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Client Highlight: Starlink Satellite Broadband Hire for Winchester Bonfire and Fireworks

Our November started with a bang, getting muddy working as technical support to Winchester’s largest one-day annual charity event, Winchester Round Table’s Bonfire and Fireworks. Geekabit’s CEO has been heavily involved with this event for many years, volunteering time and expertise. 

This year we joined the team of volunteers to lend them our Wi-Fi expertise to help make the event a success through seamless connectivity and reliable broadband across an external network.

This event regularly raises in excess of £60K – A phenomenal community effort, and one that everyone involved should be immensely proud of. There are so many great causes and vital work that this money will go towards in the local community of Winchester and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have volunteered our time and expertise to be a small part of that.

Why does a bonfire and fireworks event need a wireless internet connection?

You might be thinking; what does a Bonfire and Firework event need Wi-Fi for anyway? Well, this is no ordinary bonfire and fireworks night. Every year, Winchester Round Table hosts around 20,000 people for an evening of entertainment, food, drinks, and of course the legendary bonfire and fireworks spectacular.

An event of this scale calls for reliable connectivity, and that’s where Geekabit came in. We have a wealth of experience and expertise in the area of remote internet and events, and so we were more than happy to volunteer to this great cause.

Starlink Satellite Internet for Events

20,000 people can place a great strain on the local cellular mobile towers, and so we turned to a more modern, low orbit satellite solution that would sidestep these issues.

We installed a temporary network across the main fireworks site, using Starlink satellite internet as our connectivity backhaul.

Event Wi-Fi Network – Ubiquiti

Using a variety of Ubiquiti point-to-point links, we spread the network out across the important parts of the fields, and used several outdoor grade wireless access point solutions from the Ubiquiti UniFi range in order to reach the retailers on-site.

This meant that the Starlink internet we provided could reliably aid the event control room on the night as well as help run the operations and production areas.

Food Traders Payments through Starlink Internet

It even provided connectivity for the on-site food festival traders so they could power their payment terminals when mobile reception would be very minimal, ensuring smooth and fast transactions.

Ticket Booth Internet Connectivity for Events

The event also offers ticket pick-up on the day from temporary event Ticket Booths based in two outside locations in the city centre. Due to the volume of people that need to pick-up tickets, it’s not possible to borrow a building or utilise a shop as the crowds and the queue would be too big.

This therefore makes it necessary for the booth to be in a location that will cause as little disruption as possible. Due to the outside location of the ticket booth, and the nature of the service it is providing, it’s necessary for there to be a reliable internet connection. 

Geekabit made this possible using two Starlink Satellite Broadband temporary event installations, which enabled solid laptop, tablet and mobile access to live spreadsheets, order information, customer service emails and social messages throughout the day of the event.

Starlink Satellite Broadband Provides Vital Connectivity for Outdoor Events

A reliable internet connection throughout the day of this event was vital for production purposes and the smooth running of critical processes, which Starlink Satellite Broadband provided.

Working with Winchester Round Table Bonfire and Fireworks was a privilege and a pleasure. Year on year there are more things that require a wireless connection to ensure the smooth running of an event, and we hope to be on hand again in the future to help this to happen.

For more information on our Event W-Fi services get in touch with one of our Wi-Fi experts and we can show you how we can help make your event a success.

Get in touch here.

by admin
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Fixed Broadband Speeds: Europe vs UK 

Opensignal, the leading global provider of independent insight and data into network experience and market performance, have recently released a new study looking at fixed broadband speeds across Europe (28 countries).

The data published in this research finds that the UK has placed quite poorly when judged against its peers. For downloads, the UK is around the middle of the table, but closer to the bottom for uploads. 

How do they collect the data?

The results collected are based on crowdsourced data (data collected from a large number of sources direct from customers), in this case from consumer speedtests. 

For this reason, they don’t necessarily paint an accurate picture of network capability or availability. However, as the data has been collected in the same way across all the countries looked at, the results can offer some insights into the speed of fixed broadband across Europe. 

The data set in this study was collected between the 1st April and 27th September 2023. 

How does the UK compare to Europe when it comes to fixed broadband speed? 

Download Speeds

Coming out on top with the best broadband speeds from the data collected, both France and Spain scored a median average download speed of 121 Mbps and 114.4 Mbps respectively. 

The UK sits in the middle of the table with a download speed of 66.1 Mbps.

Coming slowest was Greece with a slow download speed of 36.5 Mbps. 

Upload Speeds

Spain again topped the table for upload speeds with an average of 91.4 Mbps. They were closely followed by France with an average upload speed of 88.5 Mbps. 

UK were found towards the bottom of the table with an average upload speed of just 20.6 Mbps. 

Again right at the bottom of the table was Greece, with an average upload speed of 7.3 Mbps. 

Opensignal-UK-vs-EU-Broadband-Speeds-Q3-2023

With thanks to Opensignal for the imagery.

Why are UK download speeds slower than almost half of Europe? 

When looking at the results found, we need to consider that much of Europe is already using full fibre FTTP coverage. The UK is behind these European countries, which goes some way to explaining the results of this data set. 

Don’t fret though – There is good news! The UK are on the path to rapidly catching up with their European peers, but these things take time. 

