-Fi 8 standard is expected to be finalised in January 2028, so there’s still a little while to wait. You can read the full press release from Qualcomm here.

by admin8th September 2025

Ethernet Ethernet Cables

50 Years of Ethernet – But It’s Far From Over The Hill

Last month was the 50th anniversary of Ethernet – Half a century of this useful bit of tech kit. And as it turns out – You can teach this old dog some new tricks.

Ethernet has proved its adaptability over the years, and continues to evolve along with technological developments including the worlds of AI, distributed computing and virtual reality.

The History of Ethernet

Ethernet is somewhat unrivalled – Can you think of another technology that has been as influential? Its usefulness and success has shown over the past 50 years and it looks like it’s journey is set to continue for the foreseeable future.

Ethernet was invented by Bob Metcalf and David Boggs in 1973. Since then, Ethernet has been adapted and expanded across all industries, continuing to be the reliable Layer-2 protocol in computer networking.

It has literally been deployed everywhere – Including under the oceans and in outer space! This universality has led to further expansions, with the most impactful area currently using Ethernet being large cloud data centres. Part of this is the linking of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) clusters which is a rapidly growing area.

Why Does Ethernet Have Such Broad Applications?

The bottom line is that in the majority of cases, there is no need to invent another network in order to connect what you need to connect. Ethernet brings flexibility and adaptability – 2 of the most important characteristics of any technology or communication network.

Did you know that Ethernet was integral to business’ response to Covid?

When the pandemic hit, those who were able to work from home had to stay home. All of a sudden, we had a world full of distributed workforces all trying to stay connected. On top of that, we had a generation of home-learners thrust into online education and teachers teaching through video-conferencing. And let’s not forget that the strict social distancing measures meant more people connected through online gaming.

This shift to remote working on such a large scale saw Ethernet applications play a large role in keeping things going due to the huge pressure on communication service providers to offer enough bandwidth to keep everyone online.

Ethernet is the foundation of internet technology. Connecting through Ethernet meant that those who had to stay home – Whether they were working, learning or playing – could have their internet needs met in their own homes despite the increased demand.

Ethernet in Space

There are some really unique applications of Ethernet thanks to such widespread development.

For example, for more than 20 years Ethernet has been used in space for exploration and on the International Space Station. It has also been used for Mars missions and on satellites.

But why? The connectivity that Ethernet provides is seamless, which is vital for communication systems that are mission critical like sensors, cameras, controls and telemetry. When it comes to vehicles and devices like satellites and probes, Ethernet has been indispensable.

Ethernet has also proved itself to be a key part of ground-to-space and space-to-ground communication.

Ethernet for In-Vehicle Networks

It’s not just in outer space that Ethernet comes in useful – It’s the backbone of in-vehicle networks in the air (like f-45 fighter jets), on the ground and under the sea. It replaced Controller Area Network (CAN) and Local Interconnect Network (LIN) protocols as a more capable alternative.

Ethernet is relied upon to provide connectivity for UAV’s (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and UUV’s (Unmanned Underwater Vehicles). These vehicles enable the monitoring of atmospheric conditions, tides and temperatures as well as providing next-generation surveillance and security systems – All because of Ethernet.

Why Ethernet?

Ethernet is replacing the majority of ‘specialised buses’ of data communication and storage across all industries.

But why is Ethernet so all-encompassing? It’s simple and effective.

Ethernet has simple connectors
It’s simple to make Ethernet work on existing twisted pair cabling
Simple frame types are easy to de-bug
It’s simple to encapsulate traffic on Ethernet
It’s simple to access control mechanisms

All these things have meant that Ethernet is a fast, cheap, easy-to-troubleshoot option for:

Embedded NICs in motherboards
Ethernet Switches of any size, speed flavour combo
Gigabit Ethernet NIC cards that pioneered jumbo frames
Ethernet NIC and Switch optimizations for all kinds of use cases
Features like EtherChannel – channel bonding sets of ports in a stat-mux config

What’s Next for Ethernet Development?

Not only have we seen how vitally useful Ethernet is currently, it’s also set to keep its value in the future.

We’re seeing high-level resources committed to Ethernet and the continued technical work to improve features and functionality further.

The IEEE P802.3dj Task Force is currently developing the next generation of Ethernet electrical and optical signalling.

Over the past 50 years we’ve seen time and time again how Ethernet has solved problems across industries, bringing it all together with evolving developments. There is a strong likelihood that this will continue and only grow stronger.

Ethernet and Internet Speed

When we talk about internet speeds, we focus on speed – Everyone wants dast internet! Ethernet is always drawing attention for his top speeds which seems to only continue to increase.

But there is actually a market for the enhancement of slower speeds via Ethernet too on 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps and 25 Gbps.

Over the last 20 years, it’s reported that over 9 billion Ethernet switch ports have been shipped, with a market value of over $450 billion. Ethernet is responsible for connected people on a global level, playing a pivotal role in connectivity between things, devices and ultimately people.

What’s Next for Ethernet Expansions?

