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‘Where is the best place to put my Wi-Fi router?’

Is your Wi-Fi router in the wrong place? 

If you’re having issues with your Wi-Fi and can’t figure out what the problem is, one potential problem could be where your router is in your home. 

You would be surprised how many people have their Wi-Fi router somewhere that could cause slow Wi-Fi, internet blackspots and maybe even no connection whatsoever! 

Is your Wi-Fi router in one of these 3 worst places? 

When the internet isn’t working properly, it’s really noticeable. Like when there’s a power cut or no hot water – We’re all very used to this utility just always being there in the background.

And when it’s not working properly, it’s hugely frustrating. Whether you’re on a Zoom call for work and the screen keeps freezing, or you’re trying to binge watch your favourite Netflix show and it keeps buffering in the best bits – Slow, unreliable internet can make things stressful. 

But what if your dodgy connection is purely down to the location of your Wi-Fi router? If that’s the case then you’re in luck – It’s an easy fix! 

These are some of the worst places to put your router that could be suppressing your internet signal:

In the kitchen

The kitchen is full of appliances that could cause interference to your Wi-Fi like the microwave, so it’s a big no-no to place your router in this room. Things made of metal or containing water can cause significant issues with Wi-Fi signal, and you’re likely to find lots of these offending items in the kitchen area. 

Too low down

Putting your router too low down means that the signal it’s transmitting may not reach users’ devices effectively. 

Cramped space

Be honest – Is your router tucked away somewhere, like a cupboard or hidden behind things? We do understand that routers aren’t always the prettiest of things, and might be in-keeping with the design aesthetic of your home. But hiding it away in a cupboard or burying it under other things could well be the cause of your Wi-Fi woes. 

Where should I put my Wi-Fi router?

We’ve told you where not to put it – Let’s take a look at where your Wi-Fi router is going to work to the best of its ability. 

Place your router in a central location, out in the open 

Consider which room(s) you use the internet the most, or where you need the connection to be the strongest. If you work from home, do you have a home office? Where do you stream films or TV shows? Do you have online gamers in your home? 

The general rule of thumb is to place your router somewhere central to your home in an open space – That way you’ll stand the best chance of your Wi-Fi signal spreading throughout your home and reaching everywhere you need it to go. The further away you are from the router, the more signal strength is lost.

If your home office is outside at the bottom of the garden and getting the Wi-Fi out there is a bit of a stretch, you might like to have a read of our blog ‘How do I get Wi-Fi in my garden?’ which we wrote back in lockdown. 

Place your router high up 

You’ll find that your Wi-Fi signal is better the higher up your router is. If possible, install your router approximately 5- 7 feet off the ground. 

Somewhere like a high shelf could work well – But remember it needs to be plugged in and should also be away from windows. 

Your router emits signal out and down, so placing it up high should improve your signal range. 

Place your router away from thick building materials like brick, plywood and sheetrock

Certain types of building material like brick, plywood and sheetrock can hinder your Wi-Fi if you place your router too close to them. Try and avoid putting your router in a location where these materials could cause interference. 

Utilise available hardware and software

If, despite your best efforts, your Wi-Fi still isn’t quite reaching one area of your house then you could consider getting a booster to help you out. 

Also make sure that you keep up to date with software updates so your router is able to work at its optimum effectiveness.

Keep your Wi-Fi secure

Is your Wi-Fi password protected? Don’t just let all your neighbours and anyone passing by gain access to your Wi-Fi. Not only does this put your personal data at risk, it will also make everything slower! 

The more devices that are connected to your router, the slower the connection will be. Odds are you’ve already got a multitude of connected devices in your home as it is – You don’t need the neighbours’ devices too! 

Get in Touch

If moving your router to a new location doesn’t fix your Wi-Fi woes then have a look at some of our other blogs – We’ve got a lots of info on Wi-Fi problems and how to fix them.

For help with business Wi-Fi, large homes or rural internet please do give our Wi-Fi experts a call. We operate out of Hampshire, London and Cardiff covering the South of England.

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5G 5G Frequency Bands Hampshire RF Wi-Fi Wireless Network
5G Explained: What is Low, Mid, and High 5G?

As you can imagine, here at Geekabit we’re a bit geeky when it comes to all things wireless. It’s really in the name isn’t it?

Our spare time is often taken up with reading the latest on Wi-Fi and other wireless communications. Which of course includes 5G! We read a lot of information related to our field, but a blog from cwnp.com really stood out to us as an excellent explanation of 5G and how it works. 

We couldn’t resist sharing this info with you too! 

Let’s start with the basics – RF

When we talk about low, mid and high 5G we’re referring to the frequencies used. Radio Frequency (or RF) travels in waves – Just like sound or light! In simple terms, RF waves are non-visible electromagnetic waves. 

Let’s make it easier to understand with a bit of visualisation. Imagine you are sitting on the beach, watching the waves as they hit the sand. If you were to count how many waves hit the shoreline in one minute, that would be the frequency. 

In RF, we measure waves per second rather than a minute, but the premise is the same. 

5G Frequencies

Image from cwnp.com

In the above image from left to right, you are looking at 5G low (purple), 5G mid in the middle (turquoise) and then 5G high at the end (red). 

