Wi-Fi Survey

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Why Is My Office Wi-Fi Slow at 9am? Common Causes & Solutions

Does your SME office Wi-Fi grind to a halt every morning? Discover the most common causes of slow business Wi-Fi at peak times and how to fix them.

If you’re an IT Manager who faces a team of colleagues all asking “Has the Wi-Fi gone slow again?” Every Single Morning, then you’re in the right place. 

Your internet connection might actually not be the problem. When we get called out to clients, the internet connection is often not the issue. It’s more likely to be the fact that your SME business network wasn’t designed for everyone using it simultaneously. 

So what can your internal IT Team or Facilities Manager do about it? Let’s find out. 

‘I think the Wi-Fi is down!’ – A familiar scenario in your office?

Picture this. You’re a SME business owner. You get in the office at 7.30am and everything seems fine. The morning creeps on, and anything from 20 to 500 employees start making their way into the office. By 9.15am the problems start – 

  • Teams calls are starting to freeze. 
  • Web pages are taking ages to load. 

Staff members are starting to complain that the Wi-Fi is down. Already? Some bright spark reboots the router for the nth day in a row. Things seem to improve, but it’s only temporary. 

And the cycle repeats. Every day. 

No wonder the Office Manager is tearing their hair out and the Operations Director is more stressed than necessary. 

If this scenario sounds all too familiar, then your Wi-Fi is probably suffering from capacity problems rather than broadband issues. 

Your Internet Connection Probably Isn’t the Bottleneck

Businesses and Office Managers often blame poor Wi-Fi on:

  • ISP
  • Fibre connection
  • Router

When in reality, the broadband may actually only be using 40–50% of its available bandwidth. With client call-outs, we often see that the congestion is inside the office Wi-Fi.

Internet Speed and Wireless Capacity are two different things. Internet speed and wireless capacity (bandwidth) are different parts of your business network. Internet speed is how fast data travels from the outside world to your home, while wireless capacity is how much total data your Wi-Fi network can handle at once.

Everyone Starts Working at the Same Time

Even with flexible working, everyone coming into the office tends to come in at the same time and start their working day. At 9am, mots of your team arrives and starts work. The typical employee will have multiple devices on them all trying to connect to the office network:

  • Laptop
  • Smartphone
  • Smartwatch
  • Tablet
  • Wireless headset

Depending on the size of your SME, that’s anywhere from 10 to 500 people arriving for work – And with 1 employee representing 4 0r 5 connected devices, that’s a lot of Wi-Fi clients accessing your network (we’ll let you do the maths). 

Teams and Zoom Change Everything

So let’s say we’ve got 60 employees in the office, each with 4 connected devices, and the majority of them are all hopping on a video call. This generates:

  • Continuous traffic
  • Low latency requirements
  • High airtime usage

Why is video traffic different from web browsing?

When your staff members are trying to use video conferencing (whether that’s Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet), they’re needing a lot more from your network than if they were just browsing the web or answering emails. 

Video traffic is different from web browsing because it uses much more data volume, stays active for longer periods, and sends data in sudden bursts to fill a buffer, whereas web browsing sends short, intermittent requests for small text and image files.

Too Many Devices Can Share One Access Point

You have Access Points throughout your office. And this is where many businesses struggle. Because each Access Point has its own practical capacity. Think of it like a motorway – Everything works well when there’s not too much traffic and everything flows, but as soon as there are too many cars getting on or one really slow driver, everything starts to slow down and cause bottlenecks. 

Access Points work on the same premise. If too many devices are connecting to the same Access Point, then performance can collapse rapidly, affecting Airtime, Contention and Retransmissions. 

  • Airtime – The total duration your wireless gadgets spend sending and receiving data over the router’s radio waves. In the analogy we used above, think of it as a shared motorway lane where only one device can “speak” or drive at a time. Because the total amount of time available is limited, how it gets used dictates your network’s speed. All devices on the same channel must take turns using the airtime.
  • Contention – When multiple devices compete to use the same wireless radio channel at the same time. Key parts of this process include listen before talk (a device checks the airtime first, and waits if another device is sending data), collisions (when 2 devices send data at the same time, the signals crash), and back-off timers (After a collision or a busy channel, each device waits for a random extra period before trying again to avoid a repeat crash).
  • Retransmissions – The resending of data packets that fail to reach their destination or get damaged during wireless air travel.

More Wi-Fi Bars Don’t Mean Better Wi-Fi

This is one of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to Wi-Fi and understanding your business network. 

Strong signal ≠ good performance.

Your signal bars might be full, but that doesn’t automatically mean that the Wi-Fi your device is receiving is as strong. 

Signal strength is really only measuring how loudly the Access Point can be heard. What it doesn’t measure or show you is:

  • Congestion – Lots of devices all competing for bandwidth
  • Interference – Building infrastructure (like walls and ceilings) blocking the signal
  • Packet loss – When tiny packets of information get sent from your device but don’t reach their destination
  • Latency – How long it takes data to travel from your device to the router and back again

Wi-Fi airtime is the total amount of time wireless devices spend transmitting data over your network’s radio frequency. Because Wi-Fi is a shared medium where only one device can transmit at a time on a channel, the devices in your office must take turns. Slower devices take longer to transmit the same amount of data, consuming excessive airtime, so one older device can slow down a whole network. 

For all these reasons, a busy office network can have excellent signal, but poor performance. 

Why Adding Another Access Point Can Make Things Worse

It’s time to bust some myths. We can see why IT or Office Managers might jump to the conclusion that adding another Access Point will fix the problem. But unfortunately this isn’t necessarily the case, and here’s why. 

Your business buys another AP, but you haven’t planned for it. This can cause additional problems like:

  • Channel conflicts
  • Co-channel interference
  • Poor roaming

This is where professional design is vital. Expert Wi-Fi engineers like the ones here at Geekabit can plan your network Access Points so that there are no channel conflicts, no co-channel interference and roaming performance is optimal. And that’s if you even need another AP!

Roaming Problems

People are not sedentary. You jump on a call on your smartphone, whilst walking with your laptop to the meeting room. You nip out of the meeting to grab a coffee from the kitchen. You’re hot-desking and have to move mid-way through the morning. Unfortunately, devices don’t always switch neatly to the nearest available AP. This can results in:

  • Frozen Teams calls
  • Dropouts
  • Delays

A professional Wi-Fi expert can ensure optimum roaming between wireless access points for your office through proper coverage overlap, balanced power levels, and protocol configurations. Key steps include setting a 15% to 20% signal overlap, adjusting transmit power to prevent sticky clients, and enabling fast roaming standards.