On the IEEE website it lists some future expansions for Ethernet which include:

Short reach
Optical interconnects based on 100 Gbps wavelengths
Precision Time Protocol (PTP) Timestamping clarifications
Automotive Optical Multigig
Next steps in Single-Pair ecosystem
100 Gbps over Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) systems
400 Gbps over DWDM systems
A study group proposal for Automotive 10G+ Copper; and 200 Gbps, 400 Gbps, 800 Gbps, and 1.6 Tbps Ethernet

There is continuing expansion of the Ethernet portfolio with some potentially game-changing advances, for example:

Power over Ethernet (PoE)
Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) (Handling Ethernet transmission via a single pair of copper wires)
Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) (A standard way to provide deterministic and guaranteed delivery of data over a network)

It’s Not Just Ethernet That’s Evolving

We know that in the world of technology, things move at a fast pace and are always evolving and advancing.

These evolving technologies rely on Ethernet. We spoke at the start of this article about the role Ethernet has to play in things like AI and VR. Advancements in these areas wouldn’t happen without Ethernet.

As with many things technological, latency can be a huge problem and it’s paramount that this is managed. Ethernet and Precision Time Protocol is expected to help address this latency issue by enabling Ethernet to evolve into a connectivity technology with defined latency objectives.

There are lots of instances industry-wide where time-precision and synchronised operations are vital. The telecommunications sector is just one of these, especially when it comes to 5G networks and the future 6G networks.

Enterprise LANs could also benefit from the predefined latency that Ethernet networks can provide, especially when addressing the requirements of AI technologies and synchronising GPU’s across data centres.

Ethernet is intertwined with emerging tech, heavily influencing how they function and evolve.

Ethernet and AI

AI technology requires multiple services all needing low-latency connections. Therefore, Ethernet expansion will also be a key area for AI computing infrastructure and application development.

You’re probably starting to see more AI in your day-to-day life. Things such as AI generative artwork are increasing in popularity. They use Ethernet as a foundational communications layer so these new AI services will need huge infrastructure investments.

AI and cloud computing tools are expected to drive the evolution of technology consumption, devices and networks – Both for work and leisure.

For Wireless, You Need Wired

Let’s not forget that you can’t have wireless without wired. Ethernet is at the heart of wireless networks as they continue to expand. All wireless AP’s need some kind of wired infrastructure.

The data centres that power cloud computing, AI and other future technologies are all connected together by wires and fibre connections. And where do they go back to? Ethernet switches.

Ethernet and Power Efficiency

Efficiency and power consumption are a big deal, especially currently. There is a need to reduce Ethernet power consumption and this also drives part of its ongoing development.

Minimising power consumption is essential, which is where Energy-Efficient Ethernet comes in. It powers down links when there is not a lot of traffic, thus minimising power consumption.

Ethernet as the Foundation of Engineering

Ethernet is hugely popular hence why so many IT professionals are training in using and deploying it.

Having celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, it’s no wonder that it continues to be the foundation that the engineering world is built on. With decades of development behind it, Ethernet technology is continuing to expand.

Whatever the future holds technology wise, Ethernet will likely be there to connect it all together in some form.

by admin26th June 2023

Ethernet Cables Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi Advice Wireless Network

Will Wi-Fi 7 Replace Wired Ethernet?

We all want the best connection possible – Whether that’s wireless or wired. Here at Geekabit, we love all things Wi-Fi, but even we will admit when a wired Ethernet connection could bring more stability and reliability.

The Wi-Fi cimmunity is all a-buzz with talk about Wi-Fi 7 and the latest improvements it will bring to the wireless world. But will it replace internet via wired Ethernet cables? Theoretically, Wi-Fi 7 should have a top speed that would make it a worthy opponent of LAN’s. But that wouldn’t be the case in all situations.

Let’s take a closer look.

What is Wi-Fi 7?

This next generation of wireless technology is well on the way. And with the promise of even higher data rates and lower latency than the current Wi-Fi 6 offering!

Wi-Fi 7 (or 802.11be to be technically correct), in comparison to Wi-Fi 6, will:

Use multi-band/ multi-channel aggregation and operation
Deliver higher spectrum and power efficiency
Have better interference mitigations
Offer higher capacity density
Have higher cost efficiency.

As a result of the projected ability for it to support up to 30Gbps throughput, this seventh generation of Wi-Fi is also being referred to as Wi-Fi Extremely High Throughput. It will be approximately 3 times faster than Wi-Fi 6.

How does Wi-Fi 7 work?

The Wi-Fi engineers over at IEEE are proving that there are still ways to enhance and improve Wi-Fi – Even since Wi-Fi 6. As we’ve set out above, Wi-Fi 7 will not only give another boost to Wi-Fi connectivity, but also significant improvements in performance whilst further reducing latency.

But how?

Wi-Fi 7 doubles the channel size

With Wi-Fi 7, we see the maximum channel size double, going from 160MHz to 320Mhz. This also means that the throughput is automatically doubled as well. Not only that, but it’s more flexible too, enabling networks to run with either one channel (at 320Mhz) or two channels (each at 160Mhz). Therefore you can match the network to the requirements of your applications.

Wi-Fi 7 doubles the number of MU-MIMO spatial streams

The throughout is also doubled via the available MU-MIMO spatial streams which increases from 8 to 16, again doubling what’s available. The connection is shared equally, dividing the bandwidth into separate streams using Multiple-user, multiple-input multiple output (MU-MIMO) technology.

