Wired / Wireless Networks

Networks are no longer restricted to your servers and desktops.  Today’s networks also include Voice (VoIP), Video Surveillance, Video Conferencing, Door Access, Building Management; plus, your employee “bring your own devices” (BYOD) like SmartPhones and Tablets and soon you will be seeing the network providing power (Power over Ethernet) and Intelligent Services for LED Lighting, TV’s, Appliances, etc.  Therefore, requiring networks to be more robust and designed properly so that all devices function properly.

• Simple or Complex networks require the right type of network switches and the proper design to effectively move traffic appropriately.  A poorly designed or configured network or the wrong equipment can easily cause outages or slow performance on the network, thus causing lost productivity.
• Wireless has exploded in the market and everyone wants to connect to any available wireless network with their devices.  The two biggest issues with wireless networks are roaming and congestion.
  • Roaming
    • Offices, Restaurants, Stores and other Public areas that offer wireless; but have more than 1 Wireless Access Point (AP) must ensure that their AP’s have the ability to hand-off user connections to each other.  Just having multiple AP’s, even by the same manufacture with the same Network Name doesn’t mean your users will have a good experience.  For Example:
      • AP 1 on the East Side of the building and AP 2 on the West Side of the building.  Without intelligent AP’s that communicate with each other, a user could connect to AP 1 and walk to the West Side of the building and basically stand under AP 2; but if the device still sees the slightest signal from AP 1 it will not know to change to AP 2, thus causing the user to experience extremely slow performance.
      • Intelligent AP’s know to hand-off that connection without the user knowing that their device is now communicating with a different AP.
  • Congestion
    • Radio Frequency congestion is an issue with the numerous wireless networks in place and with the limited frequencies available, especially in the 2.4Ghz Band; the power output becomes more important.
    • Let’s say you lease a small office for you and you staff of three in a large multi-tenant building.  You install a typical all-in-one Router/Switch/Wireless device from Linksys, Netgear, D-Link, etc thinking this will be great.  By design, you should be fine, but your wireless connection is terrible.
      • You could be in range of another 20 or 30 wireless networks all fighting for the same Air Space.  Therefore, you may need a more robust enterprise grade AP that better manages frequency congestion and has more powerful antenna to hold its space more effectively.
• N2M Technology recommends HPE Aruba network switches and wireless access points.  We are registered partners with HPE Aruba, Cisco, Netgear and Linksys and can design a solution for you that best fits your requirements and budget.