Although Opensignal is one of the better organisations for collecting and analysing this type of data, remember that performance testing of this nature doesn’t always tell the entire story.

by admin
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Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Advice Wi-Fi Help Wi-Fi Issues Wi-Fi Problems Wireless Network
Why Does My Wi-Fi Randomly Stop Working?

And more importantly, how can I fix it? 

There’s little more frustrating than your Wi-Fi going down. Whether you’re working from home and mid Zoom, streaming your favourite show or gaming with friends – If your Wi-Fo goes down it’s an urgent problem to solve as soon as possible. 

Much like a power cut, when there’s no Wi-Fi we really feel it’s absence. And much like flicking the light switch on and off, we head straight for the hardware when we’re trying to figure out what the problem is. 

What to check on your hardware when your Wi-Fi stops working

  • Are the router and any other units plugged in and switched on – Are the lights on? 
  • Is every relevant cable properly connected?
  • Are any external antennas linked to the router fastened correctly?

Checking for disconnected cables that have been unplugged, disconnected or damaged could be a straightforward fix for your Wi-Fi woes.

If it’s an intermittent problem, then look for a ‘strangled’ cable. This is a cable that might be getting squashed underneath furniture or has perhaps been nibbled by a pet. 

If you’ve checked all the cabling and hardware and things look okay – What’s next?

How to check if it’s a Wi-Fi problem when your internet connection goes down

If everything is powered-on hardware wise, then the next thing to check is your Wi-Fi and whether the signal is being broadcasted. Find a device and try to connect to your Wi-Fi. 

  • Is your network being broadcast – Is it in the list of possible networks to connect to?
  • Can you connect to your network on the device?

What to do if your network is not being broadcasted or you cannot connect to the network

If one or neither of these things is happening, then the problem could be with your wireless source. You could try resetting the power on your equipment ie. turn your router off for 30 seconds and then turn back on again. 

You may even need to replace your router. If yours is leased from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) then get in touch with them to see if they can either help reset it remotely or get you a replacement. 

What to do if your network is being broadcasted and it says you’re connected, but you still have no internet connection

If you can see that your network is being broadcasted and you are able to connect to it, then check the signal strength in various locations (ie. where you need a connection).

What should my Wi-Fi signal strength be? 

In an ideal world, your Wi-Fi signal would be above -68 dBm.

For general internet access (not voice or video calls) then you could probably manage at -72 dBm. 

Anything below that level would probably cause problems, and you would likely need to be considering alternatives to solve your signal coverage issues. 

These alternatives could invoice:

  • Additional access points
  • Extender / mesh extender

Be cautious with signal extenders – These should only really be used as a last resort. This is because in order to keep the wireless link between the extender and main router, they use up considerable bandwidth. 

You could instead try a tri-radio router and implement multi-radio extenders or mesh nodes. This could enable you to use one channel for your network and another for end device access.  

How to measure your Wi-Fi signal

To measure your Wi-Fi signal and check if you have enough coverage, there are a couple of ways to do this. 

Measuring Wi-Fi signal on a laptop

If you have a laptop, you can check the stats of your wireless interface, or install a wireless measuring tool, like WinFi Lite. 

Measuring Wi-Fi on a smartphone

If you have an android smartphone, you can install a wireless signal measuring app, like “WiFiman”, or if you have an Apple device, you can install the “Airport” app and use it to scan the signal strength.

Measuring Wi-Fi signal strength

Using the tools above, you will be able to not only measure your own network but also neighbouring networks and how they are affecting yours.  

It’s nigh on impossible to be unaffected by an external 2.4 GHz network. If you can, try to use the 5 GHz spectrum. This network has more channels for you to use and thus a lot fewer interfering networks, even in residential areas. 

Bear in mind that in locations like apartment complexes, even the 5 GHz spectrum can become congested but is still generally the better option. 

An even better option would be the 6 GHz channel, but it’s likely that your devices will no longer support it in the not so distant future. 

If your Wi-Fi coverage seems fine, it could be your network usage causing internet problems

If your hardware looks okay, your network is broadcasting and you can connect, and your coverage looks good, then it’s time to consider your network usage. 

At the time you were experiencing internet problems, consider

  • How many people were connected to your network
  • What they were using the internet for 

It’s quite likely that your router wasn’t built for the demands of multiple video conferencing calls on your work laptop, a show streaming on Netflix, plus online games being played on the iPad. 

That’s a considerable amount of traffic for it to process and could cause things to get a bit unpredictable connection wise. 

If this is a common usage demand, then it may be time to speak to you ISP and see if you can upgrade your router and package. Think about whether it would be worth upgrading to hardware that supports Wi-Fi 6.

You could also consider installing additional access points to help ease the burden on the main router. 

Another potential solution is to skip the Wi-Fi element altogether, and plug your device into the router via an Ethernet cable. Hint: THis is also a great way of testing whether the issue lies with the internet connection itself or how the Wi-Fi signal is being transmitted. 

‘I’ve tried everything and my internet still won’t work!’

Okay, we get it, by this point you would be really frustrated. You’ve checked the hardware, you’re connected and coverage is fine, network usage is low – Yet there are still network problems! What else could be causing your internet connection to be unreliable and unpredictable? 