We tend to see quite a bit of congestion from multiple endpoints attempting to access the wireless network at the same time – But MU-MIMO helps to reduce this congestion. Not only that, but it supports bi-directional functionality. This means that the router and both accet and send data at the same time. Something that was limited to just downlink transmission with Wi-Fi 5!

Wi-Fi 7 quadruples the QAM

Quadratic Amplitude Modulation (QAM) is increased with Wi-Fi 7 from 1024 to 4096. It is expected that this increase will enable the delivery of an additional 20% in throughput. It’s this that takes us from Wi-Fi 6’s 9.6Mbps to Wi-Fi 7’s 46Mbps.

Wi-Fi 7 offers Multi-link operation (MLO)

The great thing about MLO is that devices can transmit and receive across all of the available frequency bands (2.4Ghz, 5Ghz and 6Ghz), simultaneously. What does this mean?

It improves performance
It reduces latency
It boosts reliability
In IoT or IIoT environments, specific channels can have pre-assigned data flows based on the requirements of the application or device
Networks can be dynamically configured so that they can select the frequency band that has the lowest congestion in real time, sending data over that preferred channel

Wi-Fi 7 offers Multi-AP operation

The functionality available in current and previous Wi-Fi standards meant that each access point acted independently when accepting connection requests from endpoints and moving traffic back and forth to that endpoint. The Multi-AP operation with Wi-Fi 7 uses mesh technology to configure neighbouring AP’s so that they can coordinate with each, thus improving the utilisation of the spectrum and resources. Network engineers can use Multi-AP operation to program a set of APs to form a subsystem and accurately coordinate channel access and transmission schedules.

Time-sensitive networking (TSN) with Wi-Fi 7

What is TSN? Time-sensitive networking is an IEEE standard to help increase reliability and lower latency. Wi-Fi 7 supports this TSN. It was originally designed to help reduce buffering and latency in Ethernet networks by using time scheduling. This ensures the reliable delivery of packets in real-time applications.

Multi-RU and WI-Fi 7

Using OFDMA (orthogonal frequency division multiple access), Resource Units are assigned to individual clients to enable access points to communicate simultaneously with multiple clients. Multi Resouce Units increase the spectrum efficiency, ensuring that traffic avoids any interference on congested channels.

Wi-Fi 7 and deterministic low latency

Wi-Fi 7 will be able to support real-time applications like AR, VR and IoT due to the combination of the above technologies decreasing latency. In certain situations, for example some industrial automation applications, it’s important that there is not a wide variance in latency. Deterministic low latency with Wi-Fi 7 will be great for this – It means that it will not spike beyond a certain limit.

What are the benefits of Wi-Fi 7?

You might be thinking that the current Wi-Fi standard is good enough for you and your business connection needs. But the thing is, the wireless traffic load is only going to grow year on year and over time, organisations are going to have no choice but to embrace (and need) digital transformation. So whilst what you have now may well be sufficient, it might not be the case in forever.

We are all well aware that the business operations that were once done manually are now being done digitally. This also means that the amount of data we use and need to move is growing all the time.

Digital transformation means that not only has paper turned digital, but processes that were once quite simple are now much more complex, interconnected with others and across multiple applications.

The improvements and enhancements we will see with Wi-Fi 7 have been designed to accommodate the increased traffic and data we are seeing from digital transformation.

So – Will Wi-Fi 7 replace Ethernet?

Perhaps the biggest gane changer when it comes to Wi-Fi 7 is that it could in fact replace wired Ethernet in certain circumstances. We’re thinking in offices where everything is all completely wireless, everything unplugged, IT staff could use Wi-Fi 7 instead of having ti run wires and cables through ceilings, walls and office space. Pretty handy!

We also talked about the speed of Wi-Fi 7 earlier. Theoretically the maximum speed is 46Gbps. Even in real-world estimates where we’re talking much lower speeds of 6Gbps, Wi-Fi 7 is still faster than Gigabit Ethernet.

When it comes to comparing Wi-Fi 7 and Ethernet, it’s worth considering bandwidth and endpoints. Wirelessly, the bandwidth is shared among endpoints. With Gigabit Ethernet, each endpoint has dedicated delivery of gigabit circuits.

Whilst this may sway you back towards Ethernet, don’t forget that wireless networks, particularly ones using Wi-Fi 7, can use multiple antennas and streams. With the meshing of AP’s with Wi-Fi 7, it might be wise to test the real-world performance to analyse what is necessary for your environment. It can get quite complex, but is definitely necessary when designing and deploying a new network or updating your current malfunctioning one.

There are tech experts that are expecting Wi-Fi 7 to be a strong contender to replace Ethernet connections for super-high-bandwidth applications. It’s expected that the advances we’ll be seeing with Wi-Fi 7 will make it a very attractive option for a broad range of devices, applications and industries.

Here at Geekabit, our Wi-Fi experts think it’s a bit early to predict whether or not Wi-Fi 7 will replace Ethernet on a large scale for enterprise LAN connectivity. On paper there may be a chance, but the low-maintenance predictability of Ethernet may make IT teams hold off replacing it for Wi-Fi 7.

Many IT departments already enjoy the best of both worlds, utilising a pre-existing Ethernet LAN with a wireless network added on top. We don’t see why Wi-Fi 7 and Ethernet can’t co-exist, with Wi-Fi 7 being the primary network and good old, trusty Ethernet in the background quietly waiting as a backup.

