My Computer Mechanic

6 Ways to Improve Your Wireless Network

Based on article by Tom Kaneshige, CIO.com

Think back a few years ago, and you'd be hard pressed to find an individual carrying more than one mobile device. Now just about everyone has a Smartphone, laptop and maybe even a handheld barcode scanner or other wireless device. Wireless devices also have taken on a greater role in the workplace.

Organizations in higher education and healthcare tend to rely heavily on their wireless networks. The average college student carries four or five wireless devices. Students and faculty at Florida State College want iPads for e-books and PDF handouts, as well as other uses.

The iPad and other wireless devices have also found a foothold inside hospitals, which isn't a surprise given the inherent mobility of nurses and doctors. After all, hospitals are the birthplace of the pager. On the flip side, financial services tend to lag behind when it comes to wireless network upgrades to the latest and greatest technologies. That's because concerns over wireless security have kept technology adoption at bay.

So what should an individual or small business do to improve your wireless network?

1. Fill Coverage Holes Today people move around in their homes and in the office. They want to use their computers where ever it is most convenient. However, just putting up one wireless router or access point may not be enough. It is possible with the use of range extenders, multiple access points, or a more powerful router to provide full home of office wireless coverage.

2. Got Weak Signals? Older devices - namely, those that don't support the latest wireless standard, 802.11n - have a harder time hearing the signal from the access point. And, structural and environmental issues can cause problems with signal strength. If your router is more than 4-5 years old consider replacing it. While you probably don't want to change the structure of your home or office, just moving the wireless router around could improve signal strength.

3. Disable Really Old Technology Let's face it, sometimes really old technology just needs to be turned off. Devices that support the first wireless standard, 802.11b, are just too slow and drag down overall performance of a wireless network.

4. Go with the Higher Frequency Wireless operates in two unlicensed frequencies, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Some devices are dual-band that can operate in either frequency. The 5 GHz frequency is much cleaner so make sure you connect your devices as frequently as possible into the 5 GHz frequency.

5. Are Wireless Devices Secure? They are as long as they are properly configured with the right authentication protocols. In English this means to make sure that your wireless router is using encrypted signals, where you and anyone else that you want to use your wireless signal has to sign in. Don't let a neighbor or business that is located close by "ride on your wireless."

6. Clean up the Air Space If you're experiencing poor performance with your wireless network, it could mean that you need to clean up the airspace. Microwave ovens, cordless telephones, Bluetooth devices, wireless speaker, baby monitors, and garage door openers can be cluttering one of the frequencies. Keep wireless devices as far away as possible from these other devices. Also, you can change the frequency on which you are broadcasting. Call us and we'll help with this one.