3 Common Ways to Improve WiFi Performance and Streamline Troubleshooting

WiFi connections are more important today than they’ve ever been before, especially in the modern office. The performance and capabilities of WiFi have improved exponentially within the past few years, allowing businesses the added luxury of using wireless technology in the office. Unfortunately, the more access points for your network, the more effort that’s needed to keep it up-to-date and maintained.

Getting the most out of your company’s WiFi signal is imperative to keeping productivity up and downtime at a minimum. Having effective troubleshooting procedures can help your company get back in action as soon as the signal is disconnected. This is especially important if your team relies on the wireless connection to get their work done throughout the day. Here are three tips to help you troubleshoot and understand common WiFi problems.

Plan Your Wireless Network for Growth
One reason your company might be losing WiFi signal is due to unforeseen growth. When your business grows, it’s usually seen as a good thing. However, too many devices accessing the network could be putting too much strain on it and slow it down.

For example, a company is still using its same wireless network from five years ago. That company has since grown to be about twice its original size with unprecedented network traffic. Now, the signal frequently drops due to its inability to meet the number of devices accessing the network. This is a bad case of growing pains.

For this purpose, it’s important to plan ahead for your wireless network and anticipate growth. According to Info-Tech Research Group, businesses who want to optimize their networks for growth should follow this advice:

Building for capacity typically lessens the chance of coverage gaps and issues related to building materials, channel allocations, power levels, and more. Specifically, assume every user will connect three devices to the wireless network, though this will increase in coming years.

One other thing to watch out for is developing technology trends. For example, wearable devices will be able to connect to certain networks. It’s important to consider whether or not your office is equipped to handle new trends in the industry. If adjustments aren’t made to handle an increase in workload, downtime caused by dropped WiFi can cost your business a pretty penny. Therefore, one of the first steps you can take toward getting the most out of your WiFi signal is to see how many devices are attempting to connect. If you require assistance updating your network, XFER can give you a hand.

Interference Can Be a Pain
WiFi signal can be a fickle thing. One second you’ll have perfect service, and the next it can drop. Environmental interference can be a problem. For example, wall thickness and building materials can snuff out your WiFi signal. You might notice that your signal is weakest at particular points throughout your company’s building. If it’s preventing your business from getting things done, you should either consider moving your wireless router to a better location, or extend the reach of it. XFER can help you upgrade your router or find the best location for it.

Combine Your Wireless and Wired Networks
Many organizations tend to treat their wireless and wired networks as different entities with separate management and solutions. This can complicate troubleshooting issues with the network, as one fix might work for your wired and not for the wireless. It could even open up the possibility for a data breach, if you’re not careful.

When initially setting up your network, it might be cheaper to put two into place. However, the upkeep costs for two networks undoubtedly becomes both expensive and time-consuming. Processor magazine states, “Although it involves upfront costs, upgrading wired and wireless aspects at the same time and running them on the same management system addresses the issues. Such solutions include managed cloud offerings.”

XFER’s professional IT technicians have what it takes to maximize the WiFi signal of your network to ensure proper performance for the future. We can even monitor and maintain your company’s wireless network for issues that should be taken care of, thus minimizing costly downtime. Give us a call at 734-927-6666 / 800-GET-XFER to learn more about what XFER can do for your company’s technology.