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How many access points do you need for your WiFi hotspot

How many access points do you need for your WiFi hotspot

How many access points do you need for your WiFi hotspot

When deploying a Wi-Fi infrastructure in public locations, one of the key element to ensure a good user experience is the number and the type of access points to use.

Indeed, if the number of access points is too low compared to the number of Wi-Fi users, then problems of internet speed might occur because of the overuse of the wireless devices and the bandwidth overload. Usually, the maximum number of concurrent users is written on the manufacturer spreadsheet, but in practice it can vary according to the use of your network and the internet services you want to offer to your Wi-Fi users.

By using the Tanaza Access Point Selector, you can select the type of location and its size to estimate the maximum number of concurrent users. The number of concurrent users is the number of Wi-Fi users currently connected to the Wi-Fi network. It is calculated according to the type of location, its size, and the average time that a user spends on the internet. Count for example ten concurrent users for a large Café, or 140 for a large hotel.

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Then, you should calculate the bandwidth needed by the user according to the usage of the network. For example, if you want your users to be able to chat, check their emails and use social media, consider a minimum of 560 kbit/s per user. If you want them to be also able to do VoIP calls, video calls, and video streaming, 3.28 Mbit/s is the estimated bandwidth per user. Your internet provider will be in charge to furnish you with the bandwidth required.
screencapture-success-tanaza-s-access-point-selector-1520418408607

Last but not least, select the characteristics of the access point such as the installation type, the radiation shape, the vendor and the main technology aspects (indoor, outdoor, AC, dual radio…). The Tanaza Access Point Selector will give you an estimation of the required units number, and the different models that fit the best your project.

/!\ Remember that the Tanaza Access Point Selector estimates the required bandwidth based on documentation and our experience on-site with our customers.

The 4 best Wi-Fi analyzer apps to boost your network speed

The 4 best Wi-Fi analyzer apps to boost your network speed

wifi analyzer apps

Check out our list of the 4 best Wi-Fi analyzer apps that help boosting your network speed and improving your Wi-Fi signal strength.

If you want to optimise your network you should download one of the following Wi-Fi analyzer apps on your Android or iOS device. A Wi-Fi analyzer and scanner is a valuable tool for both IT professionals and home users as it provides a wide range of detailed information about the performance of your Wi-Fi connection, such as: Wi-Fi channels scanning, Wi-Fi signal strength detection, SSIDs discovery, number of devices connected to Wi-Fi hotspots, etc. In this way, network admins can check the channels in the area they’re operating on and choose the less crowded ones, so as to minimise interferences and signal dropouts and enjoy faster Wi-Fi speeds.

 

1. Test your Wi-Fi signal strength with WiFi Analyzer for Android

 

networkanalyzerThis Wi-Fi scanner app shows the Wi-Fi channels being used around your area and provides a Wi-Fi signal strenght tester that allows you to detect how strong your signal is. In this way, when setting up your WLAN deployment you will know where to better position your Wi-Fi access points for a better signal coverage and faster wireless network connection. WiFi Analyzer provides a very intuitive graphical representation of the channels nearby and helps you choosing the less congested ones.

 

 

Image source: Uptodown

 

2. Manage your Wi-Fi network directly on your device with WiFi Manager for Android

 

wifimanagerThe WiFi Manager analyzer tool is ideal for network monitoring and management and delivers useful information, i.e. network speed data, signal strength of your connection, list of SSID and networks, so as to improve the quality of your Wi-Fi directly on your device.

Further, should you operate on different SSID, it automatically connects you to the most reliable one.

The visual representation of detailed connection and network information is very intuitive and included in the app’s home screen widgets.

 

 

 

Image source: Google Play Store

 

3. Enjoy a great user experience with Netx for Android

 

wifianalyzernetxThis handy tool for network discovery and scanning comes with a neat and simple user interface, allowing you to view the detected information through both graphs and ratings.

