What's your reaction when you can't get good Wi-Fi service in your home? Assuming it's not a service provider issue, perhaps you move the router, reset it or take the more involved step of implementing switches, range extenders and other infrastructure to boost the performance of your wireless network. However, all of this rejiggering can be an involved process with only marginal benefits.
Within a business environment, you have a much better option available: A managed Wi-Fi system. Managed Wi-Fi entails an experienced provider taking all responsibility for the design, installation, configuration, monitoring and maintenance of the solution in question. This setup unlocks numerous benefits for the customer, including improved reliability, greater scalability and savings on infrastructure and IT staffing.
What to expect from a managed Wi-Fi system: How it works and the common features
All managed Wi-Fi solutions share a core set of features that make them convenient alternatives to setting up and managing wireless access points and service on your own:
- Numerous wireless access points (APs) and switches that function in tandem to deliver high-speed and reliable service across different SSIDs.
- A WLAN controller that manages these various APs, across the footprint of a company campus, e.g. an office complex, school, hospital or other site.
- Network segmentation allowing for secure subnets, for example password-protected internal Wi-Fi SSIDs that are completely separate from the guest Wi-Fi network.
- Full oversight and technical support by the managed services provider, who does everything from conceive the network's layout to monitor it in real time for security issues.
Managed Wi-Fi systems are managed in the cloud (remotely), although a somewhat similar arrangement - with a WLAN controller serving as the brain of a system of APs and switches - can also exist on-premises, without the input of the external provider. However, when SMBs and enterprises shop for managed Wi-Fi solutions, they by and large look for cloud-managed offerings that will spare them the complexity and expense of operating their network on-prem.
On a technical level, a typical managed Wi-Fi implementation will feature multiple SSIDs served by wireless APs, which go to switches and then to a managed router that's connected to the carrier's main network. The customer gets fast, reliable service at its site while the service provider can easily optimize performance and secure access.
Depending on the provider, additional features beyond the ones above may be available, including but not limited to customizable bandwidth allocations and speeds, splash and URL landing pages, managed security and help with regulatory compliance.
The benefits of a managed Wi-Fi system
As end-user expectations for wireless access have increased, legacy WLANs have struggled to meet them. Issues ranging from poor network scalability to interference across channels have spurred organizations to seek simpler, more reliable and more economical solutions. Managed Wi-Fi service delivers these benefits and many more. Let's take a look at some of the biggest advantages you can expect from a managed WLAN solution:
Easier management
Keeping up with evolving demands and business requirements related to wireless access can be a tall task, especially for a small IT team with a lot of other responsibilities on its plate. The evolution of mobile and remote workforces only raises the stakes for being very responsive in how the network is adjusted. With a managed Wi-Fi system, the provider takes care of all essential activities, from ensuring equipment is up-to-date to troubleshooting performance issues.
Greater scalability
Let's say your business is hiring more employees and needs to, in turn, increase the size and availability of its LAN. If you had to do this on your own, it would take considerable time, effort and money to oversee the deployment of new APs, provision everything and make sure all settings and configurations were correct. Managed Wi-Fi allows APs to be added and subtracted with ease so that your network is always aligned with current requirements.
Stronger security
Without the right protection, sprawling WLANs can leak data and permit unauthorized access to critical resources. To avoid these complications, managed Wi-Fi incorporates multi-layered security to thwart cyberattacks and ensure compliance with statutes such as HIPAA in healthcare environments. Sensitive data is handled properly, private SSIDs are segmented from guest Wi-Fi and devices and activities are monitored for anomalies.
Better performance
Network downtime is a productivity killer. And even without a complete outage, not having enough bandwidth to support real-time apps like VoIP and video conferencing can slow down the entire organization. With managed Wi-Fi, your provider conducts preemptive, proactive monitoring at all hours to spot any disruptions and resolve them as quickly as possible. Plus, customizable bandwidth across SSIDs means that you make sure your internal Wi-Fi networks always have more resources than the guest Wi-Fi does.
More savings
Managed Wi-Fi is more cost-effective than a legacy WLAN configuration. Instead of upgrading and replacing network infrastructure, layering on your own security measures and maintaining an extensive IT staff to watch over the network, you simply pay the managed Wi-Fi provider to do this type of work for you, at a much more manageable rate.
What Telesystem provides to managed Wi-Fi customers
Telesystem's managed Wi-Fi offering includes the above features such as 24/7/365 monitoring, password protection and HIPAA compliance, along with additional capabilities like a custom URL landing page, a full configuration guide and the option for comprehensive usage monitoring. It all adds up to fast, secure and flexible WLAN access that meets your requirements.
Moreover, our managed Wi-Fi solutions are customizable to your environment. Whether you need connectivity for a hotel, school, hospital, convention center or other location, our team will handle the entire process of designing, implementing and supporting the right network for you.
To learn more, take a quick look at our enterprise managed Wi-Fi overview or contact a member of our team for additional information.