In the sea visualisation, the higher the frequency, the more water is being moved (the more waves hitting the shoreline). In RF, instead of water being moved it’s data. So the higher the frequency, the more data can be moved. 

There is unfortunately a downside to higher frequencies. Whilst they are able to move more data, receiving and processing that data across greater distances is a challenge. 

5G: What are the low, mid and high bands? 

Let’s take a closer look at each one in turn.

5G LOW

The strategy for 5G low is to use the lower band to provide coverage nationwide. This is because whilst it has lower data rates, it travels further. To enjoy the benefits of 5G lowband, the 5G needs to be standalone. This means not using 5G down and 4G up. 

Here in the UK, Vodafone were the first operator to offer customers a trial of their 5G standalone network in January of this year. Customers who opted in to the trial should see better reliability, coverage and battery life. 

5G MID

In 5G mid band we find the sweet spot. Not only do we get a decent range from this band, but its higher frequency allows us to see 600 Mbps to 1 Gbps speeds down. 

Interestingly, the 5G mid band is very similar to Wi-Fi frequencies and travel in a similar way. Where it differs to Wi-Fi is thecarriers ability to transmit at a higher power levels. This means that you can use much weaker signals to a better effect than Wi-Fi. 

This 5G mid band is aimed for use in urban areas, city centres and suburbs. 

5G HIGH

The 5G high band is extremely high throughput (how many units of information a system can process in a given amount of time). This band could see speeds of 10Gbps. 

Unfortunately, because it is such a high frequency, it doesn’t travel well at all. This band works best with ‘line of sight’ as almost any obstruction can significantly block the signal. 

You’re most likely to see this 5G high band in city centres where a mast or tower is put on the tallest building to transmit the signal, and receivers or antennas are put on the roofs of other buildings giving a clear line of sight between the two. 

You can see a visual representation of the 5G low, mid and high bands in the image below, again from cwnp.com with thanks. 

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IoT Devices Location Based Services Matter Smart Home Technology Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi HaLow Wi-Fi Standards Wireless Network
2023 and Beyond: Wi-Fi Alliance Says All Roads Lead to Wi-Fi 

According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, 2023 is set to be a transformational year for Wi-Fi. The industry is expected to see new use cases, innovation and plenty of opportunities for growth. Needless to say, our Wi-Fi experts here at Geekabit are excited about what’s to come! 

Despite socio-economic disruption on a global scale, the progress of Wi-Fi has raced ahead in recent years. In fact, is there a wireless technology that has advanced faster than Wi-Fi has recently? We’d go as far as to say probably not. 

To further get to grips with the Wi-Fi trends and see the opportunities all mapped out, head to the Wi-Fi Alliance’s recently released blog. 

The great thing about Wi-Fi is that its wireless arsenal keeps growing, which in turn leads to more opportunities for innovation and growth. 

Wi-Fi and Matter

One of these recently added wireless standards is Matter. Wi-Fi is an intrinsic part of the new Matter standard for IoT. We’ve blogged before about Matter and its role in Smart Home standards. We can see that 2023 will be the beginning of an interoperable smart home era. You can read more about Matter from the Wi-Fi Alliance’s stance here. 

Wi-Fi and Matter go hand in hand perfectly. Matter offers the interoperability, and the Wi-Fi delivers standardised and secure IP-native connectivity for IoT devices across the board. 

Most use cases will be supported, and whilst it will begin with smart home IoT, future years will see it expanding into industry and enterprise spaces. 

Wi-Fi HaLow

Last year we also saw a bit of a breakthrough with Wi-Fi HaLow. This is still little known so if you’re wondering what is Wi-Fi HaLow –  It operates in the 900MHz band, offering twice the range, a more robust connection and greater power efficiency than the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. It’s known as IEEE 802.11ah and you’re likely to see more of it in 2023. 

It’s actually been defined as a Wi-Fi standard and certificated by the Wi-Fi Alliance since 2026, but after financing on a large scale in 2022, the first Wi-Fi HaLow device was launched at the beginning of this year. The device was a security camera purported to have obstacle-penetrating signal and battery life able to last years. 

We’re really excited to see what’s more to come from Wi-Fi HaLow – Keep your eyes peeled!

Wi-Fi and the Expansion of the 6GHz Band

Another leap forward in the world of Wi-Fi in 2022 and set to continue this year was the acceleration and global adoption of the 6GHz band. According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, this new band is available in 60 countries with more than 1200 Wi-Fi 6E devices launched in commercial markets. 

For industries that require Wi-Fi for stadiums, arenas, campus networks and healthcare, the market for Wi-Fi 6E is set to expand. Due to their need for high-density connectivity applications and support, we’d expect to see Wi-Fi 6E become a big part of these networks. 

However, despite there being 1200 Wi-Fi 6E devices (according to Intel) not all of these commercially available devices are Wi-Fi Certified. This is an integral part of Wi-Fi as an eco-system so we’d expect to see more products on the market with Wi-Fi certification. 

Wi-Fi and Location Based Services

Location Based Services are also worth a quick mention when talking about Wi-Fi innovations and things to keep an eye on during 2023. 