It could be wireless interference issues. 

Many routers we use in our homes support only 2.4 GHz communications. The problem with using that range is that many other manufacturers use those channels for other pieces of equipment because it’s cheap and long ranging. 

Things that could be interfering with your Wi-Fi signal are:

  • Baby monitors
  • Wireless video security cameras / doorbells
  • Microwaves
  • Motion detectors as part of an alarm system

These are just a few common examples, there are many others that use the 2.4 GHz band and could cause interference problems. To get a full picture of what’s going on, you could need a spectrum analyser.

There are of course other possible forms of interference as well. Where is your wireless router located? You should avoid:

  • Shutting it in a cupboard
  • Placing behind a large bit of furniture
  • Too much metal close by (cabinets, fridges, etc)
  • Mirrored windows 
  • Painting walls with magnetic or metallic paint

We have a whole article on how to avoid interference – You can check it out here. 

Could it be your naughty neighbour? 

As we must consider all possible options – Could it be that your neighbour is doing naughty things to your internet connection? 

Unfortunately, it is a possibility that your neighbour is deauthenticating your network. This means they are using external wireless equipment to pose as your network and then start sending deauthentication packets to your users. In other words, telling devices that are connected to your network to get off every time they leave and try to reconnect.

It’s very hard to catch this happening unless you have the proper knowledge and tools. Fortunately, some access points can detect these attacks and report them like cloud-based solution access points.

Is there anything else that could be causing my Wi-Fi problems?

So far we’ve checked:

  • For hardware problems
  • Whether your network is being broadcasted
  • Whether your Wi-Fi is transmitting a signal
  • How strong your Wi-Fi signal is / coverage
  • Network usage
  • Wireless interference
  • Naughty neighbours

That’s a pretty comprehensive list. If none of these are causing your internet problems, then it could be the integrity of your internet connection. 

How do you check the integrity of your internet connection?

Use one of your devices to check to see if you are getting an IP address. This is something you could try first, but if you checked the connection using an Ethernet cable (for example, a desktop computer that’s connected directly to the main internet connection (router) via cable) and everything was fine then your main internet connection is unlikely to be the issue. 

Things to check:

  • Do you have an IP address?
  • Can you ping your gateway?
  • Do you have DNS?

If you don’t have an IP address:

Have a check of your network stats and verify if you have a proper IP address. If you don’t, then try to register again to your home network. To do this you can simply just restart your router. 

If that doesn’t work, then try resetting your DHCP server. Most of the time, it’s to do with the home router. If you’re not using a router, then whatever you are using – restart that. 

If restarting it doesn’t work then check your DHCP configuration or give your ISP a call. 

If you do have an IP address:

If you can see that you do have a proper IP address, try to ping a public site like google.com. If that fails, try to ping a well-known public IP address like 8.8.8.8. 

If that works, then there may be an issue with the DNS that you have configured so you could try using public DNS servers, like 8.8.4.4 or 8.8.8.8. 

If a ping to a public IP address fails, then that indicates that the problem is either in the path between your home router and the ISP or something in the ISP itself.

It’s not you, it’s them

Sometimes it’s not anything to do with any of the potential problems we’ve discussed above. Sometimes it’s a problem with your Internet Service Provider and there is simply an outage on the service that you are trying to access.  

This can be for a few different reasons. 

Perhaps you have been disconnected because your street or building has a problem in the distribution panel. A cable could have been cut or damaged somewhere in the network during construction or roadworks or something similar. 


It could also be a problem with the ISP infrastructure. If they are experiencing issues in their client management system, then this would stop you accessing the service. 

If you’ve tried all of the above and nothing has helped, then it’s probably time to give your ISP a call and see if the problem is their end of things. 

Good luck! 

by admin
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Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Imaging Wi-Fi Issues
Researchers See Through Walls With Wi-Fi 

New technology recently engineered by scientists at UC Santa Barbara using Wi-Fi signals has enabled people to see objects and read letters through walls.

Your initial reaction to this is probably one of two things:

  1. Wow – Amazing! What a breakthrough
  2. Well this seems like a potential privacy issue further down the line

How have Wi-Fi systems been used to see through walls?

Researchers from UC Santa Barbara developed this system where the edges of solid objects on one side of a solid barrier ie. a wall, can be traced from the other side using WI-Fi signals. This includes letters of the alphabet. 

Imaging the letters individually, in one experiment this technology was used to work out the word ‘believe’ from the other side of a wall, deciphering the letters one by one. 

They did this using 3 standard Wi-Fi transmitters. Over a particular area, these Wi-Fi transmitters sent wireless waves. The imaging was based on measuring the signal power received by a Wi-Fi receiver grid via receivers mounted on a movable vehicle. 

3 transmitters you say – Would that not be triangulation? One of the researchers on this project states that triangulation is not being used. Instead, each transmitter is merely providing a different viewpoint, illuminating the area from different angles. This approach helps to reduce the chance that one of the edges they are detecting will not fall into a ‘blind region.’ To leave a signature on the receiver grid, they need to be ‘seen’. 

The key to the success of this tech system using Wi-Fi signals to see through walls is their edge-based approach. Triangulation in this instance would not perform well. 

