The Wi-Fi RF Network is the Physical Implementation of a Wi-Fi installation – essential the quantity, type, location and configuration of your Wi-Fi access points.

How Important are Design and Certification of your Wi-Fi RF network?

This is a crucial question – because if your Wi-Fi network isn’t designed to cutting-edge Wi-Fi Network Specifications, your Wi-Fi deployment is likely to fail.

Wi-Fi RF Network Design

Thankfully, we have international standards for physical Ethernet cabling – such as Cat 5e and Cat 6. 

But what about the standards for implementing a Wi-Fi network?

Here’s the shocking fact: there aren’t any ..

It’s hardly surprising therefore that the majority of Wi-Fi networks fail to meet customer expectations.

So, whilst this is already getting uncomfortable, you should ask yourself: to which standards was my Wi-Fi network designed?

Was your network verified or validated to these standards, and what proof did your supplier provide?

Sadly, and from our experience, the answer in most cases is non standards at all.

There may have been mention by your supplier of things such as Signal Strength (e.g. -67 dBm) or Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) (e.g. 25 dB) .. but we can show you how these figures alone are often meaningless and fall far short of guaranteeing a good Wi-Fi network.

If you’re concerned already, then contact us to find out how we can help you deploy optimal Wi-Fi networks.

What are Optimised Wi-Fi Networks?

An Optimised Wi-Fi network is what every organisation needs and deserves – one which is expertly-designed – fit-for-purpose – reliable – and deployed at least cost.

It’s a big subject, but it starts with expert Wi-Fi network Planning and Design.

How to Design a Wi-Fi Network?

Expert Wi-Fi network design requires skills that even in 2024 are in short supply.

The fact is that most vendor-certified suppliers don’t have the necessary skills for competent Wi-Fi network design.

This is a controvertial claim, so feel free to contact us to find out how to Optimised, Fit-for-Purpose Wi-Fi networks should be designed for Guaranteed Coverage, Capacity, Performanceand Reliability.

We’ll also tell you how to cut your CAPEX by typically 30% – no matter which equipment supplier you choose.

What about Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7?

Standards like IEEE 802.11ax – Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E – are not standards for Wi-Fi RF network Design ..

Wi-Fi network vendors have been pushing 802.11ax, and now 802.11be, as silver bullets – promising high performance and reliability.

You may also hear the words “Seamless roaming ” ..

But in fact IEEE 802.11ax and 802.11be, and the associated Wi-Fi Alliance standards, simply define the Wi-Fi equipment that you buy. They do not even touch upon Wi-Fi network design, installation or validation.

You might think this is where vendors such as Ekahau, Hamina Wireless, NetAlly, iBwave and others come into play, and it’s true that they offer tools that Wi-Fi engineers need.

But what about the Skills?

The Ekahau Certified Survey Engineer (ECSE) training and certification programme is a good start, but it’s only that.

Sadly, the Certified Wireless Network Engineer programme (CWNP) does far less than you’d expect.

We know – we’ve been a leading proponent of the programme since 2002.

But we saw a huge gap between the theory, tools, certifications and the generally poor standards across the IT industry.

So in 2014 we formed the Wireless Certification Commission (WCC) – contact us to find out more!

What about Automatic RF?

“Automatic RF management” mechanisms on Wi-Fi access points or WLAN controllers – such as Cisco’s AutoRF and RRM, HPE/Aurba’s ARM and other vendor algorithms – are often worse than useless. 

Again, a controvertial claim, so contact us to find out why they are not the silver bullet or guarantee of performance that you may have been led to expect.

Unfortunately, this type of sales spin from the Wi-Fi vendors has prevailed since 2005, and it usually gives the impression that we don’t have to worry much about Wi-Fi network Design or Configuration – because the auto RF mechanisms will take care of everything.

But if you think about it, that would be like an Ethernet switch trying to fix sub-standard cabling.

If your Wi-Fi network design or installation are sub-optimal, RRM doesn’t work.

What Comprises the Wi-Fi RF Network?

A Wi-Fi RF network is the combination of:

• The Vendor and Model of each Wi-Fi AP deployed
• The Number of APs deployed
• The Location of each AP (really, it’s the AP’s antennas.
• The chosen Antenna types
• Each Antenna’s orientation – the azimuth, elevation and polarisation
• The Transmit Power level of each AP radio
• The RF Channel and Channel Width used by each radio
• The IEEE standard used (802.11ac/ax/be etc.)

The “automatic RF management” schemes used in enterprise Wi-Fi products control only two of these:

• Power levels
• RF Channel

The rest are determined by the Wi-Fi network installer. And once your network’s installed – you’re stuck with it!

How to Fix the Problems in your Wi-Fi Network?

There are countless online guides, white papers, blog articles .. you name it, that appear high in Search Engine listings, and which claim to offer the advice you need.

You could even use ChatGPT and other AI chatbots (LLMs) and you’ll get some suggestions.

But these AI bots mostly generate re-hashes of existing web articles.

None of these provide a start-to-finish guided tour of Wi-Fi network Planning, Design, Survey, Installation, Validation, Analysis, Diagnosis or Troubleshooting.

That’s why we’re here – to help and advise you, and to teach your network engineers.

Contact us for an informal chat – with a real expert 😉