Poor Access Point Placement

Are your Access Points located in the best places for optimum performance? 

Access Points should not be placed in the following areas:

  • Hidden above metal ceilings
  • Inside cupboards
  • Plant rooms
  • Behind steel beams
  • Mounted where convenient rather than where coverage is needed.

These locations are not conducive to decent network signal and coverage. 

Older Wi-Fi Equipment Struggles

Is the hardware in your office up to date? Do your colleagues’ devices operate on the same Wi-Fi standard as your hardware? 

If you are using hardware (e.g. routers, access points) that operate on an older Wi-Fi standard, then you’re not utilising the tech available to you. 

Conversely, if your colleagues’ devices are older and not using a newer Wi-Fi standard when your hardware is, then their device(s) could be slowing down your whole network. 

You want to be using the newest available features possible, which is currently likely to be Wi-Fi 7. All hardware and user devices should, where possible, be using the same Wi-Fi standard to ensure efficiency and capacity. 

How a Professional Wi-Fi Survey Identifies the Real Problem

Up until now, your Office Manager or Facilities Manager might have been guessing. Your internal IT Team has probably done their best to fix what they think the problem is. But here at Geekabit, we don’t guess. We measure. 

We look at all the factors that could be affecting your network performance, including:

  • Coverage
  • Capacity
  • Interference
  • Channel usage
  • Client density
  • Roaming
  • Heatmaps

Our Wi-Fi engineers don’t just fix symptoms – They identify the root cause and find the solution.

You can read more about our Wi-Fi Site Surveys here. 

Signs Your Office Has a Network Capacity Problem

  • Wi-Fi slows at the same time every day, e.g. 9.15am
  • Teams calls freeze.
  • Staff disconnect and reconnect frequently.
  • Guest Wi-Fi becomes unusable.
  • Performance improves after lunch.
  • Complaints increase when meeting rooms are busy.
  • Speed tests vary dramatically.
  • Staff move closer to access points.

The Good News

In Wi-Fi excerpt hands, most issues can be resolved without replacing everything.

Sometimes solutions include:

  • Better AP placement
  • Channel optimisation
  • Transmit power adjustments
  • Additional correctly positioned APs
  • Modern Wi-Fi standards
  • Better switching
  • Network redesign

And in even better news – Geekabit can help with all of these things! 

Conclusion

If your Wi-Fi only struggles when everyone is in the office, that’s actually really useful information. It points towards a capacity or design issue rather than an internet problem. 

With the right analysis and optimisation, businesses can transform user experience without unnecessary hardware upgrades.

Give our friendly team at Geekabit a call and see how we can help optimise your business Wi-Fi network. 

Is your office Wi-Fi slowing down every morning?

Geekabit specialises in diagnosing and solving business Wi-Fi performance problems across London and the South of England.

Whether you need a professional Wi-Fi survey, troubleshooting, or a complete wireless redesign, our experienced engineers can identify exactly what’s causing the slowdown and recommend the most effective solution.

Get in touch today to arrange a professional Wi-Fi assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my office Wi-Fi slow down at the same time every day?

This is usually a sign of a capacity issue rather than a broadband fault. As staff arrive and connect laptops, phones, tablets and other devices, the wireless network becomes much busier. If the Wi-Fi wasn’t designed to handle that level of demand, performance can deteriorate rapidly during peak periods.

Why is my internet speed test still fast if the Wi-Fi feels slow?

A broadband speed test measures the connection between your office and your internet provider. It doesn’t measure how efficiently your Wi-Fi is delivering that connection to dozens or hundreds of devices. Your internet connection may be healthy while your wireless network is struggling with congestion or interference.

How many devices can one Wi-Fi access point support?

There’s no fixed number, as it depends on the type of applications being used, the Wi-Fi standard, and the environment. Modern business-grade access points can support many connected devices, but real-world performance depends on how much airtime each device consumes. Activities like video conferencing place far greater demands on the network than simply checking emails.

Will adding another Wi-Fi access point solve the problem?

Not necessarily. If additional access points are installed without careful planning, they can create more interference and actually reduce performance. A professional wireless survey helps determine whether more access points are needed and, just as importantly, where they should be positioned and how they should be configured.

Can Microsoft Teams and Zoom affect Wi-Fi performance?

Yes. Video conferencing applications generate continuous, real-time traffic that is more demanding than typical web browsing or email. When many employees join video calls simultaneously, the wireless network must handle significantly more traffic while maintaining low latency and minimal packet loss.

What is a Wi-Fi site survey?

A Wi-Fi site survey is a detailed assessment of your wireless network. Using specialist tools, engineers measure signal strength, coverage, interference, channel usage, roaming behaviour and capacity. The results help identify the root causes of poor performance and provide clear recommendations for improvement.

Can you fix office Wi-Fi without replacing everything?

In many cases, yes. Performance issues are often caused by poor design, incorrect configuration or unsuitable access point placement rather than faulty hardware. Optimising the existing network can frequently deliver substantial improvements without the cost of a complete replacement.

How can Geekabit help?

Geekabit specialises in business Wi-Fi design, troubleshooting and optimisation. We carry out professional Wi-Fi surveys, diagnose performance issues, and recommend practical, evidence-based solutions that improve reliability, coverage and capacity for businesses of all sizes.

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What Does a Professional Wi-Fi Site Survey Actually Include?

What did you drop into Google to get here? ‘My Teams calls keep dropping!’ – ‘Why are there dead spots around the office?’ – ‘Why are my warehouse scanners so slow?’ 

Or maybe you’re an IT Manager and you’ve arrived here in desperation because you’ve got colleagues, staff members and guests constantly moaning at you about the poor Wi-Fi. 

It’s common for businesses to only think about a Wi-Fi survey after they’re experiencing problems. Wi-Fi issues you might be facing in your office could sound like:

  • Teams and Zoom calls dropping
  • Dead spots around the office
  • Slow warehouse handheld scanners
  • Guests complaining about Wi-Fi

However, you could also get ahead and pre-empt any potential problems by getting a Wi-Fi Site Survey before your business does any of these: 

  • New office moves
  • Warehouse expansion
  • Increasing staff numbers

However you found us, if you’re looking for an easy-to-understand guide, telling you exactly what a professional Wi-Fi Site Survey involves then you’re in the right place. This comprehensive guide will explain what a Wi-Fi Site Survey is, who needs one and how it’s carried out – Without complex technology jargon. 

You might also be interested to know why investing in a Wi-Fi Site Survey can save your business significant time and money.  Most people have no idea what actually happens during a professional Wi-Fi survey. We don’t just wander around your office with a laptop you know! A Wi-Fi Site Survey is a structured engineering exercise. So let’s talk about it – Starting from the preparation through to the final report. 