Get in touch with our Wi-Fi Experts

If you are wondering whether you should repace your Ethernet cables with Wi-Fi, or the other way around, then do get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts here at Geekabit. We can help advise what would work best for you and get a network designed and installed for your individual needs. Let’s solve your Wi-Fi woes and get reliable internet into your home office! You can get in touch on 0203 322 2443 (London), 01962 657 390 (Hampshire) or 02920 676712 (Cardiff).

by admin19th July 2022

4G 4G LTE 4G Wi-Fi 5G PCI Planning PCI Planning for 4G / 5G

PCI: What Is The Difference Between 4G LTE and 5G NR

In this blog we are going to look at the difference between 4G LTE and 5G-NR, specifically in terms of PCI.

What is PCI when it comes to 4G / 5G?

PCI is the Physical Cell ID and is one of the most important ways a cell identifies itself in a 4G or 5G wireless network.

The physical layer (or PHY-layer) Cell ID is what determines the Cell ID Group and Cell ID Sector, and it is this that is needed for DL synchronisation.

DL (Downlink) Synchronisation is the process in which a UE (phone) detects the radio boundary and OFDM symbol boundary. In other words, the exact timing of when a radio frame or OFDM starts. (In telecommunications, orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is a type of digital transmission and a method of encoding digital data on multiple carrier frequencies.)

This DL synchronisation process is done by detecting and analysing the SS Block. From a UE’s (phone’s) point of view, Downlink is the ‘receiving’ transmitting direction. The SS Block (SSB) stands for Synchronisation Signal Block and refers to the synchronisation signal and Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) as a single block that always moves together.

Why is PCI Planning important?

If you are planning, designing and deploying a 4G / 5G network, then PCI Planning will be one of your most important steps.

Making sure your network is properly designed with PCI in mind will ensure your network works efficiently and increases how your resources are utilised.

Excellent PCI planning ensures QoS for those who are subscribed to your 4G / 5G network.

QoS (Quality of Service) is the use of technologies to control traffic on your network, ensuring that the performance of critical applications meets requirements.

The key goal here is to use QoS and PCI Planning to enable your network to prioritise traffic, offering dedicated bandwidth and lower latency.

PCI is one of the technologies used to enhance performance of business applications, WANs and service provider networks.

Poor planning in this area can result in PCI collisions and conflicts – Which in turn, negatively impact the overall performance of your network.

How is the PCI value created?

The PCI value is created from two components – PSS (Primary Synchronisation Signal) and SSS (Secondary Synchronisation Signal).

The PSS is used to obtain the slot, ub-frame and half-frame boundary as well as providing the cell identity within the cell identity group.

The SSS is used to obtain the radio frame boundary (10ms) as well as enabling the UE (phone) to determine the cell identity group.

After your UE (phone) has successfully decoded the PSS and SSS, it will be able to calculate the PCI. It uses the following formula:

PCI = (3 × SSS) + PSS

How is PCI calculated for 4G?

PSS has 3 values (0,1 and 2) and is created using the Zad-off Chu sequence.The PSS helps to accomplish slot and symbol synchronisation in the time domain.

SSS has 168 values (0 to 167) and is produced using concatenation (linking together in a series) of 2 m-sequences (max length sequence). The SSS helps to achieve radio frame synchronisation.

The formula to work out PCI for 4G is therefore:

PCI = (3 * 167) + 2 = 503

This means that there are PCI values varying from 0 to 503 LTE, which in turn supports 504 unique PCIs for 4G.

How is PCI calculated for 5G?

PSS has 3 values (0,1 and 2) and created using m-sequence.

SSS has 336 values (0 to 335) and is generated using the product of 2 m-sequences.

In 5G-NR (a new radio access technology developed by 3GPP for the 5G (fifth generation) mobile network), the basic structure of PSS is the same but the number of SSS is increased.

The formula to work out PCI for 4G is therefore:

PCI = (3 * 335) + 2 = 1007

So the PCI values will vary from 0 to 1007. This means that 5G-NR can support 1008 unique PCIs.

What does this difference in PCI between 4G and 5G actually mean?

In the simplest terms, 5G-NR has double the number of PCI’s, compared to LTE 4G.

5G has more Physical Cell IDs (the actual area that the cell antenna on a cell site is covering). Each 5G NR cell has a Physical Cel lD. 5G has 1008 unique possible Physical Cell ID’s, whereas 4G has only 504.

So if we’re connected to Vodafone on Physical Cell ID No.1, but we could also see Vodafone signals being broadcast out of that cell tower on different cell antennas using Physical Cell ID No,2 and No3, then our mobile device would know to connect to No1. It would get confused if it connected to No.2 or No.3 and impact the quality of service.

The user device connects to the one physically nearest. So for example, a Vodafone tower has two cell antennas out the top broadcasting the Vodafone signal across an area, which will overlap to a small degree. A user’s device will always want to make sure it is connecting to the same one. You don’t want to connect to one antenna and back to another – It’s this that ruins the quality of service. So you will always try and connect back to the one you were talking to, which is normally geographically the one closest to you.

The Physical Cell ID is used to identify each space. We don’t want those numbers to overlap too often, or our devices get confused and don’t know which to connect to. If a device can see a Physical Cell ID of 2, and there’s another cell antenna using an ID of 2, it wouldn’t know which one to communicate with.

