If you find yourself frustrated with the speed and reliability of your office Wi-Fi, you aren’t alone. Even though the technology has been around for a decade and a half, it hasn’t always been a perfect solution. Modern wireless solutions have evolved a lot over the last few years, so if you are dealing with slow, unreliable connections, it’s likely time for an upgrade.
What’s New in the Wireless World of Wi-Fi?
We’re slowly seeing the adoption of 5G for cellular networks, which promises faster speeds and more bandwidth. We’ve seen much of the Greater Boston area get upgraded to 5G networks for Sprint/T-Mobile and AT&T. Verizon’s 5G coverage is starting to grow as well. Modern smartphones and other devices that are 5G ready can take advantage of these faster connections that are often comparable to residential internet speeds.
Similar to the move to 5G, Wi-Fi routers have been adopting new technologies as well. Wi-Fi 6 is the current generation of Wi-Fi. Also known as 802.11ax, Wi-Fi 6 is faster than previous generations, but more importantly, it is able to perform even when there are a lot of devices connected to it. Wi-Fi 6 is designed to “talk” with more devices at once without degrading in performance. This is ideal for offices and locations that offer public Wi-Fi for multiple guests at once, but we’re also seeing it become a staple in homes as more and more people adopt smart technologies that all connect to Wi-Fi.
In other words, if you feel like your wireless is constantly letting you down, it’s probably because you are using older technology that doesn’t take advantage of Wi-Fi 6’s biggest advantage.
Wi-Fi 6 has been around since mid-to-late 2019, so if your network equipment is older than that, you simply aren’t taking advantage of it. Even then, if you have newer access points and routers, they might not be configured properly to take advantage of the standard.
Wi-Fi 7 is on the Horizon
Wi-Fi 7, also known as 802.11n, has just started to be implemented by manufacturers early this year. Wi-Fi 7’s big advantage is in speed and range. We’re just starting to see the first Wi-Fi 7 commercial routers hit the market, but the new technology has yet to mature like Wi-Fi 6 has.
It will likely be a year or more before most businesses will want to adopt the 802.11n standard, but Wi-Fi 6 is definitely worth the investment.
Check Before You Buy
Don’t just run to the store and purchase all new routers and access points for your organization. While modern Wi-Fi is inherently designed to be easy to configure, you’ll want to make sure that it is done so securely to prevent unauthorized access to your network. Nearly everybody has a Wi-Fi enabled device on their person, and many people carry more than one—an insecure wireless network is like leaving a tray of french fries out on the beach in clear sight of the seagulls.
On top of that, the newer Wi-Fi frequencies handle physical obstacles a little differently than older routers and access points. It’s a good idea to run a wireless site survey to establish the optimal number of access points and their positioning to get full coverage in your facilities.
Datalyst is Massachusetts’ Wireless Network Experts
Nobody knows wireless technology like we do. If your business is struggling to stay connected, we can definitely help. Give us a call today at (774) 213-9701.