This Wi-Fi analyzer app shows SSIDs, signal strength and channels in use. Also, it scans the devices connected to your network and displays their related information, including IP Address, MAC Address and vendor info.

What is more, Netx is equipped with a network security feature that sends you alerts if unknown devices connect to your network.

 

 

 

Image source: Google Play Store

 

4. Test your network speed with Network Analyzer by Techet for iOS

 

network analyzer iOSThis WiFi analyzer app is available on the App Store for iOS devices only, both iPhone and iPad.

Among its effective features, this tool scans your WiFi LAN, by filtering all network devices around you and discovering their SSID and IP addresses, and detects issues in your network configuration, internet connectivity and even remote servers.

This WiFi scanner application comes with a fast internet speed tool that allows you to test both download and upload speeds, see the results with graphs and view your previous results in history.

 

 

 

 

Image source: Apple Store

Related articles:

https://www.classichotspot.com/blog/top-5-mobile-hotspot-for-2017/

5 best network monitoring software in 2017

5 things you should know about Wi-Fi speed and distance covered

WPA3: what are the main changes to the wireless security standard

WPA3: what are the main changes to the wireless security standard

wpa3
On Monday, 8th of January, Wi-Fi Alliance, the non-profit organisation that promotes Wi-Fi technology and certifies Wi-Fi products, introduced “enhancement and new features for Wi-Fi Protected Access” .

After the KRACK attack and the discovery of WPA2 security problem that was putting at hijack risk all WPA2-compatible device like routers, computers and smartphones, Wi-Fi Alliance has announced a new security protocol: WPA3. WPA3 is a substitute for WPA2 (the wireless security standard since 2004) and should be landed later in 2018.

Four new capabilities will be launched in 2018 as part of the Wi-Fi certified WPA3. These features, available for personal and Wi-Fi networks enterprises, consist in delivering more robust protection regarding user’s password to access a Wi-Fi network and simplifying the security configuration for devices with a limited, or no display interface.

For example, a WPA3 key improvement aims to block “dictionary attacks”, or when a hacker tries to gain unauthorised access to a computer system by using a large set of words to generate potential passwords.
The new security protocol should prevent hackers from guessing a list of potential passwords to access a Wi-Fi network. Moreover, the hacker will be blocked after too many failed password thanks to its new handshake system ( WPA2 currently uses a four-way handshake).

Another interesting change touches on the open Wi-Fi networks. Open Wi-Fi networks are all networks in public spaces like café, airport, parks… that are not encrypted and so risky for the user whose data could be intercepted by a hacker.
WPA3 will use individualized data encryption that muddles the connection between each device on a network and the router. By doing so, WPA3 prevents hackers from stealing data or modifying websites. 


Obviously, building a new wireless security standard takes time, and WPA3 won’t substitute WPA2 before few months, but Wi-Fi Alliance underlined the necessity of updating Wi-Fi security in a modern society where the Wi-Fi demand is increasing.

Related article:

Security breach in WPA2 protocol: what is the KRACK attack?

Useful tips for protecting your Wi-Fi network security

https://www.classichotspot.com/blog/web-content-filtering-improves-public-wi-fi-hotspot-security/

How to choose the best access point for your restaurant’s WiFi network (part 2)

How to choose the best access point for your restaurant’s WiFi network (part 2)

restaurant' WiFi network

When implementing a new Wi-Fi network in a restaurant, you need to choose the right access point depending on the characteristics of the environment in which it will be deployed.

In the first part of this article, we analysed the 3 main aspects to consider when deploying a Wi-Fi network at a restaurant: the size of the network’s location, the number of concurrent users and internet usage.

Based on these aspects, let’s now identify the right access points for your Wi-Fi project, specifically when deploying in a restaurant. To do so, we will rely on the estimations provided by our new tool that helps you select the perfect device for your Wi-Fi network: the Tanaza Access Point Selector.

