Without question, Wi-Fi is among the most significant impact players on businesses all over the globe.
When we remember to return to the era of dial-up in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it’s easy to overlook the many advantages of Wi-Fi.
We want Wi-Fi to be available everywhere we go, particularly in the workplace, and we want it to be decent.
That’s not always the provider’s or the actual router’s issue if the Wi-Fi isn’t working. It’s possible. There are slays of other factors involved that can affect the strength and efficiency of your Wi-Fi.
However, performing a Wi-Fi analysis will help in identifying how your Wi-Fi is set up. This may affect the quality and stability of your connections, so it’s crucial to recognize and identify potential problems.
What is Wi-Fi Site Survey?
A Wi-Fi site survey, often known as an RF (Radio Frequency) site survey, is the method of planning and building a Wi-Fi router to achieve the requisite wireless coverage, transfer speeds, increasing network, roaming capability, and quality of Service (QoS).
The purpose of a Wi-Fi site survey is to balance the primary Wi-Fi data input with any modifications which have happened in the meantime, such as extra systems installed or recent construction that may influence the signals.
What is the Purpose of a Wi-Fi Site Survey?
When your Wi-Fi isn’t working properly, it’s a good idea to conduct a site survey.
Site surveys aid in the evaluation of Wi-Fi efficiency and the identification of areas where the strength might increase. A survey assures the quality of the signals and even coverage places, and also discovers dead spots and network interference, with both the increasing series of individual Wi-Fi devices, IoT devices growing incredibly common, and occasional building modifications.
Installing the NetSpot software will make site surveying much simpler and faster. It will not just allow you to evaluate Wi-Fi coverage, but it also assists you in planning your complete wireless router and troubleshooting any issues that arise.
How to Perform Wi-Fi Site Survey
Here are steps that can enable you to perform a Wi-Fi site survey when using Netspot software.
Examine the building layouts. If your building doesn’t have plan layouts, you can create them with NetSpot’s Wi-Fi planning tool or upload actual plans. This is useful if you are not working from your home — for example, at a corporate office — and need to figure out where to stay to have the fastest internet service.
In a plan layout, you want to see if any impediments could obstruct or interact with radio transmissions. Walls, ceilings, floors, corridors, doors, and elevators are all potential sources of problems.
1. Determine where Access Point should be Located.
Any area requiring an internet connection should have an access point to provide the Wi-Fi coverage that users expect and demand to function effectively. This includes not only the position of routers but also the wiring of power and network cables to connect the APs.
Installing APs at a height — as near to the ceiling as you can — will provide a significant result. At ceiling height, there are fewer obstacles, allowing a better signal to reach the gadgets below. However, APs should not be installed above the ceiling, as ductwork, piping, and fixtures will interfere with the signal.
2. Determine the Number of Access Point you’ll Require.
A signal strength radius of 300 feet is possible with today’s routers. However, except you live in a massive open-plan building, it will be rare for you to get this kind of coverage. Let your expectations be within a 100-foot radius for better results.
If you have APs already installed, NetSpot will locate them and perform a signal quality check as it is the best tool for a Wi-Fi site survey. Next, determine if more routers are needed.
3. Carryout Coverage Testing
Walking all-around your office or home with a laptop in hand and noting the signal strength as you get further is the quickest way to assess coverage. However, iStat Menus, which provides real-time information on upload/download speeds, is a far more accurate method.
You’ll have easy accessibility to a Wi-Fi heat mapper that can instantly discover where APs are failing and reporting any signal dark spots when you use NetSpot’s network mapping tool.
4. Troubleshoot and Test the Network
Where the AP signal strength is weakening can be determined by running a coverage test by relocating the APs, installing extra hardware where necessary, and retesting. On an old TV or radio, it’s similar to changing the antenna to get a good signal. Continue tinkering until you find the spot.
Test again when the AP locations have been changed. It can take a while, but it’ll be good for all your devices’ connection indicators to show full bars.
5. Additional Testing Should be Scheduled.
Wi-Fi, regrettably, is always at the risk of its surroundings. Wi-Fi requirements will shift as your company expands. Additional sectors will be established, rooms will be rearranged, walls will be built, and macs will be installed. These factors, as well as your new internet-connected appliances, including kettle, will affect your wireless signal.
Tips to Solve Wi-Fi Problems
- It is necessary to reboot the router/modem. A hard reset helps your modem and router to correct any faults that are shutting or slowing them down momentarily.
- Your internet service provider has a data cap, so check to see if your service provider has a data limit. If this is the case, your ISP may have restricted your connections because you exceeding them.
- There is a need for updates. Your device may require a software update. In most situations, all you have to do is connect your Wi-Fi to a computer through an Ethernet wire and download updates from the product page directly from the manufacturer’s website.
- It’s time to clear the cache. Data that has accumulated can be a burden on your connection. Delete the browsing history and cache on devices like laptops or PC that connect to your Wi-Fi if you’ve not done it recently.
- It is necessary to use an ad blocker. Installing an ad blocker is among the most efficient ways to boost your browsing experience.
Conclusion
Performing a wireless site survey using the NetSpot software at least two to three times a year, or whenever any noticeable changes take place within your home or office, is recommended.
Note: The internet speeds you get within your home are mostly determined by your Wi-Fi router. Either of these suggestions can assist you with a better home Wi-Fi connection and quicker internet access at home and office.