What is a Professional Wi-Fi Site Survey?

A Wi-Fi Site Survey is far more than checking signal strength. The purpose is to understand how wireless devices will actually perform within a specific environment.

Every office (and building in general) will behave differently when it comes to Wi-Fi performance, due to construction materials, layout and occupancy. The objective is to understand various factors for your specific premises and requirements, including:

  • Reliable coverage – Mapping real world radio frequency propagation to ensure reliable coverage throughout 
  • Capacity planning – Ensuring your network can handle the concurrent load of users, devices, and bandwidth-heavy applications
  • Roaming performance – Evaluating and mapping out exactly how client devices transition between Access Points (APs) without dropping the connection
  • Voice and video quality – Measuring and validating network metrics required for real-time, delay-sensitive applications and preventing choppy audio, frozen video and dropped calls
  • Device density – Defining how many concurrent active users are connected in specific areas, and how many devices specific APs are supporting
  • Future scalability – Establishing a baseline that accommodates increased device density and seamless hardware upgrades (so your network grows with your business)

Why Do Businesses Need a Wi-Fi Site Survey?

There are lots of scenarios where a Wi-Fi Site Survey would be a useful investment for a business. The standard solution to poor Wi-Fi in the workplace seems to be ‘throw another AP at it.’ Whilst this is well-intended (we hope), it can actually do more harm than good to a business network. Which is why it’s always a good idea to carry out a Wi-Fi Site Survey to actually see how your network is functioning in real time and where improvements can be made. 

Wi-Fi Site Survey for the Office Refurbishment

If you’re about to refurbish the office, then it’s a great time for a Wi-Fi Site Survey. It’s best to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to Wi-Fi problems. It’s often overlooked, but new walls and furniture can dramatically change wireless coverage so either arrange a software model-led Site Survey before the refurb goes ahead, or an on site Survey as soon as the walls are up and the furniture is in. This way, you can nip any coverage problems in the bud before employees have the chance to complain! 

Wi-Fi Site Surveys for Warehousing

Racking, stock levels and moving forklifts all affect radio signals.A Wi-Fi Site Survey in warehousing can prevent connectivity issues by mapping out how radio frequencies interact with metal racking, high ceilings, and moving inventory. It determines the optimal number and placement of Access Points to eliminate dead zones and prevent dropped connections for handheld scanners, autonomous robots, and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).

Wi-Fi Site Surveys for Schools

A Wi-Fi site survey can detect interference and plan optimal Access Point placements across a school, college or university campus. This ensures that construction elements like thick walls are accounted for coverage wise, as well as outdoor learning areas in the grounds. A big issue for schools is device density and being able to handle a high load of devices at any one time. Speed is also a vital requirement to keep buffering low and learning high. A Wi-Fi Site Survey can show exactly what’s needed and where, across the whole campus.

Wi-Fi Site Surveys for Hotels

A Wi-Fi Site Survey helps hotels eliminate dead zones, prevent bandwidth bottlenecks, and optimise hardware placement. Improve guest satisfaction, protect online reviews, and reliably support internal operations by mapping radio frequency across room layout and high density areas. 

Wi-Fi Site Surveys for Healthcare

A Wi-Fi Site Survey is critical in healthcare because it eliminates signal “guesswork” in complex physical environments. By identifying coverage gaps and interference, it ensures uninterrupted connectivity for life-critical medical devices, seamless roaming for mobile staff, and reliable telehealth access for patients. 

Wi-Fi Site Surveys for Manufacturing

A Wi-Fi Site Survey ensures reliable connectivity in harsh industrial environments. It maps signal-blocking obstacles (like heavy machinery and metal structures), mitigates radio frequency (RF) interference, and supports seamless roaming for AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), IoT devices, and barcode scanners. 

What We Need to Know Before We Even Visit Your Site for a Wi-Fi Survey

Before we set foot on site at your business for your Wi-Fi Site Survey, there are a few things we like to know about. We’ll ask your IT Manager or Infrastructure Manager to send us some information so we can start building a picture of your business and requirements – It’s as important for us to know what your business needs Wi-Fi for as the building itself. 

We’ll ask you for some information on: 

  • Floor plans – So we can get a feel for the space
  • Existing Wi-Fi equipment – What do you already have and where? 
  • Internet connection – What type (fibre, broadband etc) 
  • Existing switches
  • Building construction 
  • User numbers – How many members of staff? Do you use contractors? Do you have many visitors?
  • Types of devices – What devices do your users use? 
  • Business-critical applications – What would be catastrophic to lose if your Wi-Fi went down?
  • Areas requiring guaranteed coverage – Similar to the above
  • Future expansion plans – Will your business be growing? Physically in terms of structure and/ or staffing

What to Expect on Wi-Fi Survey Day

Let’s take it step by step for what to expect on the day we visit to conduct your Wi-Fi Site Survey. 

Initial Walkthrough

We’ll start with an initial walkthrough of your office / business premises so our Wi-Fi engineer can understand the layout and identify any unusual challenges.

Existing Network Review

Our Wi-Fi engineer will check current Access Point locations, switch cabinets and cabling.

Measuring Signal

Next we’ll begin measuring signal, collecting thousands of measurements throughout the building.

Measuring Interference

Next we’ll be looking at Interference and identifying neighbouring Wi-Fi networks and non-Wi-Fi interference to see what could cause problems to the network.

Capacity Testing

This will look at and assess whether the network can cope with the expected device numbers.

Roaming Tests

Our Wi-Fi engineer will take a walk while making calls to verify seamless handover between Access Points.

Throughput Testing

Our Wi-Fi engineer will measure real-world performance rather than just the headline internet speed. Is the speed of your internet transmitting to the rest of your network? If not, why not? 

A Wi-Fi Site Survey can often take a few hours to complete, depending on the size of the building(s) and layout of the premises. 

What is the Technology Behind a Wi-Fi Site Survey?

A Wi-Fi Site Survey from Geekabit utilises professional survey tools, calibrated wireless adapters and spectrum analysis equipment. 

If you’re thinking ‘surely there’s an app for this?’ then you would be right – But consumer phone apps cannot produce anywhere near the same quality of data as a professional Wi-Fi Site Survey. Our surveys are vendor-neutral, meaning you can use them with your internal IT team, a third-party installer, or ourselves here at Geekabit.

