A mobile hotspot is a feature that allows someone to turn their smartphone into an access point (AP), providing internet access to a laptop or tablet or other mobile device when no WiFi network is available. It might seem handy, but this feature has caused absolute havok in schools. How? Consider this scenario. A student, …
It’s important to understand how well your Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) performs when it’s at its busiest, as this shows the true strengths and weaknesses of a network. WiFi is a resilient protocol, which means it has the ability to continue providing an acceptable level of service even when there are issues or challenges …
Schools take wireless network security seriously. They ensure that each Access Point (AP) is configured with the proper security profile so that the only devices that can connect are those allowed to have access to the network. But what if one or two APs get configured with the wrong security? Suddenly, the network is vulnerable. …
This is the tale of the unknown AP and the Wireless Intelligence Platform™ (WIP) that unmasked it. The AP thought itself clever, sneaking onto the same WiFi channel used by a nearby school’s APs and cackling to itself. It knew that it was stealing bandwidth needed by the school’s APs, and that students could experience …
When a wireless problem is reported, no matter how big or small it might seem, network administrators must take a systematic approach to solving it. This systematic approach streamlines the resolution process, helping an administrator define, isolate, and solve the issue in a faster time. For the first step, defining the problem, we recommend answering …
Access points (APs) are devices that provide WiFi coverage to a certain area. They create a wireless local area network (WLAN) that mobile devices (laptops, smartphones, IoT devices, etc.) search for and connect to in order to have WiFi access. Since APs provide wireless coverage, it can be tempting to think that the best way …
WiFi access is shared over airwaves, meaning in a multi-tenant building the biggest challenge to your network might be airspace interference from another company’s network. Interference comes in two forms: WiFi, for example, multiple APs operating on the same channel or frequency band; or non-WiFi interference, such as radio waves from microwaves. The worst thing …
On September 6, RCR Wireless shared an article, Test and Measurement: IT network ‘brown-outs’ are costly and common, Netrounds finds. The article defines brown-outs as unexpected and unintentional drops in network quality. Surveyed companies reported that damage costs from these drops – covering direct costs of restoration, lost productivity and revenue, and customer “badwill” costs …
WiFi Assurance means more than delivering an optimized wireless network. It means providing predictable, reliable, high-performance wireless communications with no surprises, no suddenly dropped connections, no mysteriously delayed responses. WiFi Assurance solutions consistently deliver unprecedented visibility into the dynamic nature of wireless networks, helping make networks, and the businesses they support, faster and stronger. To …
You may have heard that we have entered the fourth industrial revolution. What does that mean exactly? The first industrial revolution started in textile factories hundreds of years ago; the second affected everything from steel to motor cars; and the third brought us computers. Today, the fourth industrial revolution includes artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing, …
With the mHealth market size projected to reach $102.43 billion by 2022, and 70% of healthcare organizations using IoT technology, it’s easy to see that WiFi is as prevalent and important in the healthcare industry as in any other. However, this industry has unique wireless needs, and faces distinctive challenges in ensuring optimum network health. …