As with most things Wi-Fi, a lot of effort goes into constantly developing and improving the devices and standards available on the market. 

These improvements and innovations in 802.11 standards-based tech will mean that Wi-Fi based location services will be driven down to as small as 10cm accuracy in the future. 

Watch this space! 

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Satellite Broadband Satellite Internet SpaceX
UK Starlink Broadband Speeds Rise

Global leader in network intelligence, Ookla, also well known for their free web service on network performance analysis Speedtest.net, have published their latest data for the last quarter of 2022. 

Their latest study reports on the internet download, upload and latency performance for UK customers (as well as other countries) using SpaceX’s Starlink Low Earth Orbit (LEO) ultrafast satellite broadband. 

The report found that the Starlink satellite broadband speeds are on the rise. 

What is Starlink?

You can read more about Starlink on one of our previous blogs here. 

Starlink satellite broadband is made up of a constellation of approximately 3680 low earth orbit satellites. By next year they plan to have 4425, and then 7500 by the end of 2027. 

Here in the UK, a customer of Starlink can expect to pay a £460 fee for the regular home kit (standard dish, router) plus £40 shipping and then £75 per month for the ‘standard’ plan. On the standard plan you can expect unlimited usage, fast latency times (25-50ms), downloads of between 50 and 200Mbps and uploads of between 5 and 15Mbps. 

As the network continues to grow, it’s possible that the speeds will change. 

Remember though – Speeds can differ out in the real world and aren’t always the same as the performance advertised by the ISP. 

Starlink Speeds

Back in the second quarter of 2022, the report showed that Starlink’s average download speeds had fallen between then and the year before in the UK and other countries including France, Germany and USA. Here in the UK speeds had dropped by 19%. 

Thankfully, the data from the last quarter of 2022 shows that speeds are starting to rise again. 

But speed isn’t the only thing to look for. A good user experience is also about consistently lowering latency, and Starlink seems to have lowered the latency from an average of 36-39ms to 53ms. Remember with latency, the lower figures are faster!

What Were Starlink’s UK Broadband Speeds Over the Last Year? 

Below are the download, upload and latency speeds for each quarter between 2021 and 2022. You can see that latency was about the same figure for about a year, before improving over the last quarter of 2022. 

You can also see how upload and download speeds were increasing quarter on quarter Q2 2022 where they both dropped. The latest figures for Q4 2023 appear to show the upload and download speeds starting to improve once again. 

This could be the increase in the number of LEO satellites being launched. As the network gets bigger and more LEO satellites are orbiting earth, we could see Starlink satellite broadband speeds continue to increase as well as improved latency.

Q4 2022

Download 96.79Mbps

Upload 12.40Mbps

Latency 53ms

Q2 2022

Download 85.07Mbps

Upload 10.72Mbps

Latency 39ms

Q4 2021

Download 121.94Mbps

Upload 13.96Mbps

Latency 36ms 

Q3 2021

Download 111.66Mbps

Upload 16.02Mbps

Latency 37ms

Q2 2021

Download 108.30Mbps

Upload 15.64Mbps

Latency 37ms

Starlink Satellite Broadband for Rural Areas

We’ve written before about how transformative satellite broadband can be for more rural areas – Both homes and businesses. 

These clients are likely to struggle with the standard fixed line broadband options, and even some mobile (4G/5G) services. For people who live and work in rural areas, the speeds above that Starlink satellite broadband can offer are going to be gladly received compared to the other much slower options. 

Get in Touch

If you are interested in how Starlink satellite broadband could help your home or business, please get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today. We work out of Hampshire, London and Cardiff offering Wi-Fi solutions to transform your connection. 

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4G and 5G Mobile Broadband Antennas: Frequently Asked Questions

Last week we blogged about 4G and 5G antennas – How to choose them and how to install them. If you are planning to choose and install your 4G/5G mobile broadband antenna yourself, then you might end up asking one or more of the below commonly asked questions. 

As always, if you’re feeling unsure about which antenna you need or how best to install it, then perhaps consider calling in the experts.

Otherwise, let’s have a look at some of the questions that might arise when you’re installing a new 4G/5G mobile broadband antenna. 

4G/5G Mobile Broadband Antennas – Frequently Asked Questions and Handy Hints

Q: My antenna works better on a window than it does outside – Why is this?

Unfortunately when it comes to installing 4G/5G mobile broadband antennas, the most logical solution isn’t necessarily the right one for your property. Hence why sometimes you might find that despite doing everything correctly, you find that your signal and data speed is better indoors (e.g. from your smartphone) than it is the correctly positioned external antenna. This could include getting a better signal and speed from an antenna on a window rather than the top of your property. 

If you find yourself in a situation like this, then the best course of action is to understand the signal readings and bands being used as best you can at various locations around your property. 

Remember that; 

  • Mobile signals can be affected by lots of things – Such as reflections from environmental objects and even the weather. 
  • The router you use can also mix things up by automatically switching bands which could result putting you on one with a slower speed. 

The best way to get an idea of how your antenna and router are responding to the signal is to test different locations around your property and take some measurements. 

