Frequently Asked Question

• Interference

Interference in Wi-Fi refers to the disruption or degradation of wireless signals due to various external factors. This can occur when multiple devices operate on the same frequency, when physical obstacles block signals, or when other electronic devices emit signals that overlap with Wi-Fi frequencies. Interference can cause slower internet speeds, dropped connections, and overall reduced network performance, making it a critical issue to manage for maintaining a reliable wireless network.

Interference can originate from various sources, affecting Wi-Fi performance in different ways:

Co-channel Interference: Occurs when multiple Wi-Fi networks operate on the same channel, leading to signal overlap and reduced performance. This is common in densely populated areas like apartment buildings.

Adjacent Channel Interference: Happens when Wi-Fi networks use overlapping channels that are close in frequency, causing signal disruption even if they are on different channels.

Physical Obstructions: Materials like walls, floors, and furniture can block or weaken Wi-Fi signals, leading to dead zones or reduced signal strength in certain areas of a building.

Electronic Devices: Non-Wi-Fi devices such as microwave ovens, cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, and baby monitors can emit signals in the same frequency range as Wi-Fi, causing interference.

• Signal Coverage and Dead Zones

Every access point or router in your local area network has a given coverage area. So when we go past that given area, we enter a spot called a dead zone.

Dead zones are places where our signal can’t reach. This can be because of distance to the Wi-Fi router, the materials the building is made out of, and other related issues. With a dead spot, we just aren’t getting any signal at all. Dead spots result from physical obstructions or inadequate router placement for a given space/area, leading to complete signal loss.

• Bandwidth Congestion and Overuse

Network congestion happens when a network experiences more data traffic than it can handle, leading to slower data transmission, increased network latency, and a decline in overall performance. This condition occurs when too many devices are trying to use the same network resources simultaneously, such as bandwidth or processing power, resulting in bottlenecks. It can also be caused by high-bandwidth applications like streaming and gaming.

Network congestion can make it difficult for users to access applications, load web pages, or stream media smoothly. It is a common issue in environments with high user density, such as offices, schools, public Wi-Fi hotspots, and residential areas during peak usage times.

• Device Compatibility Issues

Different devices support different Wi-Fi standards which include 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax (also known as Wi-Fi 6). 

Incompatibility can occur in the following ways;

Wi-Fi Standard Incompatibility: If a device only supports 802.11n and your router is set to 802.11ac, the device might not be able to connect or might experience poor performance.

Security Protocol Mismatch: If your router uses a specific security protocol (e.g., WPA2) and your device doesn't support it, you won't be able to connect.

●Frequency Mismatch: Wi-Fi operates on different frequencies (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), and devices need to support the same frequency band as the network infrastructure that supports them to connect.

Best Practices to curb wireless network challenges.

Plan Proper AP Placement to optimize the Wi=Fi coverage for users across the institution.

Implement capacity upgrades to cater for the given number of users.

Adopt advanced authentication protocols such as WPA2 Enterprise, WPA3 to prevent enchroachment on bandwidth.

Network segmentation and implementation of QoS to prioritize critical applications to optimize bandwidth usage.

Encourage upgrading to Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 5 devices to avoid device compatibility issues.