It is beneficial to know that 5G-NR has more PCI’s available in the planning stages, to enable a higher quality of service (QoS) for end user devices.

by admin6th June 2022

5G Hampshire Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi Advice

What is 6GHz Wi-Fi?

Did you know that following the historic decision by USA’s FCC in April 2020 to release 1200 MHz of bandwidth in 6 GHz space for unlicensed use, UK regulators cleared unlicensed wireless usage in the 6 GHz spectrum to give 6GHz WiFi a huge boost back in July 2020.

This regulatory go-ahead enables your router to broadcast over the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. What does this mean in real life terms? Simply, it means there are now a lot more open airwaves that routers can use to broadcast Wi-Fi signals. This in turn means faster, more reliable connections from the next generation of devices.

This is the biggest spectrum addition in over 30 years – In fact, since the FCC cleared the way for Wi-Fi back in 1989. Pretty huge right? It means the space available for routers and other devices have quadruple the amount in this new spectrum. This means a lot more bandwidth for the user and less interference for their devices.

For the past 20 years we’ve had the Wi-Fi Alliance that oversees the implementation of Wi-Fi. This change in the spectrum is the most ‘monumental decision’ during their existence. You’ll be seeing this implementation as Wi-Fi 6E, with more and more enabled devices becoming available.

Will Wi-Fi 6E fix my bad Wi-Fi?

There’s a good chance that spectrum congestion has interfered with your ability to connect to your Wi-Fi network in the past. When there are a lot of devices all trying to connect over the same band of frequencies, some devices will drop out. Have a look at your local area for Wi-Fi networks – If there is a long list, that could be why you’re struggling with a slow connection and less than favourable reliability. This is because there are too many competing signals, which stops your device getting through. It’s hoped that gains in 6GHz performance will last, even when they are more widely used than they are now.

Not only does Wi-Fi 6E offer new airwaves for routers to use, they are also more spacious airwaves that have less overlapping signals which can cause problems on some other Wi-Fi channels.

The new spectrum doesn’t use any of the previous spectrum, yet offers space for up to 7 maximum-capacity Wi-Fi streams which can all be broadcast simultaneously without causing interference with each other.

Here’s the geeky bit… The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, made it possible for home Wi-Fi networks to harness 500MHz of radio spectrum frequency in the new 6GHz band, which will significantly boost the speed of licence-exempt indoor home wireless networks via Wi-Fi 6/6E.

What is 6GHz?

Basically, Wi-Fi works by broadcasting over airwaves that are open for anyone to use. Previously, this was over two bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. This third band, 6GHz, is quadrupling the available space for traditional Wi-Fi.

What do the numbers mean? 2.4GHz can travel further, but 6GHz travels faster. The main thing however is that the number of airwaves available on the6GHz band is quadruple what has been available before. Exciting stuff!

On a personal ‘how will this affect me’ level, it means that if you live in a block of flats, and you are the first person to get a 6GHz router, then you won’t be competing with anyone for a connection. The great thing is that even as 6GHz routers become more popular, it’s likely that signals will stay faster and stronger than previously as it’s a more spacious spectrum.

Will Wi-Fi 6E be faster?

It’s not quite as straight forward as that, but Wi-Fi 6E will sort of be faster. Theoretically, 6GHz Wi-Fi has the same top speed as 5GHz Wi-Fi. The maximum Wi-Fi 6 standard speed is 9.6 Gbps. Now, you’re not going to actuall get that speed in real life, however having access to the new airwaves could well increase your speed.

The available spectrum at 5GHz means that Wi-Fi signals aren’t as large as they could be. Whereas, it’s thought that routers at 6GHz will broadcast at the current maximum allowable channel size. That in itself, means a faster connection.

These new networks could see smartphone Wi-Fi connections hit 1–2 Gbps. You might be wondering how this compares to 5G – Indeed, these are the speeds expected from millimetre-wave 5G. However, that has very limited availability.

Remember that your internet speeds will also always depend on / be limited by your provider. But it could still be a huge jump for connectivity.

Can I buy Wi-Fi 6 devices?

Here in the UK we started to see Wi-Fi 6 devices creep onto the market in the last year or so, once the Wi-Fi Alliance started offering certification for Wi-Fi 6E. Deployment has been slow and steady, with more Wi-Fi 6 enables devices appearing bit by bit. We’re on course for the next generation of Wi-Fi networks.

Wi-Fi 6E enabled devices are most seen in smartphones and then tablets, with TV’s likely to follow suit. We use our phones for almost everything, so it’s no surprise that it’s this device that will be top of the list for Wi-Fi 6E.

How do I know if a device supports Wi-Fi 6E?

The most widely used Wi-Fi standard on current devices is probably still Wi-Fi 6, the standard previous to Wi-Fi 6E, which you could still see on the box of a new device. This isn’t such a bad thing – It means that the device supports that Wi-Fi standard and offers efficient Wi-Fi performance.

What you should probably start looking out for when buying a new device is Wi-Fi 6E – It’s this one that is extended into the 6GHz band. All devices, like smartphones, tablets, laptops and routers should have backward compatibility – Meaning they will work with any previous Wi-Fi standard to the one that’s stated on the box. This means that you can enjoy available connections even when Wi-Fi 6E isn’t available.