Our tools use concepts like the below to build a complete picture of your network:

  • RSSI – Received Signal Strength Indicator. It is a measurement of the power level of a wireless signal (such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) that a device’s antenna is receiving.
  • SNR – Signal to Noise Ratio. A metric used to compare the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. Expressed in decibels (dB), a higher SNR means a clearer, higher-quality signal.
  • Channel utilisation – The percentage of total capacity or time that a communication channel (such as a Wi-Fi frequency) is actively busy transmitting data, management signals, or dealing with interference.
  • Interference – Identifying the occurrence of when neighboring networks, devices, or non-Wi-Fi gadgets broadcast on the same or overlapping frequencies.
  • Airtime – Looks at the amount of time a specific wireless channel is occupied by devices actively transmitting or receiving data. Because Wi-Fi operates on shared radio frequencies, only one device can transmit at a time, making total airtime a strictly limited, finite resource. 
  • Packet loss – Identifying the occurrence of when data traveling across your wireless network fails to reach its destination. Instead of arriving seamlessly, tiny chunks of data (packets) go missing causing issues like dropped calls. 

Active vs Passive vs Predictive Surveys

There are different types of Wi-Fi Site Survey. Let’s take a look at each one. 

Passive Wi-Fi Site Survey

Essentially, this is just listening to the existing Wi-Fi, creating a birds-eye view. 

A passive Wi-Fi site survey is a non-intrusive method where a surveying device quietly listens to the wireless environment without connecting to a network. It is used to map existing coverage, identify dead zones, and detect interference by measuring broadcast signals (such as beacons) from nearby Access Points (APs). The tool quietly gathers raw radio frequency (RF) data to build visual heatmaps using information on RSSI, SNR, background interference and channel utilisation.

Passive surveys are ideal for a general health check of a building’s wireless landscape.

Active Wi-Fi Site Survey

In an Active Wi-Fi Survey, the surveying device connects to a specific WLAN and actively sends test traffic to measure real-world performance, such as round-trip packet loss, upload/download speeds, and roaming behavior between APs. 

It’s a physical walk through simulating actual user experience by measuring throughput rates, latency, packet loss and roaming performance.  

Active surveys are relied on primarily for post-deployment validation and troubleshooting, used for verifying network upgrades, troubleshooting poor user experience and to test roaming. 

Predictive Survey

A predictive Wi-Fi site survey is a software simulation used to design a wireless network before any physical hardware is installed. By uploading digital floor plans into specialized RF (radio frequency) modeling software, engineers map out the optimal number, placement, and configuration of access points (APs) based on wall materials, building scale, and expected user capacity.

Predictive surveys are highly cost-effective and are typically utilized during the early planning stages or before a building is constructed or renovated. They allow network architects to test different AP mounting scenarios virtually to prevent signal blind spots and avoid costly cabling changes post-installation.

A Wi-Fi Survey to Provide a Complete Picture for your Business

For a complete picture, our Wi-Fi engineers at Geekabit often perform both a Passive and Active survey: Passive surveys to find physical coverage limits and interference, followed by Active surveys to test performance and roaming capabilities.

For scenarios where being physically on site isn’t possible, we can use a Predictive Survey to plan a network deployment. 

What Will You Receive After Your Wi-Fi Site Survey

Once the Wi-Fi Site Survey has been completed, we can provide your business with a detailed report with clear, practical recommendations to improve your Wi-Fi performance, reliability, and user experience.

This report is based on key deliverables such as:

  • Executive summary
  • Coverage heatmaps
  • Signal strength maps
  • Capacity maps
  • Interference analysis
  • Access point placement recommendations
  • Channel planning
  • Power level recommendations
  • Cabling recommendations
  • Hardware recommendations
  • Prioritised improvement plan

A detailed report of this nature takes all the guesswork out of the deployment of a wireless network as well as solving any troubleshooting issues. This means your business can make an informed decision about how to get your network performing at its best.

What Are The Most Common Problems We Discover from a Wi-Fi Site Survey?

There are quite a few things that can show up on a Wi-Fi Site Survey. The most common things we see are:

  • Access points hidden above suspended ceilings
  • Too many access points competing
  • Consumer Wi-Fi equipment in commercial buildings
  • Poor channel planning
  • Faulty Ethernet cabling
  • Network loops
  • Incorrect transmit power
  • Devices clinging to distant access points
  • Poor mounting locations
  • Metal shelving blocking signals

Any of these issues sound familiar? 

How Long Does a Wi-Fi Site Survey Take?

The length of time a Wi-Fi Site Survey takes depends on a few influencing factors, including: 

  • Building size
  • Number of floors
  • Required detail
  • Existing infrastructure
  • Whether trading continues during the survey

Once we know a bit more about your business, we can give an educated estimate of how long it could take. 

Section 10 – Frequently Asked Questions

  • FAQ: Will a Wi-Fi site survey disrupt our business?
    In most cases, no. A professional Wi-Fi site survey is designed to be as non-disruptive as possible. Survey engineers typically walk around your premises collecting wireless measurements while your staff continue working as normal. If active testing is required, such as roaming or throughput tests, these are usually carried out without affecting other users. For businesses that operate around the clock or have sensitive environments, surveys can often be scheduled outside normal working hours.

    FAQ: Do staff need to stop working during the survey?
    No. Employees can usually continue using the network throughout the survey. In fact, carrying out the survey while the office is occupied can provide a more realistic picture of how the wireless network performs under normal day-to-day conditions. In some cases, your survey engineer may ask for access to specific rooms or equipment, but disruption is generally minimal.

    FAQ: Can a Wi-Fi survey be carried out outside business hours?
    Yes. Many organisations prefer surveys to be completed during evenings or weekends to minimise disruption. However, it’s worth remembering that an empty building behaves differently from one full of people and connected devices. Depending on your objectives, your survey provider may recommend carrying out some measurements during normal operating hours to capture real-world performance.

    FAQ: What is the difference between a predictive and an active Wi-Fi survey?
    A predictive survey uses digital floor plans and specialist software to model how Wi-Fi signals are expected to behave before any equipment is installed. An active survey is carried out on-site using a live wireless network, measuring real-world performance such as signal strength, roaming behaviour, throughput and latency. Predictive surveys are ideal for new buildings or refurbishments, while active surveys are best for troubleshooting existing Wi-Fi issues.

    FAQ: How long does a professional Wi-Fi site survey take?
    The time required depends on the size and complexity of your premises. A small office may take a few hours, while larger offices, warehouses, schools or hospitals may require a full day or more. Additional time is also needed to analyse the data and produce a detailed report with recommendations. The survey itself is only one part of the overall process.

