There are many reasons for slow office wi-fi. If you’ve already spoken with your internet provider and they insist you have sufficient bandwidth and there’s nothing wrong with their equipment, it may be the setup in your facility. Some issues stem from the type or age of your access points. Other times, it’s their configuration or the location of the access points.
How Most Office Wi-Fi Systems Work
This is our favorite way of explaining how most office wireless internet systems are configured:
Imagine 20 people in a circle. Each of them needs to make a phone call that will last about 20 minutes. But, there’s only one phone. The first person gets the phone, makes their call, talks for a minute and then the call drops. They hand the phone to the next person. That person makes their call, the call drops and they hand the phone to the next person. This continues until everyone in the circle finishes their 20-minute phone call.
It would take hours for everyone to finish their phone call. Now, let’s substitute phone for a wi-fi channel. And phone call for data upload or download. When an office wi-fi isn’t properly configured, there aren’t enough channels for everyone to do what they need, when they need it at the speed they expect. Each computer sends or receives a packet of information and then they get back in line. Quite inefficient.
“But We Paid a Professional for Installation”
Many professionals understand how to ensure there aren’t gaps in your office wi-fi. Most even do the math to ensure you have the right number of access points. However, they often fail at tuning each access point. They also don’t always take into consideration the various devices relying on the office wi-fi, only the number of people in the space. That may mean you have enough bandwidth but lack sufficient access points. They also don’t understand how some buildings block signals because of their construction.
Not All Professionals Understand the Intricacies of Wireless Internet
Not only do they not all understand how to properly configure a system, but few have the tools or training to test the system upon installation. Toucan Technology Group is certified by ECSE which means they can evaluate your office wi-fi for the demands of your business. They can make recommendations for solutions and more. Call us today to learn about our network testing services at (317) 376-4874 or fill out our contact form today.