Be aware that even if you buy a Wi-Fi 6E compatible device, you will enjoy the benefits of that when you use it with a Wi-Fi 6E router.

6GHz will become an integral part of Wi-Fi 6 and future generations of Wi-Fi. This means that at some point, you will have to replace your devices with ones that are Wi-Fi 6E compatible to be able to enjoy all the benefits the extra spectrum has to offer.

Due to the Wi-Fi Alliance certification programme, only efficient Wi-Fi 6 devices will be certificated.

It’s worth bearing in mind that the 6GHz spectrum does have some existing licensed users. This means that particularly in outdoor spaces, Wi-Fi will have to work around them. Outside, routers will need to use something called an “automated frequency control” system. This ensure that they don’t interfere with these existing 6GHz users. Because that means less space to broadcast, there could be degradation of overall performance in some areas.

Does Wi-Fi 6E have anything to do with 5G?

We touched on this earlier, but no, they don’t have anything to do with each other really. It just happens that both of these networks are being spoken about a lot, simultaneously. 5G is everywhere, is it not!

We keep saying about Wi-Fi 6E being a new spectrum, but really it’s not new, it’s always been there, it’s just been unlicensed. Now, people can use the 6GHz spectrum without a license in their homes.

This also means that other technologies could try to make use of the 6GHz band, which could in turn take up some of the space that Wi-Fi wants to use. 5G is one of the technologies that could be a rival for the space on the 6GHz band.

There is a possibility that 5G could overlap on the new Wi-Fi 6E spectrum through mobile network carriers. This could in turn lead to interference issues, but it’s a bit early to say. If you’re wondering whether 5G will become dominant and replace Wi-Fi altogether, then we think probably not. There doesn’t need to be a winner or a loser when it comes to Wi-Fi 6E vs 5G – They dont necessarily have to be in competition with one another. The spacious nature of this spectrum means there should be enough room for both.

6GHz Wi-Fi is certainly being revered by the tech industry, so we’re pretty hopeful that Wi-Fi will be the main beneficiary of the newly opened 6GHz spectrum.

by admin26th May 2022

Broadband Business Wi-Fi FTTP Leased Line Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Advice Wi-Fi Design Wi-Fi Installation Wireless Network

Which is best for my business – FTTP or a Leased Line?

Let’s face it – These days, business flow depends on connectivity.

With remote working now more prevalent than ever before, there is a significant business need for straightforward online collaboration. Not to mention business critical operations and organisational efficiency.

For a successful business, you need a reliable, strong connection that doesn’t buffer or drop out during vital video calls and digital team meetings.

What’s the point in having top of the range tech and dedicated employees if you don’t have the broadband speed to keep up with their communications or computers?

There is nothing less motivating than slow internet – Lagging video, audio that’s out of sync, calls that drop out, pages that load slowly. It makes us feel frustrated just thinking about it!

And whilst it might not sound like much – That 30 seconds of delay here and there throughout the day could actually add up to a lot of lost productivity across an organisation in just one week.

So what’s the solution? For any small business, it’s really down to two options – FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) or a leased line. But which one is best for your business?

What is FTTP and how does it work?

As we said above, FTTP is Fibre to the Premises. It means an internet connection that is designed for small businesses and consumer use.

FTTP works by sending data over a fibre optic cable from the exchange to the user’s premises. FTTP relies on already existing broadband infrastructure, which means that users share the bandwidth. This could lead to slower connection speeds and unreliability during peak times.

An FTTP service is asymmetrical, meaning that the upload and download speeds are not the same.

What is a leased line and how does it work?

A leased line, or fibre leased line, is a dedicated fibre optic service. It has a fixed bandwidth and is provided directly to the premises. Unlike FTTP, a leased line connects directly to the public internet. This means there is no shared infrastructure – thus the data’s journey is very different.

Due to leased lines being dedicated, it won’t be affected at peak times because the bandwidth is reserved exclusively for that user. A leased line also uploads data at the same time as it downloads – Useful for sending large files or if you use VoIP telephones throughout the business.

How do FTTP and Leased Line compare?

Let’s take a look at how FTTP and Leased Line compare to each other in terms of use and functionality. Depending on how these fit with your business, you should hopefully be able to identify which would work better for you and your business operations.

Speed and Bandwidth for FTTP vs Leased Line

Using an FTTp service, your highest download speed will be in the range of 300mbps and 1Gbps. Remember, in this scenario you share the infrastructure with other users, which means that during busy periods your bandwidth is likely to be compromised. Generally speaking you are looking at about 32 customers on an FTTP service.

On a Leased Line, all of the bandwidth is there for you to use. The connection speeds on a Leased Line could be up to 10Gbps, with the same upload and download speeds. This is particularly useful for high-demand users, who could struggle on an asymmetrical FTTP.

Traffic on a FTTP vs Leased Line

FTTP services can have a monthly data transfer quote which means it would be important for you to stay on top of your data usage.

A leased line has availability 24/7 all year round, which means you have unlimited data transfers.

Price of FTTP vs Leased Line

There is a significant difference in price when it comes to FTTP and Leased Line.

The cheaper option is FTTP. This is because it’s a shared service, and more specifically aimed at residential properties and small businesses. You would likely be looking between £30 and £60 per month, which of course depends on the provider and the speed of the broadband you choose. For a new FTTP installation, it would take about 10-15 days.