How can objects be tracked using Wi-Fi signals?

This tech system is based on the principle of Keller’s Geometric Theory of Diffraction (aka The Keller Cone). 

Keller introduced his Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (GTD) in the 1950s. The development of this theory was revolutionary, as it explained the phenomena of wave diffraction entirely in terms of rays for the first time, via a systematic generalisation of Fermat’s principle. In simple terms, it explains the process of a wave bending around an object (or obstacle) and how it spreads out across a particular space. 

Using the principle of this theory, the system can interpret what could be on the other side of a wall. 

Why is seeing through walls with Wi-Fi something new?

Scientists have actually been attempting to do this for a while, years in fact. This particular team at UC Santa Barbara have been working on this since 2009. This latest engineering breakthrough is significant because it was previously thought that anything as complex as reading the English alphabet through walls using Wi-Fi signals would be too difficult due to the complexity of the lettering. 

Indeed, using Wi-Fi for imaging something still (like letters) has been a challenge due to the lack of motion. However, they seem to have overcome this issue by tracing the edges of the objects.

Back in July, we saw a similar tech engineered by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University where they tracked a 3D shape as well as human bodies moving in a room using Wi-Fi signals. 

Seeing Through Walls With Wi-Fi – What will it be used for?

Assuming that this tech system matures and is put to wider use, we might find it useful for a few different applications: 

  • Crowd analytics
  • Identifying individuals
  • Boosting smart spaces 

Is the resolution high enough? 

Resolution on imagery can be improved by increasing the signals to higher frequencies. However, this would also increase the propagation loss so there would be a trade-off on energy.

This is likely where future experimentation will lie, as researchers and scientists look to explore this energy trade-off as frequencies and propagation loss increase.  

Is it just edges of objects that can be detected? If this tech system of looking through walls with Wi-Fi signals is going to be widely adopted then depth sensing would also be useful. This can be achieved by using a wideband signal for transmission. 

The experiment spoken about in this article was designed to showcase the performance of everyday radio signals, using 802.11n Wi-Fi which is narrowband. However, the framework could easily be expanded to utilise wideband signals too. 

What challenges could ‘seeing through walls’ with Wi-Fi face?

As we stated at the start of this article, some potential issues that could arise from using Wi-Fi signals to see through walls relate to privacy and security. 

Thus, this could have an effect on how successful this new tech system could be. 

Could cyber criminals use this technology in part of an attack? Could law enforcement officials abuse this technology in some contexts?

We wrote on this topic of Wi-Fi seeing through walls back in January, about a similar piece of research that used ‘dense pose’ from Wi-Fi, using Wi-Fi signals as a human sensor and a way to map the position of human bodies using AI. You can read it here.

What are your thoughts on this – We’d love to know! Which camp do you sit in – Amazing Breakthrough or Privacy Nightmare? Get in touch on Facebook, X or Instagram. 

by admin
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52% of UK Covered by Full Fibre Broadband, Ofcom Summer Study Reveals

With what is likely to be the last of the hot weather for this year, Ofcom have shared the results of their summer 2023 study looking at UK fixed broadband and mobile coverage.

The study reports that Full Fibre FTTP access in the UK has risen by 4% from January 2023 to 52% coverage. 

It has also found that 75% are now within reach of a gigabit-capable network, which is an increase of 2%. 

In addition to this, 76-85% of premises can now get an outdoor 5G connection from at least one operator (an increase from 73-82%). 

Ofcom Summer 2023 Report

This latest report from the communications regulator features data collected between May 2022 and May 2023, including that of their Spring Connected Nation’s update back in January 2023. 

This most recent report is based upon the coverage and service availability information from both fixed line UK Internet Service Providers and Mobile Network Operators. 

Overall, the UK’s coverage of fixed “superfast broadband” (30Mbps+) remains unchanged at 97%, while 15.4 million homes (52%) can now order a Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) service via various networks (up from 48%).

Key Figures from Ofcom Summer 2023 Report

Gigabit

75% of the UK (that’s 22.4 million homes) can now access Gigabit-capable (1Gbps+) services (up from 73% or 21.9m). 

This figure is higher than that for FTTP due to the majority of the gigabit connectivity coming from Virgin Media’s upgrade to their existing HFC network. In dense urban areas, there is a lot of overbuild between HFC and FTTP. 

What about the last 20% in the hardest to reach areas? The UK Government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit programme aims to improve the above figure so that gigabit coverage is extended to at least 85% of UK premises by the end of 2025 (and 99% nationwide by 2030). 

Premises Still Without ‘Decent’ Broadband 

‘Decent’ broadband is based on a download speed of at least 10Mbps and 1Mbps upload. The number of premises that cannot access this is currently 428,000 which is 1.3% of the UK. 

However, if you include wireless connections via 4G, 5G and Fixed Wireless Access, this number drops down to 62,000. 

4G Mobile Networks

Geographic coverage of 4G wireless services across mobile network operators (EE, Three, O2, Vodafone) has remained about the same, with a range of 80 to 87%. 

Although it’s a slow process, these figures will be improved upon by the Shared Rural Network agreement – A £1 billion project to change things for rural users. 

