Just about all modern businesses rely on the Internet—especially the wireless kind—for at least part of their day-to-day operations. This means that there is a direct correlation between the strength and speed of their connection and the amount of productivity they can experience as a result of this connection. As your business grows, it is incredibly important to think about your Wi-Fi setup and how you can support its continued growth. Let’s go over the process for properly scaling your wireless network to accommodate its growth.
Identify What Your Needs Are
Your business needs to scale its Wi-Fi solution in the way that best addresses its current shortcomings and limitations. Therefore, you must make a concerted effort to understand your current needs and goals. Consider factors such as how many users will need the network at any given time, how the traffic will be dispersed throughout the office space and across the network, and how much bandwidth these processes will take up.
Once you have these details ironed out, you will be in a much better position to make the appropriate changes to your network. This might include access points, bandwidth, or connectivity.
Establish Your Current Capabilities
Before making any other changes to your Wi-Fi network or adding any access points, you should first determine what you can accomplish with your current setup. A site survey should give you a decent idea of where you stand in this regard, and with this baseline for your existing technology’s performance, you can move forward with intention. You should have information on how many devices you can expect to host at maximum capacity, as well as where the dead zones in your office are located.
While adding access points can help address dead zones, it is considered a best practice to minimize the number of access points your business’ Wi-Fi connection has. This is done for the simple fact that it cuts down on interference and decreases the security risks. A Wi-Fi analyzer can help you place your access points in a way that maximizes coverage without interference.
Furthermore, if you can use wired connections, it might be worth doing so to further minimize your bandwidth challenges.
Adjust Your Existing Connections
You can also adjust the range that your access points can reach, providing your business with enough signal without extending it into the surrounding areas. Proper use of these features can keep unauthorized users from accessing your wireless network. You can also slightly extend your wireless signals just beyond your location’s walls, such as into your parking lot, a secondary building, or other locations as needed.
Do you have any questions about extending your wireless network? NDYNAMICS can help. Just give us a call at 408-927-8700 to learn more.
