24 May Why a wireless survey is always a good idea

When you make an offer on a house, it goes without saying that you’ll have a survey done straight away. Why? A surveyor checks that the house is in good condition, and worth the money you are expecting to pay. With a Wi-Fi network, the same applies. You need to ensure that the system will work as you expect, and you need to ensure it’ll offer the performance you need at a realistic price.

Before buying a house, you’ll think about the number of bedrooms and the location. You might consider the size of garden, or the garage. It’s the same with a Wi-Fi network. There’s a checklist of points to consider before you go ahead and adopt the system.

Fit For Purpose

When you buy a house, it’s possible to buy something much too big and much too expensive. In the same way, installing unnecessary equipment in your wireless network is an expensive way to avoid proper planning. The key to a good installation is to buy a network that fits your needs well, and the key to that is a survey; that way, the network will give the best price performance.

Do you know how many devices you have?  Will they need to stream video or just browse the web? And will they all connect simultaneously?

Take a step back and consider the environment. How big is the building, and what is it made of? Solid concrete or steel frames can have varying impacts on signal.

Like a house survey, your wireless survey will need to be conducted by an experienced and qualified engineer. This engineer will identify the best positions for wireless access points and ensure that the data cabling is adequate to support the network. The engineer will also measure the signal propagation around the site.

When planning large networks, engineers often do a complete simulation of the network. This lets them predict – and avoid – dead spots and poor coverage. It may sound strange, but it often saves money and improves performance.

Future-Proofing

After you’ve bought a house, you’ll want to look after it. Maybe you’ll add a conservatory, or a garden pond. Perhaps some maintenance will be required. A wireless network is the same.

Perhaps something has moved, a new room has been added, or a connected laptop has been replaced by 30 tablets. Even something minor, like a new microwave oven, can cause all sorts of issues with an older 2.4GHz network.

That’s why new Trusol support agreements always include a full survey of the existing network, conducted by qualified engineers. They will make recommendations for any changes required, and check that the network is still fit for purpose. 

Your wireless network may not cost the same as your house or keep the rain from your head, but it’s still wise to treat buying it and maintaining it in the same way.

Trusol has supplied hundreds of Wi-Fi systems to schools, and can help you to get value for money. For more information about Wi-Fi installation and maintenance services, call us today for a friendly chat.