Wireless local area networks (WLANs) are a convenient and flexible way to connect devices and users in a network. However, they also pose some challenges for ensuring accessibility, reliability, and security. In this article, you will learn some of the best ways to optimize your WLAN performance and avoid common issues.
One of the first steps to ensure WLAN accessibility is to choose the right wireless standard for your network. Wireless standards are protocols that define how data is transmitted and received over the airwaves. They vary in terms of speed, range, frequency, and compatibility. The most common wireless standards are 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax. Each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on your network needs and environment. For example, 802.11ax (also known as Wi-Fi 6) is the latest and fastest standard, but it may not be compatible with older devices or routers. Therefore, you should consider factors such as bandwidth, coverage, interference, and device support when choosing the best wireless standard for your WLAN.
To ensure wireless LAN accessibility, start by selecting the appropriate wireless standard based on your requirements. Consider factors like coverage area, data transfer speeds, and compatibility with existing devices. Options include Wi-Fi standards such as 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax, each offering different performance levels. Assess your organization's needs and infrastructure to determine the most suitable standard. Additionally, ensure compatibility with devices and future scalability to accommodate increasing demands.
When possible, consider choosing the relatively newer standard, as it usually comes with more features to improve throughput or reliability. But be careful with the latest standard. Usually, it took quite some time to get compatibility issues between different vendors identified and fixed.
To ensure wireless LAN accessibility: 1. Ensure adequate coverage and placement of access points. 2. Implement strong security measures like encryption and password protection. 3. Configure Quality of Service for optimal performance. 4. Perform regular maintenance and updates. 5. Set up a segregated guest network. 6. Manage bandwidth usage effectively. 7. Monitor the network for performance and security issues. 8. Educate users on best practices. 9. Implement redundancy for failover. 10. Optimize performance through channel settings and interference minimization.
Another important factor that affects WLAN accessibility is your router placement and configuration. Your router is the device that broadcasts and receives the wireless signals from your devices. Therefore, you should place it in a central and elevated location, away from walls, metal objects, or other sources of interference. You should also adjust your router settings to improve its performance and security. For example, you can change the default network name (SSID) and password, update the firmware, enable encryption, and select the optimal channel and frequency for your network. You can also use tools such as Wi-Fi analyzers or speed tests to monitor your router signal strength and quality.
If possible, using AP floor planning tool to decide where the APs should be placed. In certain cases, also pay attention to the type of the antenna being used.
Sometimes, your router may not be able to cover the entire area of your network, especially if you have a large or complex layout. This can result in dead zones, weak signals, or dropped connections. To avoid these problems, you can extend your wireless range and coverage using devices such as repeaters, extenders, or mesh systems. These devices can amplify or relay the wireless signals from your router to your devices, creating a more consistent and seamless network. However, you should also be careful not to create too much overlap or interference between the devices, as this can degrade your network performance. You should also ensure that the devices are compatible with your router and wireless standard.
Follow the AP floor planning tool's guidance if possible. Blindly adding more AP or increasing transmitting powers may make things even worse.
Another challenge for ensuring WLAN accessibility is to manage your network traffic and bandwidth. Network traffic is the amount of data that flows through your network, while bandwidth is the capacity of your network to handle the data. If your network traffic exceeds your bandwidth, you may experience slow speeds, congestion, or latency. To prevent this, you can use various methods to optimize your network traffic and bandwidth. For example, you can prioritize your network activities based on their importance and urgency, such as streaming video or gaming over browsing or downloading. You can also limit the number of devices or users that connect to your network, or use quality of service (QoS) features to allocate bandwidth to different applications or devices.
With wireless network, besides the network bandwidth utilization, also pay attention to the channel utilization. It indicates the available time slots in those Wi-Fi channels, which will in turn affect the throughput of the devices. When channels are over utilized, it's like the congestion in wired network.
Finally, one of the most critical aspects of ensuring WLAN accessibility is to secure your wireless network and devices. Wireless networks are more vulnerable to attacks and breaches than wired networks, as hackers can intercept or spoof the wireless signals. Therefore, you should take measures to protect your network and devices from unauthorized access or malicious activity. For example, you can use strong passwords, encryption, firewalls, antivirus software, and VPNs to secure your data and identity. You can also disable features such as remote access, guest access, or WPS that may expose your network to potential risks. You should also regularly scan your network and devices for any signs of compromise or infection.
When using a multi-AP solution, consider back-haul the traffic via wired network if possible. If there is no way, using a dedicated channel.