WiFi signal is not ideal? Check whether the network equipment is deployed correctly?

AP is the most commonly used device for building a small wireless LAN. It is equivalent to a bridge connecting wired and wireless networks. Its main function is to connect various wireless network clients together and then connect the wireless network to Ethernet. AP is the core of the wireless network. If the AP is not deployed properly, the wireless network effect will naturally not be ideal. Master the following AP deployment tips to help you effectively expand the WiFi signal.

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1. Reset the initial password of wireless AP

After deploying the wireless AP, the first thing to do is to reset the internal password. Otherwise, anyone who uses the Internet to obtain the default password may directly access the access point configuration interface.

2. The access device should use Ethernet power supply as much as possible

In order to ensure that the wireless network has as wide a coverage as possible, many companies like to deploy wireless APs on the top of the ceiling or similar locations. This makes it difficult for the access point to connect to the power supply. There are generally two solutions to this situation. One is to use a power extension cord; the other is to use Power over Ethernet (PoE). It is recommended that you use the second solution. Through an unused Ethernet port, the power supply can power the access point. For network devices, connecting the end of the network cable to a dedicated PoE module can avoid the trouble caused by using wires.

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3. Do not place wireless APs near metal objects

When deploying wireless APs, users need to pay attention to the fact that the actual location of the deployment should not encounter radio interference. There was a case where a customer found that the wireless network could not work properly and consulted the relevant department. After providing the specific location of the access point, the technicians found that the user's access point device was located on the top of the steel beam under the metal roof. Therefore, the metal materials all around caused serious interference to the radio signal. Finally, by adjusting the location of the access point, the previous problem was immediately solved. Therefore, when deploying wireless APs, we should try to avoid deploying the equipment near metal structures.

4. Adjust the signal strength as needed

Some wireless AP devices allow users to adjust the signal strength through the network interface. Most users will directly use the maximum signal strength to operate, but considering that the requirements for wireless signal strength are different in different occasions, such as in a parking lot, you may not need too strong wireless coverage strength. Therefore, we need to carefully consider the coverage range required by the wireless network and then make appropriate adjustments to the actual signal strength.

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5. Provide backup power for wireless AP

This is a very important issue, first of all to prevent accidents caused by major power failures. Secondly, to deal with the situation where the power suddenly stops for one or two seconds and then starts again. For wireless connections, this situation is enough to cause the network to be disconnected. In addition, for a large number of users, the devices they use to connect to wireless networks are battery-powered laptops or mobile devices, which are not affected by temporary power outages. Therefore, most wireless devices are set up to automatically re-establish lost connections; in this regard, if user authentication is added to the network settings, everyone will be blocked from the back-end network resources until they are re-authenticated. This has led to countless calls from confused users to inquire about help.

6. Modify the signal channel to reduce co-channel interference

In the configuration interface of the wireless router, we will see the option of wireless channel. Generally speaking, there are 11 54M wireless channels, from channel 1 to channel 11. When multiple wireless signals are using the same wireless signal channel, signal interference will occur.

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7. Give full play to the security function of wireless AP

Even low-end wireless APs are equipped with numerous security features. As a result, most wireless APs allow administrators to use MAC addresses to restrict network access. Some wireless APs also provide an early warning mechanism that can send warning messages via email when users repeatedly try to connect to the network with incorrect passwords. Therefore, in the actual deployment of wireless APs, it is necessary for users to have a comprehensive understanding of the security features provided by wireless AP devices, so that they can effectively optimize the network through the functions provided by the devices.

8. Use meaningful SSID

Many information technology experts recommend turning off the SSID broadcast of wireless APs. However, for hackers, even if the SSID is not broadcast, it is easy to be discovered. To solve this problem, it is recommended that users use SSID names with specific meanings. The advantage of this is that users who connect to a wireless network for the first time can clearly determine whether they have connected to the correct network.

9. Treat wireless connections as unsecured

One of the great advantages of wireless networks is that users can access the network without physically connecting to the device. Therefore, it is necessary to encrypt the network. Here, it is recommended that users should adopt a more secure method. Do not trust all users connected to the wireless network for the sake of convenience. The correct approach should be to regard the wireless network as an Internet connection. Only users who have been authenticated by VPN or similar mechanisms can be allowed to access the entire network wirelessly.

10. Prevent DHCP scope overlap

There was a case where a company purchased a second wireless AP to expand the coverage of its wireless network to a wider range of occasions. At the same time, a technician with no actual work experience was told that the device needed to use the same settings as other access points. This resulted in the two access points using the same DHCP scope configuration. Fortunately, the access point will check for IP address conflicts on the network before allocating IP leases. Otherwise, the direct consequence is that overlapping DHCP scopes within the coverage range may cause a lot of trouble for end users.

The most troublesome thing for enterprises and individuals is how to transmit wireless network signals farther and reduce the shielding and blocking of wireless signals by walls. In addition to using high-power routers, wireless APs can be used to extend the coverage of wireless signals. This solution is very effective.