5G Coverage

There’s still a way to go when it comes to 5G coverage in the UK. The Ofcom Summer 2023 report shares that 76-85% of UK premises can now get outdoor coverage from at least one operator, however when looking at outdoor coverage by all operators put together it drops to 12-22%. 

Voice and Text Coverage

Full Ofcom Summer 2023 Report

We’ve included a few summaries for your perusal but for more detailed information with all the facts and figures you could ask for, download the PDF of the Summer 2023 Update on Connected Nations via the Ofcom website here. 

by admin
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Have 5G Download Speeds Fallen in Your Region?

Global leader in network intelligence and connectivity insights, Ookla have revealed via their Speedtest.net platform that 5G based mobile broadband download speeds have fallen over the past year in most UK regions. 

However, despite this fall in 5G download speeds, the overall data speeds for both 4G and 5G have increased. 

Speedtest.net from Ookla is a popular testing service for broadband and mobile network performance. This latest research is based on data collected between the second quarter of 2022 and 2023. 

It found that overall, users have seen a mild increase in their download speed in 10 out of 12 UK regions, across all types of mobile broadband combined.

The highest increase was by 23.4% in the North East, with the lowest increase being in the Yorkshire and Humberside region at 3.9%. (There were a couple of exceptions where the changes were too small to be of note in the South West and Northern Ireland). 

5G Download Speeds Show Statistically Significant Decline

When the study looked at just the data for 5G download speeds, it became apparent that 9 out of 12 UK regions had users with a statistically significant decline. 

3 of these regions experienced a decline of more than 20% in 5G download speeds with another region closely behind:

  • Northern Ireland – 21.65%
  • East Midlands – 21%
  • South East – 20.7%
  • Yorkshire and Humber – 17.8%
Ookla-5G-Speeds-by-UK-Region-Q2-2022-to-2023
With thanks to Open Signal for the graphics

What Can Cause a Decline in 5G Download Speeds?

Typically, we might see a decline like this due to a combination of network maturity and rising customer take-up. Over time, this can cause network congestion, putting pressure on capacity. 

Thankfully, we can combat these issues with technological advances. For example, Ofcom’s future plans are to release more 5G spectrum. We can also benefit from the evolution of 5G technology, such as Standalone 5G. Future improvements like this will help with issues causing declining 5G download speeds. 

How Much Time Do People Spend With an Active 4G/5G Connection?

Ookla research has also found that the proportion of time users spent with an active 4G/5G connection has increased. With the improvements we’ve seen recently with coverage, coupled with the gradual shutdown of 3G (with 2G to follow).

The biggest increase of time spent actively connected to 4G/5G was in Wales (a rise of 4.5%). The smallest increase was 2.4% which was in Yorkshire and Humber. 

Time Spent With Active 5G Connection Also on the Rise

Unsurprisingly, the time users spend with an active 5G connection is also increasing with 5G availability on the rise. 

London – 4% increase (The largest increase of 5G availability)

East Midlands – 3.2%

Eastern – 3%

Wales – 2%

As we already mentioned, this increase in the availability of 5G could explain the decline in 5G download speeds. This is because there are more users than before all trying to use the same data and spectrum capacity. 

However, some regions didn’t see a statistically significant change:

  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland
  • North East
  • South West
  • West Midlands
Ookla-5G-Availability-by-UK-Region-Q2-2022-to-2023

Which networks were people connected to 4G/5G most?

The data can be further analysed for each network. 

EE – 97.2% (an increase of 2.7% over the last year)

Three – 94% (a larger increase from 85.2% which was the largest of all operators)

Vodafone – 93.2% (an increase of 5%)

O2 – 90.1% (increased from 86.8%)

Which network are you on? Have you noticed any changes with 4G or 5G download speeds in your region? 

by admin
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5G Beamforming Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 7
What is Beamforming and Will it Make Wireless Better?

The tech world is always evolving and looking on to the next thing – To be better, quicker, stronger. Wireless and Wi-Fi technology is no different – We want to be able to access the best possible connection – Strong, reliable and fast. 

So how does beamforming help with this? 

What is Beamforming? 

Beamforming makes Wi-Fi and 5G connections more precise by utilising the science of electromagnetic interference. 

The original concept of beamforming has actually been around since the 1940’s. In current communication standards, this tech is playing a pivotal role in improving Wi-Fi and 5G among others. 

When beamforming is used alongside MU-MIMO (Multi User Multiple Input, Multiple Output) tech, it can help users to boost their data speeds by accessing more precise connections. 

How Does Beamforming Work?

Using Beamforming means that the resulting connection is faster and more reliable. It works by focusing a wireless signal to a specific receiving device. In this instance, the signal is more focused rather than being spread in all directions like, for example, a broadcast antenna. 

Unless they are blocked by a physical object, electromagnetic waves from a single antenna will radiate in all directions. To specifically target a beam of electromagnetic energy in order to focus the signal in a certain direction, you can use multiple antennas close together to broadcast the same signal at slightly different times. 

These overlapping waves will cause interference which can be good (cause the signal to be stronger) or bad (cause th signal to become weak or undetectable). 

When done constructively and correctly, the electromagnetic waves can be focused to a specific direction – Beamforming. 

We’re going to spare you the mathematics behind the process of beamforming – It’s extremely complex. If you’re a big maths geek you can look it up online and try and wrap your head around it. 