Q: How do I know which is the best mobile service for my area? 

There are a couple of ways you could go about this. If you have a friend or colleague on a different network to you, then you can ask to borrow their smartphone and test out the broadband speed in different locations. 

For accurate results when doing this, try to ensure;

  • You test out all the available networks 
  • Use a smartphone that is as up to date as possible 
  • Use a handset on a Pay Monthly SIM (they are less likely to have data restrictions that a PAYG)

You could also consider calling an expert to carry out these tests for you. Our friendly and knowledgeable engineers can visit your property (home or business) and perform no-obligation tests to ensure that a suitable 4G signal and speed can be achieved at your property, and advise on the best equipment and hardware to attain optimum speeds. We do this with specialist signal analysers that provide printable reports showing the best setup.

Q: What is Carrier Aggregation (LTE Advanced) and does my router need it? 

Carrier Aggregation, or CA, means that the router can boost performance by combining several different radio spectrum bands at once. 

You should find that most of the latest 5G networks and urban 4G deployments support CA. 

Unfortunately it’s possible that some rural areas are not reached and so are not supported. However, it’s wise to buy kit that does support CA to ensure you are covered. You should get support for a good selection of bands and speeds from modern mobile routers.

Some things to look out for;

  • Devices that support the 3GPP release 10 standard (they also support LTE-Advanced).
  • From Release 12 and onwards, CA became much more refined.
  • 5G features tend to start from Release 14 and onwards.
  • LTE Categories – These can help you to identify the theoretical peak downlink and uplink speed of a 4G modem. The higher the category, the higher the download/ upload data handling capacity. Remember though, these are theoretical peaks and even on the best networks with optimum signal, lots of CA and capacity you might still not reach that peak.

Q: How do I know which connector I need for my 4G/5G mobile antenna? 

Wouldn’t it be simple if all mobile routers and antennas came with the same external port type? Unfortunately, they don’t – In fact, some routers don’t even allow external antennas! 

Before buying your kit, make sure that both the router and the antenna are compatible with each other in terms of connectors and sockets. 

Types of connector you are likely to come across are:

  • SMA (most common)
  • TS-9
  • CRC9
  • RP-SMA
  • TNC
  • BNC
  • N-Type
  • MMCX
  • FME
  • U.FL.

Already bought the kit and found that the connectors don’t match up? Don’t panic – You should be able to buy an adaptor cable to convert two different types of connector. 

Q: What is a CELL ID and how can I use it to fix performance issues? 

A CELL_ID is the number your device will show for the mast or tower that it’s getting it’s signal from. So where you might not be able to see what band is being used (some devices and apps won’t show you this information) you can still see what the CELL_ID is and whether it changes. 

If the CELL_ID number changes, this means that the signal is coming from a different source. This could indicate that the band has also changed. Monitoring this information can help you work out any issues with performance. 

Q: I’ve got bad signal with good speed, and bad speed with good signal – What is happening?

Unfortunately, a good signal doesn’t automatically mean good speed. We know, it doesn’t seem fair does it?

The reason this can happen is that you could be receiving an excellent signal, but the band you are connected to is congested with lots of users. 

You could also have great signal, but little capacity to carry data through not enough spectrum frequency. 

It also works the other way – You could have a poor signal but find you’ve got decent speeds. Yes we know it seems bonkers. Mobile signals can be affected by various factors so the best thing to do is to keep on testing until you work it out! Or call in the experts and let us do the hard work for you. 

Q: I can see I’ve got good mobile signal from the antenna, but I’m still having connection problems – Why? 

Remember that your connection is only as good as your router. You could receive a strong, fast signal to your correctly located antenna, but the Wi-Fi (ie. the signal from your router to your device) is poor, resulting in connection problems. 

Your mobile broadband router needs to be able to take the signal from your antenna and transfer it to your device. You can find more tips on how to fix common Wi-Fi problems (like your router location) on our blog. 

How do you know whether it’s the antenna that’s the problem or the Wi-Fi? The easiest way to test where the issue is, is to plug your device into the router through a LAN port. If the signal and connection is still poor, then it’s your antenna. If the signal and connection is strong, then the problem lies with the Wi-Fi. 

Hopefully this blog has helped iron out some of the commonly asked questions when it comes to installing a 4G/5G mobile broadband antenna and some of the issues you might run into. 

If you are still feeling unsure about whether 4G/5G mobile broadband could be the right option for you, or you would like some expert help with choosing and installing the kit, please get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today! 

by admin
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4G Router Router Teltonika Wireless Network
Teltonika: End of Life Announcement for Routers

Teltonika has announced that they are discontinuing some of their routers, with an End of Life (EOL) being entered. These routers are used everywhere and will be sorely missed, but due to the current component shortage globally they have made this decision. 

The Teltonika Network products that are affected by this announcement are the:

What does this EOL announcement mean for you?

These products have entered their EOL, meaning they are in their final phase of the product life cycle. 

Here at Geekabit we are big fans of Teltonika Network products, and have installed them for clients across London, Hampshire and Cardiff. 

If these are products that you aren’t ready to lose out on, then don’t panic! There is still time to get an order in, and you’ll also be able to get ongoing support for them. 

