It’s Time to Speed Up Wi-Fi
Nothing is more frustrating than a slow internet connection. We’ve all grown accustomed to rapid search results and quick downloads, but when something slows them down, we notice immediately.
Have you ever lost your Wi-Fi signal when you went to one end of the office, or noticed a slowdown in your company’s internet speed after connecting more devices? If these sound familiar, you should know that there are simple solutions to improve your Wi-Fi speed and ensure a stronger connection throughout the workplace.
There are many components that affect the speed and reliability of a company’s Wi-Fi connection, and our trained IT support specialists can identify them better than anyone else. With these tips, you could be surfing the web faster tomorrow.
1. Enterprise-Grade Equipment
First things first – you have to start with the proper equipment.
Enterprise-grade equipment is designed for business usage and can handle a larger load of user demand than consumer-grade Wi-Fi gear.
Enterprise-grade equipment also allows you to place multiple access points (more on that in a minute) throughout the office, which increase the strength of your signal in more locations.
Think about it like this – would you expect the workers of a large restaurant to prepare meals out of an apartment-sized kitchen? Probably not. At the same time, you can’t expect an entire office to run on a limited Wi-Fi system that wasn’t designed to handle more than three or four users at a time.
Enterprise-grade equipment can’t be bought off the shelf of a local electronics store; it has to be purchased through an IT professional. The Wi-Fi experts at Concept Technology can offer recommendations based on what your company needs—ensuring you purchase the right equipment at the best value.
2. Proper Configuration
Okay, so you’ve got the right equipment, but your Wi-Fi is still slow. The next item on the checklist is proper configuration.
It’s important that your Wi-Fi router is located out in the open, away from as many walls and doors as possible. The more barriers it has to broadcast through, the weaker the connection. Routers send signals downward, so it’s best to install them on the ceiling. Positioning the router antennas perpendicular to each other will also increase Wi-Fi reception.
A dual-band access point (2.4 GHz and 5GHz) allows more undisturbed activity on your Wi-Fi channels, freeing up space for more users and devices than on a single band access point.
The right configuration depends on your Wi-Fi setup and device(s) used, so it’s best to have a trained IT specialist assess the issue.
3. Access Points
An access point is the piece of hardware that allows a device to connect to the internet wirelessly. Access points have a tremendous impact on the quality of Wi-Fi in a given area, based on their type, quantity and location(s).
To ensure consistent speed and signal strength, each area of an office—upstairs, downstairs, conference room, etc.—needs at least one access point. Some large areas, with multiple cubicles and offices, need three or more. The more you have, the stronger and faster your connection is—even with multiple devices.
If your company’s Wi-Fi connection is slow or in need of a tune-up, contact one of our trained IT specialists who can help you identify issues and implement the right solutions.
