The wireless network has evolved from a seldom-used, “nice-to-have” technology to an essential part of the IT environment. By giving employees access to applications and data via their mobile devices, the wireless LAN can help enhance efficiency, collaboration and customer service. It also provides a desirable amenity for customers, and enables organizations to push out information and promotions that increase brand recognition, customer loyalty and sales.
In addition to supporting personal mobile devices, the wireless LAN provides connectivity for a wide range of sensors, controllers and other gadgets. The Internet of Things (IoT) is exploding, with billions of network-connected devices now sending and receiving data. The wireless LAN makes it possible to position IoT devices virtually anywhere, including outdoor locations.
Just having a wireless LAN isn’t enough — it must have the coverage and capacity to support growing numbers of devices, the performance to deliver an optimal user experience, and the reliability needed to meet today’s business demands. If your wireless network is more than a couple of years old, it may be time for an upgrade.
Understanding Wi-Fi Standards
Wireless networks are based upon a set of standards that begin with “802.11” followed by one or two letters. Also known as Wi-Fi, these standards were first introduced by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in the late 1990s. The first widely adopted Wi-Fi standard, 802.11b, maxed out at just 11 megabits per second (Mbps).
New standards have been introduced every few years, largely to improve throughput. After 802.11b came 8022.11g, at 54Mbps, then 802.11n at 300Mbps. Note that these are theoretical maximum speeds — actual throughput is typically about half.
Current Wi-Fi products are based on 802.11ac, which can deliver speeds of 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) or more. Actual performance depends upon several technological and environmental variables, but there’s no question that 802.11ac offers dramatic performance improvements over older Wi-Fi standards.
In order to understand how 802.11ac works, it helps to take a look at its predecessor, 802.11n. The 802.11n standard increased performance more than 5X by improving the efficiency of data communication and using wider channels. It is also designed to resist interference from neighboring Wi-Fi systems and devices using the 2.4GHz frequency band. But the real innovation comes from a technology called MIMO, short for multiple input, multiple output. By using multiple radios and antennas and a technique called spatial streaming, 802.11n provides high-speed connections over 150 feet or more.
Getting to Gigabit with 802.11ac
Products based upon the 802.11ac standard have been introduced in two “waves.” Wave 1 products double the channel width compared to 802.11n, and ease congestion in the crowded 2.4GHz band by supporting 5GHz-capable devices. Wave 2 products go much further thanks to multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO), which supports up to four simultaneous user transmissions on each spatial stream. 802.11ac Wave 2 also allows for up to eight spatial streams to enable much higher device density.
802.11ac offers the kind of performance organizations need to support their mobile and IoT initiatives. However, implementing 802.11ac requires more than just installing new wireless access points and controllers. In our next post we’ll discuss the potential pitfalls, outline a migration strategy, and take a look at some new 802.11ac products from Ruckus Wireless.