What’s the EOL timeline for these Teltonika products?

Following the official EOL announcement from Teltonika Networks on the 1st February, here are the following dates to make note of: 

  • 31st July 2023 – This is the last date you will be able to order one of the above routers.
  • 31st December 2023 – This date marks the end of production, no further routers of this type will be manufactured.
  • 30th June 2024 – There will be no new software releases for these products after this date. Any RutOS improvements, updates and system features released prior to this date will remain available for the affected devices.
  • 31st December 2025 – Software support for these products will cease. Critical security, bug fixes and other support will be provided by Teltonika Networks up until this date.

What does the future hold for Teltonika Network routers?

If, like our Wi-Fi experts here at Geekabit, you are wondering what the future holds without having these go-to router products then read on for Teltonika Networks recommendations. 

The world of Wi-Fi know that these RUT240, RUT950 and RUT955 routers are key players when it comes to IoT devices and solving connectivity issues. 

If we can’t have those routers, then which should we choose for a comparable product?

Teltonika Networks recommend the following future replacements for the products entering EOL:

  • RUT240 – If this is your router of choice, then you could look at the RUT241 or RUT200
  • RUT950 – For possible replacements of this product, check out RUT 951 or RUT901 which will become available by March this year.
  • RUT955 – An alternative for this router could be the RUT956 but do bear in mind that it doesn’t support MicroSD cards like the 955 does. 

If this end of life announcement affects you, then the best thing to do is give Teltonika Networks support team a call and they can advise the best possible replacements to fit your needs. 

You can contact their team here.

Need some Wi-Fi help?

If your business or large rural home needs some help to achieve a strong, reliable connection then please do get in touch with one of our Wi-Fi experts. We can site survey, design, plan and deploy the Wi-Fi solution to meet your requirements. Get in touch with us today. 

by admin
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LiDAR Monitoring Radar Wi-Fi
Can Scientists Use Wi-Fi to Watch Us Through Walls? 

American researchers based in Pennsylvania have shown a way to map the position of human bodies using AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Machine Learning with a deep neural network alongside Wi-Fi signals.

By analysing the phase and amplitude of Wi-Fi signals, Carnegie Mellon University researchers can see where people are, even through walls!

Over the last few years, researchers and scientists have done much work in this area. They’ve been looking at ‘human pose estimation’ which is identifying the joints in the human body and using sensors to work out body position and movement. To experiment with doing this, they’ve looked at:

  • RGB cameras (used to deliver coloured images of people and objects by capturing light in red, green, and blue wavelengths)
  • LiDAR (a Light Detection and Ranging system which works on the principle of radar, but uses light from a laser)
  • Radar (a radiolocation system that uses radio waves to determine the distance, angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to a site)

Why is this useful? Using a type of sensor to detect body position and movement could be used for video gaming, healthcare, AR (Augmented Reality), sports and more. 

The problem is that to do this with imagery (i.e. cameras) can be tricky due to being affected negatively by things like lighting or things obscuring the view. 

And to use radar or LiDAR is not only expensive but requires a lot of power. 

Enter, Wi-Fi. 

Using Wi-Fi Signals as a Human Sensor

The team at CMU in Pennsylvania decided to look into using standard Wi-Fi antennas alongside predictive deep learning architecture in order to detect body position. 

How does it work? Using a deep neural network, the phase and amplitude of Wi-Fi signals are mapped out to UV coordinates within 24 regions of the human body.

Their study revealed that using their model with Wi-Fi signals as the only input, they can estimate the dense pose of multiple subjects. The performance of this method was comparable to other image-based approaches. 

As we said above, other methods use a lot of power and are also expensive. This Wi-Fi method that the ‘DensePose from Wi-Fi’ paper outlines, offers a lower cost alternative that is more widely accessible. It also says that it allows for privacy-preserving algorithms, which means that for human sensing it is less invasive than using Radar or LiDAR tech in non-public areas. 

Although, not much of all this research sounds particularly preserving of privacy does it! 

Has Wi-Fi Been Used as a Human Sensor Before?

Whilst the premise of monitoring people in a room using Wi-Fi isn’t a new one, the actual data previously collected wasn’t very clear, with trouble actually visualising what a person was doing within that room. 

The difference with this new research from CMU is that it is using DeepPose and machine learning technology to not only estimate what the target person is doing, but also clearly make it visual. 

As we said earlier, it’s also more accessible. The model they used needed just 2 wireless routers, each with 3 antennas and worked via the usual 2.4GHz band. 

All you would need to do is put each router and antennas at either side of the target, and then gather the data by having full control of both units. 

Whilst it’s more straightforward than Radar or LiDAR, there are still a couple of flaws. The range is limited by the weakness of Wi-Fi signals, and the accuracy could still be an issue too. 

