Networking and Wireless

Beyond simply thinking about the number of people who will be using your network, you need to consider the number of devices it must support. The average individual is expected to own more than six connected pieces of technology by 2020, which is why it’s important to plan and prepare early to ensure your organization and its network are ready.

In addition to the numbers, you need to consider the number of devices it must support as well:

• Computers
• Tablets
• Desktop and mobile phones
• Smart devices

Common network security protocols include:

• Network authentication (one-, two-, or three-factor)
• Firewalls
• Intrusion prevention systems like anti-virus software
• Encryption

By understanding how your organization will use its network, Activo can recommend and put in place the right policies and procedures to keep you, your users, and your data protected.

Network convergence refers to the delivery of video, phone, and voice data over a single network and has become increasingly important due to growing customer demand.

The most significant challenge when it comes to implementing network convergence is successfully sharing bandwidth without compromising on quality. As more and more users utilize the network to hold conference calls while sharing data and browsing the internet, networks can easily become overwhelmed. It’s for this reason that your network and cabling infrastructure needs to be effectively and professionally installed and integrated, ensuring it’s ready to support your needs.

The two primary advantages associated with network convergence are reducing the amount of infrastructure that needs to be managed and simultaneously driving down costs.

Activo provides several different wireless site surveys to meet your needs at various stages—from planning through to design, implementation, and maintenance—each providing you with a comprehensive report including heat maps, our findings, and our recommendations.

Predictive Survey

This type of survey is ideal for new builds, budgetary purposes, or more simple implementations. Our team of wireless professionals will use your building’s floorplans to create your environment virtually with planned AP locations and their intended parameters. This enables us to predict measurements and assess coverage throughout your facility.

Passive Survey

A passive survey is used to assess the infrastructure you already have and determine non-Wi-Fi interference, gaps in signal coverage, throughput, channel interference, and more. It is well suited if WLAN is already in place and for shared office buildings.

Active Survey

This survey is used for post-installations, during a WLAN expansion, to troubleshoot, and during a conventional survey. Our wireless network professionals will collect data to assess RSSI, channel overlap, co-channel interference, retry and loss rates, and more.

Conventional Survey

A conventional wireless survey is the most comprehensive planning tool available. It gives our wireless professionals the ability to collect true RF information about neighbouring networks, non-Wi-Fi interference, and true signal propagation and is often used during pre-installation phases and to take into consideration the physical environment and RF behaviours.

In general, on-site surveys (active and conventional) are easier to perform in urban or semi-urban settings whereas off-site surveys (predictive and passive) might be more suitable for remote locations.

If your organization doesn’t have infrastructure in place or needs to upgrade what is there, Activo’s network technicians can work with you to assess your current needs and future needs before implementing the right solution.If your organization already has wireless and networking infrastructure in place, Activo’s network technicians and Certified Wireless Network Administrators (CWNAs) can provide managed wireless services that enable you to maximize the performance of your network.

Common issues include slow throughput, frequent disconnection, difficulty roaming, and problems associated with logging in.