    FAQ: How often should a Wi-Fi site survey be repeated?
    There is no fixed schedule, but it’s sensible to consider a new survey whenever your environment changes significantly. Examples include office refurbishments, building extensions, increased staff numbers, new warehouse racking, or upgrades to your wireless infrastructure. Many organisations also commission a survey every few years to ensure their network continues to meet changing business requirements.

    FAQ: Is a Wi-Fi survey worthwhile before moving into a new office?
    Yes. A predictive Wi-Fi survey can help identify the best locations for access points before cabling and equipment are installed. Planning the network early can reduce installation costs, avoid unnecessary hardware purchases and help ensure reliable wireless coverage from day one. It’s often far easier and more cost-effective to design a network correctly than to fix problems after staff have moved in.

    FAQ: Can you carry out Wi-Fi surveys in warehouses?
    Absolutely. Warehouses present unique wireless challenges due to high shelving, metal racking, changing stock levels and large open spaces. A professional survey takes these factors into account to ensure reliable connectivity for handheld scanners, tablets, voice devices and industrial equipment throughout the building.

    FAQ: Do schools benefit from Wi-Fi site surveys?
    Yes. Schools place heavy demands on wireless networks, with hundreds or even thousands of devices connecting simultaneously. A survey can help ensure classrooms, halls, libraries and communal spaces all receive reliable coverage, while also assessing whether the network has sufficient capacity for modern teaching methods and online assessments.

    FAQ: Will a Wi-Fi site survey tell me if I need new equipment?
    Not necessarily. One of the main benefits of a professional survey is that it provides evidence rather than assumptions. Sometimes the existing equipment simply needs repositioning, reconfigured or optimised. In other cases, additional access points or newer hardware may be recommended. The goal is to identify the most effective solution rather than automatically recommending replacement equipment.

    FAQ: Can a Wi-Fi site survey improve Microsoft Teams and Zoom calls?
    Yes, if poor Wi-Fi is contributing to the problem. Video conferencing applications rely on low latency, stable roaming and minimal packet loss rather than simply high download speeds. A survey can identify issues such as interference, overloaded access points, poor signal quality or incorrect channel planning that may be affecting call quality. Once these issues are addressed, users often experience more reliable voice and video performance.

    FAQ: Can I perform a Wi-Fi site survey myself?
    Basic smartphone apps can give you a rough indication of signal strength, but they don’t provide the level of detail needed to design or troubleshoot a business-grade wireless network. Professional surveys use calibrated hardware and specialist software to measure signal quality, interference, roaming behaviour, channel utilisation and many other factors. For small home networks, DIY tools may be sufficient, but businesses that depend on reliable Wi-Fi will generally benefit from a professional survey.

    FAQ: What will I receive after the survey?
    Most professional Wi-Fi surveys include a detailed report explaining the findings and recommended improvements. This typically includes wireless heatmaps, coverage analysis, interference measurements, access point placement recommendations, channel planning guidance and an executive summary written in plain English. The report provides a clear roadmap for improving your wireless network, whether that involves simple configuration changes or a complete redesign.

Are You Ready to Book Your Wi-Fi Site Survey?

A professional Wi-Fi survey is about understanding how people actually use the network, not just measuring signal bars.

Here at Geekabit, our expert Wi-Fi engineers understand that every organisation is different. A structured Wi-Fi Survey provides the evidence needed to design or optimise a wireless network with confidence.

Get in touch with our friendly team today. 

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Who are Robustel?

Robustel are used across various industries including Retail, Healthcare, Transport, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Security, Agriculture and Smart Cities. 

 

The design and manufacture of Robustel products provides industrial quality wireless routers, modems and gateways for Wi-Fi, cellular and LPWAN networks. This includes 3G/4G/LTE/5G in cellular networks and Cat-M1/NB-IoT/LoRaWAN/Bluetooth in LPWAN networks. 

 

Robustel customers are provided with EDGE Computing, Cloud Software and end-to-end IoT Solutions to complement the hardware. 

 

If you’re an enterprise or mobile network looking for a competitive edge in the IoT market, then Robustel could be just the thing. They are passionate about long-term relationships with their customers and partners, and work alongside many distribution partners in 120 countries including the UK.

 

Robustel work with businesses across the world in various industries – Solving connectivity problems with scalable, robust and secure IoT solutions. Whether you are just looking for the hardware or a complete  ‘IoT in a box’, Robustel will have a solution. 

 

So where does Geekabit come in, you might be wondering?

 

Well, while Robustel has an excellent interface for remote diagnosis and simple email notifications, it does not provide automated notifications to other platforms, with checks sent to your IT support teams.

 

How can Geekabit help with Robustel 4G router monitoring?

 

Here at Geekabit, we can provide access to our router monitoring software platform for real-time notifications of uptime, downtime, speed issues via:

  • Slack 
  • Teams
  • Text message
  • Automated phone calls

If none of those are sufficient, we can also provide an API connection to automatically import your Robustel notifications to the platform of your choosing.

 

Get in touch

 

If you have or are considering a Robustel router for your use case, but are not sure of the benefits vs a Teltonika router, please speak with one of our Wi-Fi experts.

 

If you think a 4G router will not provide sufficient upload and download speeds for your use case, please get in touch with us here at Geekabit. 

 

By using the right combination of equipment, external antennas, research and evidence based placement, we can dramatically increase what is possible.

 

Image from Robustel.com – Product shown is the R1520 Dual-SIM Cellular VPN Router.

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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.

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Why Is Network Design So Important for Reliable Business Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi is no longer a ‘like to have’ when it comes to successful business planning. It’s vital for businesses to have strong, reliable Wi-Fi in order to business processes to run smoothly.

No matter what industry your business is in – Wi-Fi is crucial. Gone are the days when everything could be wired and cabled. Whether you run a warehouse, a hospital or operate out of an office; Your business needs to run wirelessly.

Organisations tend to have an armada of laptops, tablets, smartphones and other IoT devices that require effective Wi-Fi.

So if the need for a good Wi-Fi connection is so prevalent, why are we still seeing so many businesses struggle with their Wi-Fi network?

The requirements can be demanding, and to be successful a network needs to meet those demands. Plug-in-and-go routers aren’t going to cut it unfortunately. Your business network needs more!

So how can you ensure that your network can be relied upon by your employees every day, so they can do their job productively and efficiently?

It all comes down to the design.

What do you need to consider when designing a Wi-Fi network?

Designing your wireless network gives you the chance to translate your business needs into a Wi-Fi network that will work for you and meet those needs.

So what do you need to consider?

Capacity

You need to think about how many devices will require a Wi-Fi connection. You need to be asking questions like how many employees you have, are there people in addition to employees that will need to connect, how many devices are each of these people likely to have and what type of device are they.