‘DensePose From Wi-Fi’ Paper Summary

The main things to take from this recent research are:

  • Wi-Fi signals make it possible to identify dense human body poses by using deep learning architectures
  • The public training data in the field of Wi-Fi based perception limits the performance of this current model, especially with different layouts
  • The system has some difficulty identifying and representing body poses that are less common, and also struggles if there are 3 or more people concurrently
  • Future research will aim to look at collecting multi-layout data as well as utilising a bigger data set in order to predicting 3D body shapes using Wi-Fi signals and correctly interpret data

The researchers believe that this Wi-Fi signal model could result in cheap human sensor monitoring as an alternative to RGB cameras and LiDARs.

If you want to read more, you can access the ‘DensePose From Wi-Fi’ paper here.

Here at Geekabit we’re interested to see what comes up when this is peer reviewed. What are your thoughts on using Wi-Fi signals to map and visualise people inside rooms? 

by admin
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Broadband Cruise Ships Satellite Broadband Satellite Internet SpaceX Starlink Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Installation
SpaceX Starlink to Provide Next-Generation Wi-Fi to Carnival Cruises

If you are a part of the cruising community then you might have seen via Carnival Corporation that they have signed a new agreement with Starlink – The satellite technology leader.

Even if you’re not a part of the cruising community, you will likely have heard of Carnival Corporation. They are one of the world’s largest leisure travel companies, boasting a portfolio of world-class cruise lines.

This provision of next-generation Wi-Fi on Carnival cruise ships is all set to transform connectivity for both guests and crew, bringing the ships faster internet and greater capacity. 

This new and improved Wi-Fi connectivity will start aboard the Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises brands. 

Carnival is the world’s largest cruise company, so it makes sense that they are committed to providing their guests with fast internet. Their ongoing strategy is to provide their guests with the best Wi-Fi experience at sea by tripling bandwidth fleet-wide since 2019. 

Last week, the latest move in this connectivity strategy was signing an agreement with SpaceX’s Starlink to provide next-generation internet connectivity across its global fleet. 

Starlink utilises LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite technology, providing faster service, greater capacity and more reliable Wi-Fi on a global scale. 

Rollout of Starlink connectivity on board cruise ships has begun

December last year saw the beginning of the Starlink rollout across their Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruise fleet of ships. 

They have plans to extend Starlink connectivity to more of their world-class cruise brands such as Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises (Australia and UK), Cunard, Holland America Line, Costa Cruises and Seabourn. 

Until recently, at-sea experiences of Wi-Fi aboard cruise ships were not very comparable to on-land connectivity. By signing with Starlink, Carnival are greatly improving their on-board connectivity for guests (and crew) by offering the best available Wi-Fi experience – Rivalling even on-land connectivity. 

In an age where the majority of people expect to be able to connect whilst on holiday, this is big news. How can guests share their holiday snaps with friends and family back home if they’ve got patchy Wi-Fi? 

Guests may also find that they would like to stream movies back in their cabin via Netflix or watch specific sports matches live – Buffering is not an option. 

Starlink to provide cruise guests and crew with home-level connectivity whilst at sea

CEO of Carnival Corporation, Josh Weinstein says:

“For many of our guests, it has become more and more important to maintain the type of connectivity at sea that they’ve become accustomed to at home, and of course to share the unforgettable experiences of their cruise with friends and family.

“We are in the business of delivering happiness, and Starlink makes it as easy as possible for our guests to share all their great moments and memories, giving them even more joy out of their cruise vacation.”

Not only does this new-generation Wi-Fi bring more joy to guests, but it will also enable Carnival brands to offer new guest services and features – All through added bandwidth.

And it’s not just the guests that will be seeing the benefits of Starlink connectivity on board. The increased bandwidth will also help at an operational level with things like onboard equipment monitoring as well as real-time communications between teams on ship and on the shore. 

Whatsmore, Carnival isn’t just about bringing joy to their guests at sea but their crew too. Guests aren’t the only ones that want to stay in touch with friends and family back home whilst they’re aboard the ship – Their crew members also want to do the same. Starlink’s innovative satellite technology will enable them to do just this. 

Starlink thrilled to bring high-speed broadband to remote waters

Vice President of Sales for SpaceX Starlink, Jonathan Hofeller says:

“High-speed, low-latency broadband internet is critical in our modern age, and we’re excited to provide Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA’s guests an internet experience that makes their travel even more enjoyable.

“In even the most remote waters, guests onboard Carnival Corporation ships will be able to share real-time updates with friends and family.”

Carnival already has a portfolio of world-class communications service and technology providers for their ships – Satellite and otherwise. Starlink are the latest provider to join this growing group of pioneering tech providers. 

Carnival remains the industry leader for their connectivity, fleet wide. Their global presence sees almost 100 ships visit over 700 ports worldwide. It’s little wonder they are innovative in their attitude to connectivity, using a multi-provider approach with a framework strategically designed to optimise their network speeds and route internet traffic aboard their fleet anywhere in the world. 

Our resident Wi-Fi expert and CEO Steve is a bit of an avid cruise goer. He’s excited to check out first hand how Starlink next-generation satellite Wi-Fi will enhance the guest experience aboard these cruise ships. 

To read more about this new-generation Wi-Fi aboard Carnival cruise ships, you can visit their website: www.carnivalcorp.com or  www.carnival.com.