We mentioned earlier that the actual technqiue of beamforming isn’t a new concept and has been around for over 80 years. Wi-Fi and 5G aren’t the only technologies that can benefit from beamforming – Any type of energy that travels in waves can use the concept, including sound. 

Beamforming was originally developed to help in World War II by improving sonar and is still an important part of audio engineering today. 

But let’s get back to our niche – Wi-Fi and 5G tech is where our interest in beamforming lies. 

How does beamforming help Wi-Fi 6?

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest generation of Wi-Fi (also known as 802.1ax but thankfully now with improved naming via the Wi-Fi Alliance!). It succeeds the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard (now more aptly named Wi-Fi 5). 

In terms of Wi-Fi standards, beamforming has actually been around since Wi-Fi 4 but seen improvements in both Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6. Beamforming uses MIMO technology to be able to send out multiple, overlapping signals. 

Since 2016, the use of beamforming with Wi-Fi 5 meant that different receivers can work with different routers, hence making the beamforming techniques used in Wi-Fi equipment are vendor-neutral. 

Beamforming can also be used alongside MU-MIMO technology, allowing multiple users to communicate simultaneously with multiple antennas on the router. Beamforming used in this way ensures that each of the connected clients are efficiently targeted by the router. Data rates and range for signals to specific clients are also improved with Wi-Fi 6 through the increased number of antennas (from 4 to 8). 

What about Wi-Fi 7? 

In the world of tech we’re always looking ahead to the next thing – So what about beamforming and WI-Fi 7? Unsurprisingly, beamforming will also be a core part of Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be).  

Coordinated beamforming will use the capability of modern multi-antenna access points to spatially multiplex their stations, as well as making adjacent neighbouring non-associated stations void.

This technique can actually be used without beamforming via a joint multi-access point sounding scheme. However, a coordinated beamforming process can take advantage of a simpler sequential sounding procedure which will be a part of Wi-Fi 7. 

As each station transmits and receives data to and from a single access point, coordinated beamforming does not require joint data processing. This helps diminish backhaul needs. 

Whilst this limits complexity, it also delivers substantial throughput and latency enhancements.

Other improvements that we’ll see with Wi-Fi 7 and coordinated beamforming will hopefully include access to gigabit speeds and low-latency communications for more busineses and consumers in various applications. 

How does beamforming help 5G? 

With the prevalance of 5G increasing with the roll out of networks for smartphones and other WANs, we’ll be seeing beamforming as a core part of the new technology. 

5G frequencies are unfortunately more prone to being disrupted by objects causing interference, like walls or other similar barriers for example. This is because 5G operates on the millimetre wavelength (mmWave) frequency. 

Beamforming helps with this by creating a more reliable connection. It does by allowing the transmitter to focus the transmission in a specific direction, as explained above. This means the signal is directed towards, for example, a mobile device, vehicle or other IoT device. 

Working with MIMO, beamforming can improve throughput and efficiency by directing beams from a 5G base station in both horizonal and vertical directions  via large numbers of antennas. 

What are the pros of beamforming?

Wi-Fi and 5G tech can really benefit from beamforming. 

  • Information can be transferred quicker and with fewer errors because the signal is of a higher quality due to being focused in a specific direction
  • Users trying to connect to other signals can benefit from less interference because beamforming can reduce and even stop broadcasting in other directions

Are there any cons when it comes to beamforming? 

Whilst beamforming can have benefits for wireless technology, some limitations can lie in the actual process of doing it. 

  • Beamforming requires big computing resources. In some situations, the beamforming calculations would require time and power resources that could make the resulting benefits less worth it
  • Improving affordability means that beamforming techniques are being built into wireless equipment on the consumer market as well as enterprise-grade wireless hardware
  • For the best performance, the transmitter and receiver need to be quite close together. The further away the receiver is from the transmitter, the more the benefits diminish

It’s pretty clear to see that beamforming is a big part of the wireless world, especially in terms of Wi-Fi 6 (and 7) as well as 5G.

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Broadband Home WI-Fi Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Issues Wi-Fi Problems Wireless Network
Is an Everyday Household Item Slowing Down Your Wi-Fi?

Whether you rely on your Wi-Fi to work, stream Netflix or game, one thing we can all agree on is that there is nothing more frustrating than slow, buffering Wi-Fi or internet blackouts. Frozen zoom calls, ‘Something’s gone wrong’ error messages in the middle of binge-watching your favourite series or letting the team down mid-battle could have you tearing your hair out in frustration.

These days, having a strong, reliable, fast broadband connection is vital. And often, we don’t realise quite how much we need something until it’s not working effectively or completely gone. 

But what if one of your everyday household items was the cause of your Wi-Fi woes? Here are some commonplace things that you likely have around your house that could be causing your internet issues – And things you can do to help overcome them. 

Can concrete cause Wi-Fi problems? 

Obviously, there’s nothing much you can do about the actual structure of your home, but if it’s full of thick concrete walls then you may experience problems getting Wi-Fi throughout your property. It’s a tough material that’s difficult to penetrate, meaning your network coverage could struggle. 

This could result in a lag in signal or some rooms being in a deadspot. 