Getting to know how much traffic you will likely have will help you to determine how much bandwidth you need in order to meet consumption needs.

If you don’t get the capacity planning right, you could end up with very unhappy employees suffering with slow internet speeds and an intermittent connection. Neither are conducive to a productive work environment!

Something else to consider is how the capacity changes as you move around your site. Do some locations have a higher capacity demand than others? This information will help you to design a network where access points are distributed according to requirements.

Capacity isn’t just important during the planning stage either. It’s something you will need to monitor so that you can identify when more devices are trying to connect and adapt the network accordingly.

 

Coverage

We’ve talked about capacity and how many devices are likely to connect. Now it’s time to talk about where those users need that connection.

Identifying your coverage area allows you to optimise the distance between your wireless transmitters. Getting this right means that you’ll have the right signal strength for the Wi-Fi enables devices trying to connect.

Coverage is split into two – Primary coverage and Secondary coverage. Interweaving the primary coverage area of your transmitters with the secondary coverage of necessary overlaps means that your end users will be able to roam throughout your site without their connection dropping out on their device.

The idea is to find the perfect balance in the number of AP’s you deploy. Too many AP’s not only costs you more money on installation but can also cause interference. Not enough AP’s and you won’t be able to meet your coverage needs.

 

What is the Least Capable, Most Important Device?

It’s important to identify what device is most business critical – And whether that device poses a risk to the rest of your network. You might find that a warehouse scanner, or even an employees laptop, is critical to the needs of the business, but is also the oldest and least technologically advanced device on the network.

You need to identify this device (or devices) and make sure that your network will ensure the device(s) stay online. You can do this by checking the manufacturer specifications and make sure these align with your network offering.

 

Are there any Obstacles on site?

It’s a good idea to walk around your site and identify any potential obstacles to your wireless signal. Sometimes having an actual walk-around sheds more light on potential problems than just looking at a simple floor plan. You need to know exactly how the radio frequency will behave in your specific environment.

Consider things like high or exposed ceilings, columns, large items of furniture, lift shafts, stairwells and even signage.

You should also look to see where access points could be easily installed, and any areas where this would not be possible. This also goes for cabling.

Mitigating the Effects of Wall/ Door Material on Signal Attenuation

In order to mitigate the risks of attenuation, you need to understand what materials could pose a problem to your Wi-Fi signal.

When you are designing your Wi-Fi network, it’s imperative that you identify the physical characteristics of your environment and understand how this can impact your wireless signal.

The amount of signal strength absorbed by walls or doors depends on what they are made from. A rough guide to this would be:

  • Bookshelf – 2dB
  • Drywall – 3dB
  • Exterior Glass – 3dB
  • Solid Wood Door – 6dB
  • Marble – 6dB
  • Brick – 10dB

Having this information specific to your site means you can design a wireless network that works really well.

Call the Experts

If this all seems a bit overwhelming, then call in the experts. That’s what we’re here for! We have all the necessary technology to survey your site and then design and plan a wireless network specific to your business needs. Give our Wi-Fi experts a call today to see how Geekabit can help.

 

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A Simple Guide to Help You Plan Your Marina Wi-Fi

Most businesses make it their mission to provide their guests and customers with a reliable wireless connection – It’s vital for a successful guest experience across industries.

If you are in the process of upgrading your marina site, then the dependability and consistency of the available Wi-Fi should be part of your upgrade plans.

The optimum Wi-Fi offering should enable near continuous connectivity throughout your site. It’s imperative that guests moving around your marina don’t have their connection drop out.

Strong, reliable Wi-Fi isn’t an amenity that guests will compromise on. It’s become an expectation in everyday life, regardless of location or industry. Both potential and existing boating customers will want a good internet connection.

Perhaps you’re thinking that most boaters are there for leisure rather than business, so maybe a reliable internet connection isn’t the be all and end all. However, studies have shown that nearly 70% of holiday-makers within employment choose to take a smart device along with them on their break specifically to enable them to connect to work.

This is just one of the many reasons that your marina needs to be able to offer customers reliable Wi-Fi services.

So what questions do you need to be asking yourselves when starting to plan your marina’s WI-Fi network?

Here are some things to consider during the Wi-Fi Planning and Design phase.

 

Where is the ISP entry point?

You will need to consider where on your site the Internet Service Provider’s equipment is. Where this entry point is, affects what you will need to deliver the internet to your customer device. You may need Ethernet cabling, network Power-over-Ethernet Switches and/or Wireless Access Points to get the internet service delivered from the ISP entry point to the client device.

How far away is this ISP entry point from the area you need to cover?

Knowing this distance will help you work out the coverage area and what equipment you will need to get the internet from the ISP entry point to the end user, and where best to place this equipment. It will also help you to identify the type of network devices you will require.

How much bandwidth are you receiving from your ISP?

You will need to know the amount of bandwidth you are getting from your ISP in order to work out the maximum internet speed you will be able to offer your employees, boaters and guests. The more bandwidth you have, the more guest devices you can connect to, and thus the higher the quality of Wi-Fi service you will be able to offer your customers.

Do you know how many users you are likely to have?

Having an accurate estimate of how many users / devices you are likely to have connected at one time will help you to determine how many Access Points you will need throughout your marina. The higher your average number of users, the more Access Points you will need.

Is quality of service important to you?

We are assuming that you’re doing this exercise not just to tick a box, but because you really care about the quality of the internet you’re providing to your customers. Knowing how much access you want to offer your staff, boaters and guests will help you work out how to place your Access Points. There are two main services to look at here.

The first is a Hotspot Service. This is where Wi-Fi services will only be available in specific areas. Any guests wanting to connect to your Wi-Fi services will need to go to those specific areas. These could be the clubhouse, café or other areas of recreation.

The other service would be virtually everywhere. This would include on the dock as well as their boat and throughout the entire marina.

The Access Point requirements for these services would be rather different.

Is there any likely interference from buildings?

It’s wise to consider what your buildings are made of, as some materials could be obstructive to wireless signals. Are they made of wood or concrete or metal? What about the walls, ceilings and doors? Think about how this will affect the wireless signal, and make your Access Point placements accordingly.

How far do your current Ethernet cables go?

If you already have Ethernet cables running, how far do they go? Do they go to the docks or the ends of the docks? If you already have proper, shielded Ethernet cables to your docks then continuing on a wireless service from here is pretty easy. If Ethernet cabling is something you are currently considering, then it could be worth your while doing this to the end of your docks to make further Wi-Fi deployment smooth sailing.

