Common Mistakes When Setting Up WLAN

Keep in mind some of the following mistakes that people commonly make when designing a WLAN and you will save yourself the headache of repeating their errors.

Failing to Plan for Capacity:

When you design your WLAN you can't just plan for coverage, you have to plan for capacity as well. If your WLAN is going to have a lot of traffic, you may want to consider multiple access points. Although many APs targeted toward home and SOHO networks can handle many simultaneous clients, the bandwidth available for each client shrinks as more clients join the network.

If your network is going to include wireless entertainment devices, such as media servers, set top boxes, and games consoles, you may see significant slowing of your network at peak usage. Consider adding additional APs to increase capacity where needed.

Neglecting to Make a Site Plan:

Taking the time to make a site plan helps you avoid nasty surprises when you install your network. Failing to take the layout of a home or office and construction materials into consideration leads to "dead zones" where clients won't receive a signal, or where the signal is too weak for clients to connect.

Failing to Identify Potential Sources of RF Interference:

Think ahead and plan around sources of interference. Identifying these sources in advance prevents problems from occurring during installation. This also helps you plan your budget accordingly should you have to replace devices that might interfere with your network (like cordless phones).

Ignoring Compatibility Issues:

Do your research and make sure that all of the devices on your network are compatible, and support the same standard. Look for the Wi-Fi certification logo on WLAN products to be sure that they will interoperate. Wi-Fi certified products are tested and proven compatible with other certified products for the same standard (i.e. 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.llg)

Do not mix and match standards unless you have an AP that supports multiple standards, such as a dual band 802.11a/802.11g device. Even then, be aware that some dual band devices suffer performance degradation when used in a multi-standard WLAN.