Firstly, to select the best access point for your implementation, you need to consider the following variables:

  • Technology: you can choose among dual-radio access points, devices with LAN ports or PoE, and access points operating on the 802.11ac, also known as WiFi 5,  wireless networking standard.
  • Installation type: depending on your location, you can choose to install your device on desktops, ceilings, walls, poles or racks.
  • Radiation shape: antennas deployed in Wi-Fi networks can follow different patterns based on their directionality. Omnidirectional antennas are suitable for indoor environments as they cover the area close to the access point. With directional antennas, instead, you can decide what direction the radio frequency energy will take to cover a long space, i.e. corridors or hallways. Sector-shaped antennas are deployed in limited areas, as they can cover small distances of around 4-5 km.
  • Price: based on your Wi-Fi project’s budget, you can opt for either low-cost, medium-cost or high-cost devices. Tanaza’s multi-vendor approach allows you to choose among a wide range of access points from different vendors, at different prices.

When deploying your network in restaurants, you need to provide your Wi-Fi connection to a different number of concurrent users, depending on the size of your location. Let’s suppose you will allow your Wi-Fi users to perform different activities on your network, such as: checking emails, browsing the web, accessing light/medium bandwidth usage applications – i.e. Whatsapp for chatting/messaging, Facebook and other social media – as well some heavy bandwidth usage apps – i.e. Google Drive for file sharing and Youtube for video streaming at standard resolution -, at the same time. In this case, the estimated per-user bandwidth in your network will be of 3.35 Mbit/s, as shown in the picture below.

 

apselector

If you are setting up your Wi-Fi network in a large restaurant, you can use one of the following devices: UniFi AC IW, UniFi AC Mesh, EnGenius EAP1200H, EnGenius EAP600 and Open-Mesh OM5P-AC. All of these access points can be installed on walls, ceilings, poles and racks, they are dual radio devices, have omnidirectional, sector-shaped and directional antennas, and can be purchased at reasonable prices. Consider that all these access points can hold a maximum number of 30 users per unit. If you need to deploy your Wi-Fi network in a medium-size restaurant, you can still choose one of the devices recommended above, but keep in mind that in this case, they will handle a maximum number of 12 users per unit. If your Wi-Fi project targets a small restaurant, again, you can opt for one of the suggested access points, taking into consideration that they will handle a maximum number of 5 users per unit.

You can play further with our Tanaza Access Point Selector to find the access point that better fits your network’s requirements!

Try the access point selector

Related articles:

https://www.classichotspot.com/blog/throughput-and-bandwidth-estimate-your-needs-for-your-wi-fi-network/

https://www.classichotspot.com/blog/4-ways-boost-wifi-signal/

https://www.classichotspot.com/blog/quick-guide-7-tips-on-how-to-position-your-router/

How to choose the best access point for your restaurant’s WiFi network (part 1)

How to choose the best access point for your restaurant’s WiFi network (part 1)

restaurant's WiFi network

Are you planning to deploy a new Wi-Fi network in restaurants? Read this article to find out the three main requirements for a successful Wi-Fi deployment.

When setting up a new Wi-Fi network, you need to make sure you choose the right access point depending on the environment in which it will be deployed and your project’s budget. As for Wi-Fi projects targeting restaurants, you need to consider the following aspects: the size of the network’s covered area, the number of concurrent users and internet usage.

 

1. Location size

 

The first step to consider is the size of your Wi-Fi network’s location: is the size of your restaurant big, medium or small?

On average, a large restaurant can hold from 80-200 people, a medium-sized restaurant from 30-80 people and a small restaurant from 10-30 people. Depending on the size of your venue, you will need to choose one or more access points to cover the area. Also, should your restaurant include a terrace or a small garden, consider that you will need to install not only indoor but also outdoor devices for your deployment. Check out the list of Tanaza’s supported access points: by being multi-vendor, Tanaza offers a wide range of devices, both for indoor and outdoor environments.