We’re not suggesting taking a sledgehammer to your walls – But you can carefully consider where you are placing your router for optimum coverage. You could also look at whether extenders could help your signal reach parts of the house that the signal can’t get to. 

Can metal interfere with my Wi-Fi?

Metal is another dense material that can negatively affect your Wi-Fi speed. Using metal structurally could inhibit the strength of the signal you are transmitting. Likewise, too many metal household items (like blinds) or decorative items (e.g. wall art) could cause issues with signal reaching your devices. 

As above, thinking carefully about where you place your router can imrpove things, and extenders can be used to access those hard to reach places. 

Can plaster and drywall affect my Wi-Fi? 

Most if not all houses will have elements of plaster and drywall. Thankfully, it doesn’t interfere with signal as much as concrete does so there should be less signal lost. 

Could the ceramic tiles in my house cause internet issues?

Ceramic tiles are a popular choice in our kitchens and bathrooms. Unfortunately, this material can disrupt Wi-Fi signals in your home. Ceramic tiles also tend to be coupled with other disruptive material like plaster and drywall mentioned above, which can cause even more interference to your Wi-Fi.  

Placing your router somewhere central in an elevated position can help to combat some of this Wi-Fi interference. 

Are my Low-E windows causing Wi-Fi problems?

Every house has windows – But a certain type can cause problems with your Wi-Fi. Those conscious of their energy consumption and trying to reduce how much energy is lost by installing Low-E (low emissivity) windows could unfortunately result in problems with their Wi-Fi instead. 

Low-E windows have a metallic film on them to help reduce energy consumption, which also means they can absorb or interfere with Wi-Fi signals. So they could be great for your energy bills but not so great for your internet connection. 

Do mirrors interfere with Wi-Fi signal? 

Mirrors have a thin coating of metal behind the glass which together can cause enough electromagnetic interference to disrupt your Wi-Fi signal. Especially if your house is adorned with lots of mirrors! 

The level of disruption depends on how big the mirrors are and how many you have. 

Is water the reason my Wi-Fi is slow?

Water can hinder the passage of Wi-Fi signal, so things like fish tanks and even people can make your connection weaker by the time it reaches your device. 

This can have a big impact on how well your devices connect to your Wi-Fi and thus how effective they work. 

Can my furniture cause internet problems? 

Do you have pieces of large furniture in your home? A house full of big, thick furniture could struggle with less stable internet. 

Experiencing signal disruption is more likely if you place your router too close to any large items of furniture – Try to choose a an area that is unobstructed and in as open a space as possible.

Could my household appliances be disrupting my Wi-Fi?

Houses are full of white goods, and unfortunately these can cause a weak Wi-Fi connection. Appliances like microwaves and dishwashers emit their own radio waves, so it’s a good idea to place your router well away from them. 

You might even be able to salvage a weak Wi-Fi connection by moving your router away from appliances like this. 

Got Wi-Fi Issues In Your Home?

If you are facing some Wi-Fi troubles in your home, then try these top tips to try and mitigate any interference from household items. 

  • Don’t tuck your router away in a cupboard, out of sight or surrounded by furniture. 
  • Find a central location for your router so that it stands the best chance of reaching every corner of your home
  • Deploy your router in an elevated position to help transmit that signal 
  • Avoid installing your router close to bulky furniture
  • Thick concrete walls are not your router’s friend – Try not to place your router near them 
  • Water (think fish tanks, water tanks, even people) absorb the signal and can interfere with how effectively your device can connect so deploy your router away from these things
  • Kitchens are full of white goods (microwaves, dishwashers etc) which emit their own electromagnetic waves, so don’t put your router in this room if you want it to work at it’s optimum  
  • Try to avoid placing your router near large mirrors or windows. If you are considering Low-E windows, think carefully about whether this could affect how effective your Wi-Fi is
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4G 4G Mobile Broadband 4G Wi-Fi Broadband Rural Broadband
Could 4G Boosters on Church Towers Improve Rural Wi-Fi in the UK? 

Using OpenRAN (Open Radio Access Network) technology, Vodafone are working alongside the Church of England to help extend mobile broadband via 4G for those in rural parts of the UK. They are doing this by utilising 11 church bell towers as base stations for the deployment of this small bits of kit. 

Which Rural Communities Will Benefit From These Church-Based 4G Base Stations?

The first to be installed were Brompton Regis (Blessed Virgin Mary Church) in Somerset and Ewyas Harold (St Michael’s and All Angels) in Herefordshire. 

9 further church-based 4G base stations will be going live over the next few months across the following counties:

  • Dorset
  • Essex
  • Norfolk
  • Wiltshire

Why Do Churches Make Good Base Stations for 4G Mobile Broadband? 

Generally speaking, churches are tall buildings that are often found on high ground, as well as being at the heart of communities. This makes them the ideal location to install a mobile site to help boost 4G mobile broadband connectivity for these communities. 

Even better, current technology means that the base stations are small enough to not spoil the architecture and tone of the churches themselves.

Vodafone’s aim is to use this technology to improve connectivity and better reach these rural communities that struggle so much with traditional broadband. 4G mobile broadband via these church-based base stations could be a huge step forward in connectivity for rural communities across the country. 