If you don’t have ethernet cabling to the docks, and this isn’t something you want or can do, then a secure wireless link could be the option for you. This link or wireless bridge will carry the signal on to a designated location. The devices on each side of the link or bridge are linked to another device – This could be a network switch, camera or router.

Is a surveillance system part of your marina upgrade plans?

If you are planning to implement a new network-based surveillance system or expand an existing one, then you will need to consider the bandwidth usage of your entire site. The higher resolution your surveillance cameras, the more bandwidth they will need, so do consider how clear you need the surveillance to be e.g. facial recognition, number plate visuals etc.

Surveillance systems can provide comfort and security for both staff and customers, and it’s more commonplace to see them as a part of a marina than to not. Footage from this system could provide you with evidence of liability, vandalism and theft.

How many docks do you want to provide Wi-Fi access to?

You need to work out how many docks you would like to provide with wireless internet access. Will it be some of the docks or all of them? Knowing this number will help you identify how many Access Points you will need. It will also determine where the AP’s need to be placed. You may also need additional wireless links or bridges. Knowing how many docks you are providing with Wi-Fi will also help you to work out an estimate of the average number of users at a given time using your network.

Are your boaters likely to try and connect to your network on board their boat?

You need to know whether your boaters have on-board devices that they are likely to want to connect to your network. Whether or not your Wi-Fi network is deemed successful will often be determined by the experience of your end user. If your customer suffers intermittent coverage and dead spots, then your Wi-Fi network is not doing what it’s intended for.

 

Taking these things into consideration will help you to successfully carry out your site planning. You need to know that the service you provide is enough for the demand.

If this all seems a little overwhelming, then why not leave it to the professionals? Our Wi-Fi experts have the expertise and knowledge to successfully carry out a Wi-Fi Site Survey of your marina, and then design and deploy a Wi-Fi network according to the necessary specifications.

To chat through the options for your marina, give our Wi-Fi experts a call today.

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The Fundamentals of a Wireless LAN

We were going to call this blog ‘WLANs for Dummies’ but that seemed a bit harsh so we settled on the fundamentals of a wireless LAN instead.

A wireless LAN, or WLAN, might seem complicated on the surface but actually it really just follows simple laws of physics. If you can understand these and follow them, then there shouldn’t be any reason why you can’t achieve high performance and scalability for your WLAN.

If you can understand the basics of wireless physics, then you can start to plan your WLAN for a successful deployment. It will also help you to troubleshoot an existing WLAN exhibiting issues.

How Does Data Travel Through a WLAN?

First things first – Let’s look at wave properties.

Data transmits, or travels, from one point to another – e.g. between wireless access points – via electromagnetic waves. This energy travels at the speed of light and operate at different frequencies.

The frequencies of these electromagnetic waves are defined by how many periodic cycles are completed by second.

For example:

How is Frequency Measured?

As we said above, frequency is how many wave cycles are completed per second. This is measured in Hertz. A 2Hz waveform is 2 completed wave cycles in a period of 1 second.

How Does Frequency Affect a WLAN?

A phenomenon called Free Space Path Loss is something that causes signal loss when a waveform travels from one point to another. This is what affects how well data travels across a wireless network.

Different wavelengths (frequencies) experience difference signal loss. The lower the frequency, the longer the wavelength, and the longer the wavelength, the further it can travel before signal gets lost.

For example, 2.4GHz have longer wavelengths than higher frequencies like 5GHz.

How is Wi-Fi Signal Loss Measured?

We measure the energy that is associated with received wireless signals in Decibels (dB). We can also measure loss of signal in this way.

Decibels are logarithmic. On the linear domain, when you add decibels it grows exponentially and when you subtract decibels it reduces exponentially.

The 3dB rule

Every 3dB change, there is a doubling of energy (if increasing) or a halving of energy (if decreasing).

As a ratio, this would look like:

If we had the wireless signal energy at
1:10dB

Then doubling it would be
2:13dB

Remembering this rule can help with both analysing the energy associated with wireless signals as well as predicting it.
Similarly, if you add or subract 10dB, it changes by a factor of 10.

The Relationship Between Frequency and Wireless Signal

Let’s take a look at 2.4Ghz and 5GHz frequencies or waveforms. 5GHz is a higher frequency, so has more wavelengths in a given time period. 5GHz has more wireless signal loss (attenuation) than 2.4GHz, and thus is better for high-density areas. 2.4GHz has less wavelengths in a given time period and is better suited for wider coverage. Bear this in mind when you are planning or troubleshooting a wireless network.

How is Wireless Signal Affected by Different Materials?

In an ideal world, you would have a clear line of sight between your wireless points. In reality, this is rarely the case and you will often find things that get in the way and stop the wireless signal from traversing effectively across your network.

Different materials will affect wireless signals and attenuation in different ways.

Materials such as concrete will cause more attenuation of wireless signal than wood.

In scenarios where wireless signals can propagate (the action of spreading) normally, there is no interference from other materials. However, there are some things that can alter the propagation of a wireless signal, causing it to behave differently and potentially become unreliable.

For example, a WLAN environment with metal surfaces may encounter unpredictability with wireless signal due to it reflecting off the metal.
Wireless signal can also be absorbed by certain materials like water or people, causing the signal to falter.

Being mindful of materials during the WLAN planning stage can help ensure the environment doesn’t hinder your wireless network and you have reliable connectivity results.

Co-Channel Interference

Different materials aren’t the only thing that can interfer with wireless signals.

Due to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frewuency bands being unlicensed, there are no restrictions on people when extending wireless networks with access points.

This means that they can become crowded as well as channels not being assigned efficiently. Both of these issues can cause co-channel interference.

When planning your WLAN it’s important to take these issues nito consideration and plan your wireless network accordingly so as not to risk problems with wireless signal later down the line.

You want your WLAN to be as effective and efficient as it can possible be, which takes planning and wireless network knowledge.

Whilst the 2.4GHz is popular due to its propagation qualities due its waveforms passing through materials like walls more easily and reaching end users at a long distance. This however has meant that its become crowded with competing devices such as cordless telephones, baby monitors and bluetooth devices. This saturation can cause problems with your wireless signal.

In comparison, the 5GHz spectrum has greater availability and relaxed transmission power giving it more flexibility when it comes to wireless networks.

The 2.4GHz band has only 3 channels without any overlap, whereas the 5GHz has 24. This is another reason why the 5GHz band is favoured for high-density WLAN environments.

Understanding Frequency Channels

To ensure you can maximise the performance and scalability of your WLAN, you need to understand how these channels operate and use that knowledge to avoid co-channel interference.

