Why Your WiFi Sucks

Are you tired of fighting with your corporate WiFi every day? Does it feel like you’re screaming into the abyss and receiving nothing in return? Well, you’re not alone. But the question is; why does your WiFi suck so much?

First things first, let’s talk about bandwidth. Mesh vs repeaters – it’s like choosing between range and bandwidth. It’s like choosing between your lover and your significant other – you know you can’t have both. More devices on your network mean less bandwidth for everyone, which can make your WiFi feel slower than an all hands first thing on a Monday morning.

But wait, there’s more! You also have to deal with that one guy who insists on streaming Netflix all day, and the lady who just has to upload her entire family album to the cloud every morning. Don’t they have better things to do? Like, you know, work?

And it’s not just people that are the problem. Your building’s construction plays a big role too. Walls, microwaves, trees and other WiFi networks can all interfere with your signal. Imagine trying to talk to someone through a brick wall, or behind a triple glazed window, well that’s how your WiFi feels. Microwaves and trees use the same 2.4GHz frequency as WiFi – so having a green and calming office oasis, whilst also rapidly reheating last night’s leftovers is actually slowing down your network. And what’s the deal with the guy next door with a bunch of access points that are congesting the airwaves and interfering with your signal? It’s like trying to have a conversation in a wind tunnel. You can’t hear yourself think, let alone get any work done.

And let’s not forget the rise of videoconferencing. Now that in-person meetings are more of a rarity, everyone is turning to Zoom, Teams, and whatever else to get their work done. But that just means more strain on your already struggling WiFi network. It’s like adding more weight to a sinking ship. How are you supposed to have a productive video call when the WiFi keeps cutting out and everyone sounds like a robot?

You might think the solution is to just add more access points. But hold on there, partner. What are those access points going to plug into? A wireless network is only as strong as its wired foundation. If your wired network sucks, your WiFi is going to suck too. It’s like trying to build a house on quicksand. You need a strong foundation if you want your WiFi to be rock-solid. But of course it’s not just as simple as making sure your foundation is solid then chucking in more AP’s, it’s more nuanced than that. You need a solid foundation, then you need to assess where AP’s are required and how to optimise them to avoid interference from your neighbours or your environment – otherwise you’ll likely just be creating more noise and making the problem worse.

At the end of the day, building a good corporate WiFi network is like juggling a bunch of balls in the air at the same time. It’s a delicate balance between range, bandwidth, and interference. And if you drop one, everything falls apart. So the next time you’re complaining about your WiFi, remember that it’s a complex system that’s doing its best to keep up with your demands. And if you want to improve your connection, start by addressing the underlying issues and building a stronger network from the ground up.

In the meantime, take a deep breath, grab a cup of coffee, and try not to pull your hair out. We’re all in this together, trying to navigate the treacherous waters of corporate WiFi. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll look back on this and laugh. Or maybe we’ll just cry. But at least we have each other, right?

Mavenspire’s SMARTaaS FaaST offering can help retain those follicles by helping you know what the problem is and how to solve it.