For Leased Lines, you would be looking at a cost of about £150 per month for lower bandwidths. Not only is it up to 5 times the cost of some FTTP, you may also incur additional charges (construction charges) which can push the price up more. Installation wise you would be looking at about 60-90 days to get things set up.

Service Level Agreements for FTTP vs Leased Lines

Whichever service you go for, you will have an SLA. The SLA for a Leased Line will be more thorough – For example, any fault on the line that needs fixing will be repaired within 5 hours. In comparison, a fault on FTTP could take 2 days to fix.

An SLA will also lay out the speed of a Leased Line, which you can then be compensated for if it is consistently slower. This isn’t something you can do with FTTP.

A Leased Line also comes with 24/7 support, whereas support for a FTTP line will be within business hours.

Reliability of FTTP vs Leased Lines

As we mentioned above, when using an FTTP line, you could notice an adverse chane in connection during peak times. Leased Lines will never experience this problem (unless there is a fault) so you are less likely to have the connection drop out. This means that a Leased Line is the more reliable connection of the two.

Availability

Leased Lines are available throughout the UK, but of course their accessibility depends on whether you can afford the cost.

Whilst FTTP is a cheaper option, it is only available to approximately 94% of the UK.

Contracts

Contract options for these lines are as follows:

FTTP – 12 months, 18 months or 24 months,
Leased Line – 12 months, 36 months, or 60 months

It’s worth noting that if you choose a 12 month Leased Line contract, you’ll be paying more each month to spread the installation cost.

So Which One is Best – Leased Line or FTTP?

If you own a small business, run a charity or are a residential consumer, then FTTP will likely meet your needs.

Generally speaking, if you are one of these types of consumer then you won’t be needing service 24/7 all year round. You are also less likely to be transferring huge amounts of data too. And it’s the cheaper option!

For larger businesses and organisations that rely more on a reliable connection, then a dedicated Leased Line service with a thorough SLA could be the better choice. You will then have peace of mind that your broadband is sturdy, and should something go wrong with it you’re backed up by a speedy resolution. Keeping disruption to your organisation to a minimum!

Get In Touch

If you are feeling unsure about what could be the best internet service for your business and would like to discuss your connectivity needs, then get in touch with one of our Wi-Fi Experts today. We operate out of Hampshire, London and Cardiff and can help you to make sure that your connectivity meets your business or residential needs – Both in terms of connection but cost too.

by admin16th May 2022

Garden WiFi Hampshire Home Network Home WI-Fi Outdoor Wireless Network

How do I get reliable Wi-Fi in my garden?

Hello Spring heatwave! Hampshire, as well as other parts of the UK, have been treated to a bit of a March heatwave this week with sunny days that are feeling really warm. Finally! And now that many more of us find ourselves working from home more often, we wouldn’t be surprised if you’re trying to figure out a way to get all your gear out into the garden and Wi-Fi working well.

Whether you’re soaking up the sun during Zoom meetings or attempting to escape the same 4 walls with some fresh air whilst answering emails – You’re going to need a strong, reliable Wi-Fi connection in your sun-soaked Hampshire garden.

And no, it’s not okay to steal your neighbour’s Wi-Fi – Even if you know their password!

So, if you’re trying to make the most of the sunshine that Hampshire currently has on offer, then here are our top tips for getting strong, reliable Wi-Fi in your garden.

Use an Access Point

Our first recommendation would be to run an ethernet cable out to the garden area and install a new access point.

Many of our Hampshire based clients have homes where this option has worked really effectively. There are other options (see below) but this would always be our preference and recommendation when being asked how to get Wi-Fi in your garden.

Where is your router?

Is your router in the best place? You could try moving your existing router to see if a change of location improves the signal you get in your garden.

We’ve visited many Hampshire homes where the router has been situated at the front of the house, most commonly in the front room next to the smart TV or telephone. This location makes it unlikely for the signal to be able to reach your back garden.

Consider where you access the internet the most, and whether you could move your router to a different location that would work for both the house and the garden.

Extend your Wi-Fi range with a repeater

If the range of your router won’t reach the garden from a suitable location inside the house, then there are ways you can extend it. A repeater is one possible solution, and works particularly well in larger homes. Some of our Hampshire based clients have found that a repeater has solved their Wi-Fi woes when it comes to getting a reliable signal in the garden.

The pros – By placing a repeater in range of the garden, you can make your Wi-Fi go further. It’s cost effective and easy to configure.

The cons – It works by mimicking your existing network and creating a new one. You would have to manually change the connection on your device when you move between the garden and the house. This option can also half your bandwidth, resulting in slower internet speeds.

Extend your Wi-Fi range with an extender

By using an extender, you can extend the range of your router by plugging it in at a position where it will provide coverage to your garden.

An extender is cabled and takes internet signal directly from the router and emits it from a better location. Despite being slightly more expensive and a bit more complicated to configure than the repeater, our resident Wi-Fi expert says,

“One of the biggest benefits of an extender is that it is connected using a wired connection, so there is no need for a wireless signal to operate it. This also means that the bandwidth stays at its full potential.”

We’d recommend that you consider calling in the experts if you’re considering this option – And we reckon our clients that are currently enjoying Geekabit installed Wi-Fi extenders in their sunny Hampshire hotspot would say the same!