Rural communities deserve to access good, strong, reliable internet speeds like anyone else, and boosting 4G mobile broadband in this way could be just the thing to deliver it. 

How Do These 4G Base Stations on Churches Work? 

These 4G mobile broadband base stations are called new cell sites and involve small cells in the form of well-hidden boxes being employed on church towers. 

These new cell sites have a coverage radius of 500 metres, so are ideal to serve the community based around the church itself which is usually close by. 

The Idea of Church-Based 4G Base Stations is Actually Nothing New

Church spires and towers have been identified as a prime place for bits of mobile and fixed wireless broadband kit before, so this idea is nothing new. It’s been done many times before! 

A previous agreement between the Church of England and Cornerstone (Vodafone UK and O2’s network sharing division) was made back in 2019. 

But while the premise might not be new, we still think any action taken to improve the connectivity of rural communities across England and the UK is a great step towards access to reliable broadband for all. 

Do You Need Wi-Fi Assistance? 

For Wi-Fi and Mobile Broadband Assistance for your business across Hampshire, Cardiff and London, get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today. Our experienced and professional engineers are on hand to help with your Wi-Fi woes as well as determine if 4G mobile broadband could be a viable option for you.

Call us or email us today.

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4G 5G Business Wi-Fi Connectivity SME Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Advice Wireless Network
Is Poor Connectivity Costing Your SME Money?

Research commissioned by Three found that issues with poor connectivity were costing SME’s in Britain £18.77 billion per year. 

Research found that small to medium sized businesses (including micro businesses) in the UK who give employees work phones are losing out on over 1 hour of work time per employee, per week. Poor connectivity leads to employees being unable to get online or complete their work effectively.

1 hour per week per employee may not sound like a big deal on the face of it, but for medium sized businesses, this equates to 250 hours of working time being lost every single week. 

This loss of working time has a bigger impact on things than you may think. In partnership with YouGov and Development Economics, Three’s research found that:

  • The British economy is significantly impacted by loss of business revenue. The amount of economic output lost is estimated to be £7.7bn per year. 
  • The cost of poor connectivity hits the professional and retail sectors the harders
  • Businesses are already facing challenging times – almost 75% of SME’s are reducing costs

Which industries are hit hardest by poor connectivity?

Two of the largest sectors in the British economy were hit the hardest with poor connectivity – Retail, and Professional Services (including legal, accounting and media businesses).

How much revenue is lost in these sectors due to poor connectivity?

  • Professional Services – Loss of £5.3 billion per year (annual output loss of £2.8bn to the economy)
  • Retail – Loss of £3.7 billion per year (annual output loss of £560m to the economy)

Connectivity isn’t the only challenge for SME’s

SME’s aren’t just facing a challenge with poor connectivity – They’re also facing challenges with the cost of living crisis and talent shortages. 

SME’s are also feeling the heat of rising costs, with 71% looking at where they need to reduce spending. 32% of SME’s are looking to cut costs on things like phone contracts, which they believe they are spending too much on. 

29% of SME’s (and 48% of medium sized businesses) also worry about losing employees due to not having good technology, which is cause for concern when there is also a shortage of talent in the majority of industries.  

Combine all of this with poor connectivity causing problems with work effectiveness and you can see why it’s causing a bit of a headache for small and medium sized businesses. 

Do SME’s need more tech support? 

In order to operate, grow and thrive in business, it is absolutely vital for SME’s to have a strong online connection. 

36% of SME’s believe that better mobile phone connectivity would enable them to perform better. 1 in 5 SME’s are also concerned that their business could get left behind if they don’t know how to use the latest mobile phone technology. 

Unfortunately, almost 50% of SME’s feel that the tech industry uses complex language that makes it difficult to understand the latest technology, creating a barrier for these businesses without proper support and knowledge. 

What can be done to provide SME’s with tech and connectivity support? 

It seems that many tech schemes and concepts are aimed at larger corporate structures, failing to meet the needs of SME’s in a more cost effective way. It’s so important for tech providers to recognise the needs of SME’s and tailor their services to meet them. SME’s need simple, straightforward tech offerings with a level of service that large corporates would expect. 

For a business to be able to perform and for their employees to effectively do their jobs, it all comes down to connectivity. 

For most businesses, connectivity is the core of it all – Poor connectivity is simply not an option. It’s imperative for SME’s to carefully consider the options available to them when it comes to connectivity, tech and mobile. They need a simple, cost effective option that leaves them in control. 

The research outlined above just goes to show how poor connectivity can really hold a business back. Research from The Federation of Small Businesses found similar results which showed that 45% of small businesses experience unreliable voice connectivity (going up to 57% in rural areas). 

SME’s are a big part of the UK economy. To see growth and productivity, we need strong and reliable digital, mobile and vocal connectivity. That includes 4G and 5G accessibility for all. 

Can Geekabit Help?

If you are a SME and are struggling with poor connectivity, then call in the experts. Our experienced Wi-Fi engineers can help at any stage of network deployment – From site surveys to design to installation. 

We’re only a phone call away, and can help get your business properly connected. 

Thinking you’re too rural? We’ve got 4G for that! Our mobile and satellite broadband options could be just the thing you’re looking for. 

Get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today.

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