Let’s take an Access Point as an example. An AP will have a specific bandwidth through which it will transmit and receive signals to and from other points. The channel assigned to the AP will be appropriate for the centre frequency of the first 20MHz channel used by the AP.

This bandwidth is specifically the frequency range over which the data signals are transmitted. Peak transmission and power is spread over the range of that bandwidth, with it dropping off at the edges.

These edges are then at risk of meeting other nearby wireless networks and are prone to interference from the ‘noise’ of these other networks.

It’s important to use what you know about channels to prevent the reduction of wireless signal speed and loss of scalability of your wireless network.

In order to minimise interference between neighbouring access points, choose to assign them with non-adjacent channels. Following this will make it easier to scale your network. If you don’t follow this principle, you will likely encounter problems with latency and throughput.

The best way of reducing interference when assigning WLAN channels is to carry out a Wi-Fi site survey. This involves analysing the noise levels across the spectrum so you can make informed decisions for your wireless network.

Call The Experts

If this all sounds a bit complicated, then why not give us a call here at Geekabit? We have Wi-Fi expert engineers working out of Hampshire, Cardiff and London who can take care of all your Wi-Fi woes.

From Wi-Fi site surveys, to planning and installation, we’ve got your WLAN covered. GIve us a call or drop us an email to see how we can help keep you and your business connected.

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The Wi-Fi Lifecycle: How to Boost Wireless Performance at Every Stage

Managing a wireless network is a non-stop task. A wireless network is a lifecycle – It is constantly moving through the processes, and every stage gives you the chance to troubleshoot and optimise your Wi-Fi.

What is the Wi-Fi Lifecycle?

If you are responsible for deploying a Wi-Fi network and then doing the ongoing management, then you will likely be familiar with the stages you see throughout this process. It starts with the wireless network design, and then continuing maintenance, optimisation and troubleshooting, which can lead you back to those design stages. To ensure that your wireless network reliably performs at its optimum levels, you need to understand these stages and equip yourselves with the right tools.

Let’s have a look at each stage of the Wi-Fi Cycle.

Wi-Fi Design

First up, it’s design. Do not skip this step. It’s so important for your wireless network to carry out surveys and design according to the results. You likely won’t get a high-performing, reliable Wi-Fi network without doing this stage properly!

Designing your wireless network gives you the opportunity to translate the Wi-Fi needs of your business (or home) in a way that meets or exceeds all of your requirements. Do not just deploy and hope for the best – Wi-Fi is a vital first stage in any wireless network deployment.

If you’re not sure where to start, then get in touch with us here at Geekabit. Our Wi-Fi experts have all the knowledge needed to carry out a Wi-Fi survey and use the information identified to design a high-performance wireless network that provides reliable Wi-Fi for your business-critical applications. For more information on Wi-Fi surveys and what they entail, you might like to read this blog.

Network Validation

Once you’ve got your Wi-Fi network designed, taking things into consideration like walls, end user requirements, positioning, high footfall areas etc you need to validate it. The aim of this stage is to make sure that your Wi-Fi design behaves in the way you have predicted it to.

Using AP on a Stick technology, you can test out the locations for access points in your design and make sure that things like capacity and coverage are what you expected. This stage is also a bit of a safety net to catch any possible sources of interferences that didn’t pop up in your survey or design stage, for example differences in wall materials.

This stage is also vital if you want to make sure your network will be successful before complete deployment, saving you valuable time (and money) later on fixing problems. If you’re having to run new cabling, you really want to make sure that all your access points and antenna are in the best locations first.

You may find yourself returning to this stage multiple times. Perhaps you identify some potential issues with access point placing which sends you back to the design stage. You’ll find yourself re-validating those changes. Remember, this is a constant process and you will go through the Wi-Fi lifecycle time and again.

You don’t just validate post-design – You will also need to validate your network following its deployment. But hopefully, having done an initial design and validation stage, you will find your network running at its optimum performance for your end users.

Wi-Fi Optimisation

So you’ve designed your network, validated it and went ahead with deployment. Surely that’s it done? We’re afraid not! Even if your network seems to be working well and providing reliable Wi-Fi to your users, it’s something that needs constant monitoring and maintenance in order to optimise the Wi-Fi your business provides.

This isn’t a quick process or ‘box-ticked-next’ sort of stage. Continuously monitoring and tweaking your Wi-Fi network allows your to react in a timely manner to any changes. Perhaps you have an increase in staff members, or a rise in multiple device usage. Maybe there are physical changes made to the building, a reshuffle of office layout or a warehouse with wildly fluctuating inventory.

The Wi-Fi Optimsation stage allows for proactive wireless network improvements to be made for any known impending changes. Constant monitoring also enables a reactive approach to any adjustments that need to be made due to reported issues from end users.

Carrying out regular RF surveys of your Wi-Fi network will provide you with data that becomes invaluable when it comes to making adjustments and troubleshooting issues.

There may be times when a change of requirements is too large for just a few tweaks here and there, which will send you back to the design stage in order to create a new deployment.

Network Troubleshooting

No one wants Wi-Fi woes in their office if they can help it. Disgruntled employees that are complaining of slow Wi-Fi aren’t just demotivated and unproductive – They may not even be able to carry out business-critical tasks. If your business depends on reliable Wi-Fi, then you need to make sure your wireless network meets requirements by following the stages mentioned above.

But unfortunately, there will be times when issues slip through the net. Troubleshooting is probably the most stressful stage of the Wi-Fi Lifecycle. Everyone knows how frustrating it is to have dodgy Wi-Fi, and nobody wants to be on the receiving end of those complaints.

Thankfully, with the right tools you can keep these incidences to a minimum, ensure swift implementation of fixes and get straight back to the optimisation stage. Spectrum analysers are a big help during the troubleshooting process by helping identify Wi-Fi strength and interference.

 

Wi-Fi Design – Yes, we’ve gone full circle!

The nature of wireless networks is everchanging. Requirements change fairly regularly with the needs of the business. Sometimes these will be small, quick fixes and sometimes they will require complete re-design and deployment right from the beginning of the Wi-Fi lifecycle.

Luckily for you, you now know the process – Wi-Fi Design, Wi-Fi Validation, Network Optimisation and Troubleshooting.

 

Whichever stage your wireless network is currently in, Geekabit can help ensure your business Wi-Fi is high-performing and reliable for your end users. For more information or to discuss your requirements, get in touch with out one of our Wi-Fi experts today.

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It’s Business As Usual for Geekabit

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

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

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

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

Common Wi-Fi Problems and How to Fix Them

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

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

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

How do I get Wi-Fi in my garden?

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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