WiFi Heatmaps as a Tool for Troubleshooting Slow Wireless Networks
Poor-speed wireless networks may interfere with productivity at the work place and online conferences, slow down file transfer, and frustrate browsing. Whereas users are able to detect poor performance, it is not always easy to determine the cause. A Wifi Heatmap is a graphical representation to conceptualize the movement of wireless signal over a building. Rather than testing network speed or user complaints alone, the heatmaps allow network administrators to pinpoint any regions where wireless access, signal quality, or coverage are causing any performance problems.
WiFi Heatmap: what is it?
A WiFi Heatmap is a graphical depiction of wireless network performance of one physical area. It can show features like signal strength, coverage, interference, channel usage, as well as connection quality. Visual representations depict different locality areas and it is therefore easier to identify weak zones and places that have wireless signals distorted by walls, equipment, furniture, or other physical barriers.
Technicians can map wireless environment to view how access points cover the area and whether devices are getting a good signal at the point where it is most needed by users.
Weak Signal Areas
Weak signal strength is one of the most prevalent reasons of WiFi slowness. A device that is away far than an access point might have slow speeds, connections that are not stable or disconnections that are frequent. A WiFi Heatmap is capable of locating these feeble coverage areas in a short period of time.
An example is that an office will be highly connected at the centre of the building but very poorly connected in the meeting rooms or work spaces behind a number of walls. The heatmap assists technicians to know more access points or repositioning are likely required.
Detecting Wireless Interference
Signal strength is not the only factor affecting wireless performance. Networks can be disrupted by interference with neighbouring networks, Bluetooth equipment, wireless equipment and other sources thereby losing network efficiency. A WiFi Heatmap would be used to determine areas in which the level of interference is high.
After identification of these problem areas, technicians can research channel usage and change access point settings. Sometimes wireless performance can be improved without significant changes to hardware by simply changing channels, adjusting the placement of access points or reducing the overlapping coverage of each.
Access point placement Optimisation
Improper placement of the access points may lead to uneven coverage. Placing an insufficient number of access points can result in dead zones and excessively locating them near each other can result in redundant overlap as well as interference.
The heatmap analysis can enable network professionals to analyze the current locations of access points and see if the coverage is evenly distributed. This may be useful especially in offices, schools, warehouses, hotels and large commercials where people need wireless connectivity across various rooms or even floors.
Improving Network Troubleshooting
Old problems of solving troubleshooting usually consist of testing the speed of the internet and appraising each device separately. The methods may give valuable information, but may not give the bigger picture of the wireless environment. A WiFi Heatmap offers an overview of the whole building and it enables the technician to see the trends that would have otherwise been missed.
Before and after changes of the network, heatmap data can be utilized as well. Comparison of results can aid in establishing whether the addition of new access points, configuration refinements or physical repositioning have performed any real enhancement to the coverage.
Sustainable Reliable Wireless Performance.
The internet cannot be trusted to be a fast network to operate wireless network. A more desirable experience is due to proper coverage, proper placement of access points, reduced interference and high consistency in signal quality. A WiFi Heatmap is one of the tools that can be used to trouble-shoot the system with the help of regular network assessment.
To companies that have been struggling because of either slow or unreliable wireless connections a heatmap analysis may offer useful data as to the underlying issues and a feasible plan to enhance the overall performance of WiFi.