A WLAN controller’s auto-channel capability can be used to manage the wireless channels used by all the Access Points (APs) in a network. This can be a great way to ensure all APs select optimum channels based on usage and interference levels, but it does require some monitoring. Some APs don’t recognize RF interference and […]
School networks are being forced to change and adapt faster than ever. They must accept not only today’s future technology, but also prepare for the future’s future technology. But since we don’t know exactly what the future holds, how are schools supposed to prepare? What is IT supposed to take into account when designing next […]
From a user’s point of view, any issue with connecting to the Internet is an issue with the WiFi. Users turn to each other and complain that the WiFi is down again, and that’s what they expect IT to fix. But anyone working in IT knows that the WiFi is only one part of a […]
Wireless printers seem like a great option. They allow users to print from multiple different devices in multiple different locations, giving an ease of use perhaps not felt with wired printers. However, they might be negatively impacting your network performance. How? Many wireless printers send out beacons just like Access Points. These beacons are […]
Channel interference is a common problem, and you’ve read about it at Wyebot before. Our previous post discussed interference on the 5GHz spectrum. Today we want to address issues with the 2.4GHz spectrum. Typically we see schools place one AP in every classroom, as well as several in hallways or other common areas. There are […]
SSIDs (service set identifiers) are, in non-technical terms, the names of WiFi networks. These are the names that pop up when you try to log onto the WiFi in a coffee shop, hotel, or business. Each SSID creates its own overhead (network traffic) as it transmits probes and beacons to devices, and receives probes. In […]
A private school in Massachusetts had around 100 Access Points (AP) and very few WiFi complaints – except for when it came to their auditorium. WiFi in the auditorium would periodically, and randomly, stop working. The school’s technical director and network engineer would reboot the AP and everything would work for several hours or days, […]
A school’s building department wanted to conserve energy and purchased 1000 IoT wall plugs. Different devices, such as printers, can be plugged into the IoT plugs, and the IoT plugs in turn plugged into a standard outlet. Like all IoT devices, the plug can be controlled via WiFi using an app. The building department planned […]
Many K-12 schools today consist of multiple buildings spread across a campus: different classroom buildings, sports facilities, auditoriums, etc. When it comes to the wireless network, each separate building will have its own subnet and scope of IP addresses, and a unique set of connected devices. In addition, the backend network infrastructure, which could include […]
Most wireless LAN controllers have a functionality referred to as IDS/IPS (intrusion detection system/intrusion prevention system). The IDS monitors a network and sends alerts to administrators if there is an attack while the IPS goes a step further and automatically takes action to prevent attacks. Using the functionality, Access Points (APs) can be programmed to […]
