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Continued Problems with Wireless Access

Q: I have a jobsite where I have installed three different wireless access points and continue to have the same issues. I have used a cheaper and more expensive Linksys/Netgear and a Belkin that actually has a "access point" setting. The issue is when at the job site, I can set up the access point and it works great. The next day or two days and users are complaining it is bouncing them. I have changed security settings ( no security, wep, wap, etc. ) still same issue. I have checked the dhcp lease time, it is set to eight days. I have tried setting it on a definite channel ( 6, 11) instead of auto, with no resolve. I am looking at getting a $300 Cisco-level unit but I do not think that may help. Has anyone had that issue before?
CJ Rainer
Doster Construction Company, Inc.

A: Sounds like something else on the 2.4 GHz range is messing up the signal. I don’t think the Cisco would make any difference if that was the case. Sometimes wifi can be fickle. Have you tried relocating the wireless access point? Sometimes they can get reflections off surfaces that does strange things and just moving the WAP a few feet can correct the issue. Outside of that you may have to run wired drops to your users.
Brett Berdine
Byrne Construction Services

A: I have had my best luck on Channel 9. Also distance is a key factor; multiple access points (or possibly range extenders) may be required. As for brand, I have had the most luck with D-Link and Netgear. If the wireless spectrum is really crowded, such as a building or dense commercial/industrial/residential, you may have to look at a dual band access point and dual band cards.
Jeremiah Jilk
John S. Meek Company Inc.

A: I will try channel 9. I have moved Access point out of networking closet and set on table in conf room. We are only talking 10 feet for users, then unit is wired straight to switch. When you say "dual band cards" – would that be mimo cards?
CJ Rainer
Doster Construction Company, Inc.

A: Meraki is a pretty neat solution.
Jerry Humble
Penhall Company

A: You could also run a wifi network scanner to see which channels are better to use. http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/
Brett Berdine
Byrne Construction Services

A: Dual band would be 2.4 and 5.0 Ghz spectrum. The 2.4 band can get very crowded when portable radios, cordless phones and wifi devices are in close proximity.
Roger Nixon
BRB Contractors, Inc.

A: We had Wi-Fi setup at a university that we never did get to work reliably. The Wi-Fi was so crowded that it just was not reliable. We had to run cable. On another site, we locked the network down to a "g" type network. When it was in mixed mode, people tended to get bumped more. I would recommend a Wi-Fi network scanner. There are some free ones for iPhone and Droid. Pick the least crowded network channel. On the PC wireless adapter you can also lock it down to the B or G type networks. This limits them if they move to another location that is broadcasting on the other type, but it seems to help in some trouble locations. I have also turned up the Roaming Aggressiveness, especially on people who move their computer from desk to conference room and jump from one WAP to another. As others have said, if the 2.4 channels are all full, you may need to look at 5Ghz. There was no magic bullet. We had to try some different combinations of settings until we found the best one.
Mark Reid
Saunders Construction, Inc.