 

2. Number of concurrent users

 

Based on your location size, the number of concurrent users connected to your network will vary accordingly. The network of a large restaurant may host approximately a maximum of 30 concurrent Wi-Fi users, the network of a medium-size restaurant may host a maximum of 12 concurrent users, whereas the network of a small deployment will likely handle an average maximum number of 5 concurrent users.

 

3. Internet usage

 

Lastly, it is important to pinpoint what kind of online activity your Wi-Fi users will do while being connected to your Wi-Fi network. Indeed, some applications consume more bandwidth than others: for instance, the rate of data transfer in your network – measured in bits per second (bit/s) – will be lower when users message and chat on Facebook, Whatsapp or Telegram, check their emails and browse the web. On the other hand, a higher number of bits per second will be transmitted across your network when users share or download/upload pictures and files on Dropbox and Google Drive, stream Youtube and Netflix videos, make VoIP calls or video calls on Skype.

Read the second part of this article by clicking here!

Which Wi-Fi devices can be Tanaza Powered? CHECK THE LIST OF SUPPORTED MODELS

Related articles:

Maximum number of concurrent users per Wi-Fi access point

https://www.classichotspot.com/blog/how-to-calculate-wi-fi-bandwidth-need/

6 must-have Wi-Fi hotspot features for restaurants

Security breach in WPA2 protocol: what is the KRACK attack?

Security breach in WPA2 protocol: what is the KRACK attack?

Security breach in WPA2 protocol: what is the KRACK attack
For the past few days, you have been able to read on the internet that Wi-Fi WPA2 protocol has been having? issues regarding its data security. In this article, we will explain this data security issue entails and why Tanaza is not concerned by this flaw.

“KRACK Wi-Fi attack threatens all networks”, “KRACK Wi-Fi flaw, the big issue for Wi-Fi network”… the internet has been  in shambles for ten days due to the flaw discovery on the Wi-Fi network security process.

 

What is the KRACK issue?

KRACK stands for Key Reinstallation AttaCK and it designates the issue occurring when the third step of a four-way authentication process, performs in the wrong way.
To be clear, during the third step of the authentication process (when a device tries to connect to a protected Wi-Fi network), the encryption key can be sent multiple times to get access to the protected Wi-Fi network. Security issues occur when a hacker can collect this information and replay the transmission to break the Wi-Fi security encryption key.

 

What happens when the Wi-Fi encryption key is broken?

If a hacker gets the encryption key, they will be able to “sniff” your data and steal your sensitive information such as credit card details, emails, pictures, passwords and so on. The risk is the same as using a non-protected Wi-Fi network; users data is potentially accessible to all.
Moreover, the United-States Computer Emergency Readiness Team declared about KRACK issues that “the impact of exploiting these vulnerabilities includes decryption, packet replay, TCP connection hijacking, HTTP content injection, and others”.

 

Which devices are vulnerable?

The KRACK attack is not an issue for the device itself,  but the information it contains. All data sent on a Wi-Fi network without encryption key is as vulnerable as it when the user visits websites that are not HTTPS. You need to update your smartphone, tablet, router and computer with the latest security release to reduce the risk of data theft. Nevertheless, researchers said Android devices were more likely to be at risk rather than other mobile phones, same for Linux runners, considered as the most vulnerable devices.

 

Why are Tanaza users not concerned by this KRACK issue?

To prevent KRACK attacks in any Tanaza network, Tanaza introduced the fix in its latest firmware release. To avoid any risk, both the firmware and the customer device have to contain the fix for this attack.

This specific attack is against the 4-way handshake and it’s explicitly intended to exploit customers devices rather than access points. By using the Man-in-the-Middle attack (or MitM), hackers try to gather sensible data by misleading the device for the connection authentication and the user for the web surfing security (e.g. preventing websites from using HTTPS encryption and collecting any data such as usernames and passwords during any login process).
In a few words, if your access points runs on the latest Tanaza firmware and your devices are updated, you are protected from this KRACK issue.

 

If you want more information, read this article.

Security breach in WPA2 protocol: what is the KRACK attack?