We’re Experts in Starlink Installations

Of course, cruise ships aren’t the only industry that can benefit from Starlink satellite connectivity. There are plenty of places on land that could see an improvement in internet speeds by using Starlink technology. 

As experts in Starlink installation, do get in touch with us here at Geekabit if you think your rural business or outdoor event could benefit from satellite broadband. We’d be more than happy to chat through the options and see if Starlink satellite technology could transform your connectivity. 

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Radio Frequency RF WLAN
Myth Buster: WLAN’s and Radio Frequency

Have you ever wondered about certain myths about radio frequency that seem to pervade the WLAN world? Then this could be the blog for you. We certainly come across a lot of people who have a particular mindset when it comes to wireless networks and how they work. 

In this blog we’re going to take a look at some of the common beliefs people hold about radio frequency and dispel the myths. 

Do higher frequencies travel as far as lower frequencies? 

Yes. A common misconception is that higher frequencies don’t travel as far as lower frequencies, but this is not the case. Regardless of frequency, RF signals travel the same distance. The confusion comes from it seeming at a surface level that lower frequencies travel further.

But actually it’s due to attenuation. In space, a high frequency gamma ray with a frequency of approximately 1020 Hz (1 nanometer wavelength) can travel billions of miles, even lightyears, from neutron stars here to us on earth. Regardless of frequency, there is no attenuation of the radio wave so it travels an equal distance.

Here on earth, the distance RF goes (or is heard) is determined by how much is absorbed or attenuated. We need to take into account what the radio waves have to go through.

So when we’re thinking about longer wavelengths (lower frequency):
– There are less wavelengths to get through an object
– Less wavelengths are therefore absorbed
– The signal is less degraded

For these reasons, lower frequencies appear to go further.

Just to confuse things a bit further – Here’s an inconsistency with the above. In terms of 2-way radio, it’s a commonly known fact that UHF frequencies (450-470MHz) work better in an indoor environment than VHF (150MHz). But didn’t we just say that lower frequencies appear to travel further because less are absorbed? Yet here we are saying this type of higher frequency works better indoors.

In terms of size, the wavelength for VHF frequencies are about 6 feet and the wavelength of UHF frequencies are about 2 feet.

In an indoor environment, things like windows and doors are generally larger than the UHF wavelength and smaller than the VHF wavelength. This means that the attenuation for UHF is less.

What’s interesting is that if you increase the frequency, for example to 900MHz, the even shorter wavelength begins to have an increase in attenuation from things that are not windows and doors attenuating the signal more than the smaller frequency.

The UHF at 450MHz is the optimum frequency for an indoor environment.

For the tech geeks out there that are thinking – Hang on, what about UHF radios having higher gain antennas than VHF? Whilst that is indeed true, the dB gain difference isn’t enough to explain why the UHF does so much better indoors.

So let’s go back to where we started. It is a misconception to say that lower frequencies travel further than higher frequencies. However, it is true that higher frequencies (smaller wavelengths) are attenuated more than lower frequencies. It is also true that designing antenna systems that can receive higher frequencies at a greater distance is somewhat more challenging.

Does Free-Space Path Loss Increase with Frequency?


Not necessarily, despite common beliefs. If you are using a Free-Space Path Loss (or FSPL) calculator, it will assume that you are maintaining the same wavelength proportionally sized antenna as you lower the frequency. In other words, you are changing only the frequency so just one variable. You are not changing the antenna size.

When you lower the frequency, you aren’t seeing that the antenna is also getting bigger at the same time.

Decreasing the frequency whilst not increasing the size of the antenna would mean that the dB gain would decrease accordingly and the overall system gain would remain the same.

If you adjust both the frequency and the antenna size correctly then the FSPL stays the same.

However, there are scenarios where FSPL can increase with frequency. In the real world, buildings and other structures in free space will absorb more energy for higher frequencies as we’ve said above. Higher frequencies have smaller wavelengths and more attenuation. When buildings are in the path, path loss can increase with frequency.

Can increasing output power be a solution?


Many people think that increasing output power can never be a solution and that you must match your AP to client power.

Actually, an AP’s receiver us usually better than a client device. In addition to this, the MRC (maximal ratio combining) means that you should be able to allow for at least 3dB better radio receiver which can also mean 3dB more AP radio transmitter to balance things out.

Did you know that it’s actually okay to have asymmetrical MCS rates with downstream being higher than upstream? (the Modulation Coding Scheme helps us engineers to understand data rates and evaluate RF environments).

In a typical WLAN, users will be doing more downloading than uploading. Having a higher average MCS rate for users, they will be quicker to get on and off the wireless network, which increases the overall performance.

In most cases, it’s okay to have AP power at 15-17dBm.

In terms of Point-to-Point links, you could find that turning up the power is an easy way to boost performance. In addition, Mesh backhaul links between AP’s could benefit from higher power by increasing the average MCS rates between them. 

What is this not going to solve? Poor design and holes in coverage. You also need to bear in mind potential co-channel interference and being a good neighbour. We’re not saying turn up the power to crazy levels, but generally turning up the power by a few decibels could help your network. 

Does Wi-Fi 6E have more frequency space (1200MHz) than other unlicensed bands?