Mobile Tethering

If your smartphone has good reception outside, then you can use its Wi-Fi hotspot and tether that to your laptop or other device to use its connection.

However, it’s worth bearing in mind that the data you use will come off your monthly allowance, and if you go over it can be rather a costly mistake.

This option is probably more suited to those ‘one-off’ moments – Perhaps to tide you over while you wait for one of Geekabit’s Wi-Fi experts to come and sort out a more long-term Wi-Fi connection in your garden.

Get in touch

So there you go, some of our top tips on how to get Wi-Fi in your garden so you can enjoy the Spring sunshine whilst working from home!

If you’ve tried the options above and still no joy, don’t be afraid to call in the experts! Our Wi-Fi experts are on the other end of a phone call or email and are happy to help get your Wi-Fi working as it should.

We work out of Hampshire, London and Cardiff and are really passionate about getting people the Wi-Fi connection they deserve.

by admin24th March 2022

Business Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Advice Wi-Fi Design Wi-Fi Interference Wi-Fi Site Survey Wireless Network

How to Give Your Wi-Fi Network a Health Check

You might think that once you’ve got your Wi-Fi network all set up and running, then that’s it done. But it’s not! Having a reliable wireless network involves ongoing maintenance and health checks to make sure that it’s performing at its optimum level.

There are plenty of variables in a wireless network that could change. Things like user demand or changes in the radio frequency that could have an impact. Seemingly simple things like rearranging your office furniture, onboarding new employees or using more applications requiring bigger bandwidth can all be negative factors affecting your Wi-Fi network.

Ongoing, regular surveys can help you catch these changes before they start to cause you too many problems.

So what do you need to do to keep your wireless networking functioning effectively?

Monitor New Client Devices

Just as when you are in the design and planning stages, it’s vital to know the number of users that are connected at any one time, and what devices they are connecting to the network with. Your network performance depends on this!

This could likely change with company growth or if your business has seasonal staff where connections peak and trough.

It’s also worth bearing in mind how old the devices are. Older laptops, for example, won’t work so well with today’s modern networks. And vice versa!

You can counteract this by semi-regularly updating your devices to align with your network.

Likewise, if your network was originally deployed a while ago, without being monitored or updated it will fail to work with modern devices to their potential.

You need to also monitor the applications being used and ensure that the bandwidth matches the demand. Organisations like schools that now have a plethora of laptops connecting wirelessly to the school network need to have strong, reliable Wi-Fi. Hospitals also have high bandwidth demand with the ‘workstations on wheels’ that are now prevalent.

The more end users you add to your network, the more bandwidth you will need.

In simple terms – Make sure you are monitoring new client devices. Make it your business to keep track of how many devices are connecting to your network and make sure you can meet the Wi-Fi demand consistently. Your business operations depend on it.

App Usage and Progression

As we all know, technology is constantly evolving. Device manufacturers are always striving for the fastest, most powerful offering to stay ahead of their competitors.

This means that apps and software also move fast to keep up. This constant evolution means that you need more and more data with every update. Thus, the requirements of your Wi-Fi network are likely to change and be modified accordingly.

Wireless is often the first choice – If not the only choice! So you need to make sure your business Wi-Fi offering is up to scratch.

Physical Changes in the Office Landscape

You might not think too much about rearranging the office, but this could have a significant impact on your coverage area and how your access points function.

Tweaks like going from open plan to individual offices (or the other way around) will change the way your AP’s perform in your office space.

Interior walls (or lack of them) will affect the radio frequency and how it attenuates. You might be thinking, surely removing partition walls to make an open plan office couldn’t cause Wi-Fi problems. Ut actually it could! The RF will be able to travel further without any attenuating interior walls, meaning it could start contending with other channels and cause interference.

Any physical changes in your office environment need to be surveyed to see if and how it will affect how your Wi-Fi network functions. This means you can make the necessary adjustments before problems arise.

Identify Common Causes of RF Interference

Following on from physical changes in your office environment, you need to also be aware of other possible causes of RF interference.

Once possible source of interference on your Wi-Fi network could be noise from neighbouring networks. Other AP’s in range of your coverage area could cause RF interference, especially if their power levels are turned up.

Wi-Fi interference is when you have AP’s that are operating on the same or adjacent frequencies. This can cause interference or contention on these channels, or Overlapping Basic Service Set (OBSS). If your network is experiencing this type of interference, you could see your ability to send or receive data significantly reduce or even completely disabled.

You can also get non–Wi-Fi Interference from devices that use other radio networks. Things like microwaves, monitors, blue tooth or surveillance cameras could all cause interference problems.

Your Business Depends on your Wi-Fi Network

If you’ve gone to the effort of designing and planning the optimum network for your business, then don’t waste that work by not monitoring and maintaining it.

Even the best networks will need tweaks and changes over time, to make sure it can keep up with the demands of new users and modern devices.

Regular monitoring or ‘Wi-Fi health checks’ can help identify problems while they’re still small – Allowing you to get them sorted out before they start causing your business serious issues. Don’t wait until the IT department are inundated with calls from frustrated, unproductive employees.

If you think your wireless network is in need of a health check, why not give us a call here at Geekabit? Our wireless experts have the knowledge and expertise to diagnose and solve your Wi-Fi problems, improving the reliability and functionality of your business Wi-Fi.

by admin7th February 2022