Let’s talk about the 60GHz band. One 802.11ad / 802.11ay channel has more RF bandwidth than combining all of the 900MHz, 2.4GHz, 5GHz, Wi-Fi 6E and 24GHz bands.

If you double the RF bandwidth will it double the throughput?

This is not always the case. You might find that the physical baseband layer (PHY) doubles but the actual throughput is less likely to do so. 

If you narrow the channel by half, then the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) increases by 3dB – Possibly even more if there are other sources of interference. An improvement of 3dB in SNR generally means an increase of 1 to 2 MCS rates.

It’s also true in reverse. If you double the RF bandwidth the SNR will be reduced by 3dB, generally reducing the MCS rate by 1 or 2. 

So, doubling the RF bandwidth doesn’t automatically mean you double the throughput but likely somewhere in-between. 

Throughput will only be doubled if full MCS rates are maintained either way and:

  • The link is strong
  • There is extra SNR beyond what is needed for the maximum MCS rate

Imagine an outdoor Point-to-Point scenario where the RF bandwidth was reduced from 40MHz down to 20MHz. By narrowing the RF bandwidth, the SNR increased and interference was reduced. The MCS rate increased which made up for the throughput that was lost from narrowing the RF bandwidth – In essence, increasing the throughput by reducing the RF bandwidth. Interesting!

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Event Internet Live Events Rural Broadband Satellite Broadband Satellite Internet SpaceX Starlink
Ultrafast Broadband Satellites: SpaceX Launch Starlink v2 

You may have read our previous blogs on Starlink – the satellite broadband internet system from Elon Musk’s SpaceX. This low latency internet option is ideal for rural areas and consists of a constellation of small satellites in a low earth orbit, working with transceivers on the ground.

Last month, SpaceX launched its second generation of Starlink Block v2.0 satellites into Low Earth Orbit. 54 of these satellites have now joined the rest of the constellation, hopefully resulting in multiple improvements to the service, including:

  • Better capacity and faster broadband speeds
  • Better coverage
  • Improved network reliability
  • Delivery of mobile phone services from space

What do Starlink customers pay and what service do they get?

UK Starlink customers generally pay about £75 per month, plus the cost of the standard home kit at £460 (including the standard dish and router) in addition to a £40 shipping fee.

The standard Starlink package includes:

  • Unlimited usage
  • Fast latency times (25-50ms)
  • Download speeds of 50-200Mbps
  • Upload speeds of 5-15Mbps

With the latest number of subscribers currently at around 1 million – Double what it was just over 6 months ago) it looks like it’s becoming increasingly in demand. It is worth noting that the speeds quoted above may change as the network grows. 

What does the latest Starlink launch mean?

Starlink now has about 3,370 satellites in a Low Earth Orbit at an altitude of around 500km. The aim is to have 4,400 LEO satellites deployed by 2024. They also have approval to launch another 7,500 by the end of 2027. 

Interestingly, this latest Starlink launch looks like it includes an experimental batch of GEN2 satellites. These second generation satellites aren’t what tech experts were expecting to see as part of the launch, hence why they are being viewed as somewhat experimental. 

These trial satellites include some of the improvements wireless engineers were hoping to see from satellite broadband. 

Originally, the plan was for the second generation satellites to be launched on board their Starship rocket. These satellites would have seen the following enhancements:

  • Bigger – 7m long unfolded and 1,250kg
  • Lasers for inter-satellite links
  • Ability to use more spectrum bandwidth (e.g. the V band)
  • Reductions in brightness through dielectric film
  • Larger antenna
  • More power and support for connecting 4G and 5G smartphones from space (mobile broadband for voice and data) through twin solar array

However, unfortunately the Starship rocket still isn’t ready. As this would have been the only economically viable way to launch that version of second generation satellites, Starlink decided to adapt these Gen2’s so that they could launch with the Falcon9 rockets which is what we saw in December. 

These adapted GEN2’s are actually more similar in form to the first generation satellites. They are smaller than originally planned (just over 300m each) hence why they were able to launch earlier than waiting for the Starship rocket. 

Which features are being tested with this set of GEN 2 satellites? It’s not too clear, but likely to include enhancements related to Starlink’s acquisition of SWARm Technologies. Their tiny pico satellites were for connecting small IoT devices, utilised for agricultural sensors, buoys in the sea and smart energy metres. 

Whilst we may not be getting all the benefits that would be expected from GEN2 in this current form, SpaceX are preparing something intermediary in the form of a v2 mini which will weigh around 800kg and be 4.1m x 2.7m in size. Benefits such as improved bandwidth are likely to come along with this form. 

Why are we interested in the latest Starlink satellite launch?

Here at Geekabit we strive to offer the very best wireless broadband connectivity to our clients – Wherever they are based.

With this in mind, we will be starting to offer Starlink satellite internet for hire. This will be especially useful for those running temporary events like festivals, rural press launches, sports events and film crews.

All events depend on excellent communications and we are passionate about providing reliable internet access for some of the most prestigious events names in the UK. Keeping you connected is our passion.

For more information and to find the best solution to suit your internet needs, please get in touch with one of our event Wi-Fi experts – We’re here to get you connected. 

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