Just like the cellular network evolved from 2G to 4G and 5G soon, also wireless networks for public usage evolved. You may have seen the WIFI standard written as 802.11a/b/g/n. Now most of the access points that ship are marked 802.11ac capable. The question is what does it really bring? And is it really worth the upgrade?
The earlier 802.11a standards operates in the 5GHz spectrum; this means it provided higher speeds (up to 54Mbps). The downside is that because the frequency is so high, it is more sensible to interference, obstacle and can only cover short distances. The 802.11b/g which was more widespread ranged from 11Mbps to 54Mbps and operates in 2.4GHz spectrum. It could cover long distances with cheap hardware. The most widespread standard in use today is the 802.11n standard which made speed up to 600Mbps possible by taking advantage of MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) technology. MIMO allowed multiple simultaneous connection between the radio (access point) and the endpoint devices, thus allowing unprecedented speed and signal reconstruction.
The newest standard available to use is the 802.11ac standard. This new technology allows wireless devices to communicate at speeds ranging from 450Mbps to 1300Mbps by using dual band technology (combining 2.4GHz and 5GHz). This means that you get the best of both worlds depending on the circumstances. If you purchased a device in 2017 or 2018, chances are they already support this new standard. All you need to do to experience the bump in speed is to upgrade your Access Points.
Well wireless is a shared space and the speeds mentioned are theoretical. This means you may never get the maximum speed specified. With our handheld and portable computers requiring bigger bandwidth and faster speed, it is paramount to provide the best possible data rates to enable applications to perform efficiently. You need to keep in mind that a radio broadcasting at 300Mbps is sharing a total of 300Mbps to all its connected stations (or clients) creating a lot of contention; and that is without considering noise, reflection and other interfering parameters. Suffice it to say if your users depend on wireless connectivity for sharing resources amongst each other, access office shared resources and connect to the internet, the last thing you want to present a bottleneck is your wireless infrastructure. With 802.11ac your users will experience cable-like connectivity on wireless connected devices and I am sure that will not displease you.
Dot11 ac radio equipment are still fairly expensive and not all your existing devices will be able to take advantage of the new technology. The standard is backward compatible, so all your old devices will be able to connect using their slower speed. You need to make sure you choose between directional and omnidirectional antennas depending on the required coverage and the environment. Seamless roaming is fully supported so watch your signal overlapping ratio.
The IEEE is already working on the next standard that will provide single stream connectivity up to 3.5Gbps and a maximum of 14Gbps with multiplexing. This will help further in cellular network offload and better connectivity for our data hungry devices.
Creating and maintaining a WLAN can be a breeze when using the right solutions. Multiple surveys (active and passive site surveys) must be conducted to ensure adequate signal levels, acceptable signal to noise ratio and coverage area. Apotica recommends solutions from Cisco, Aruba, Meraki, and Ruckus. These vendors provide state of the art enterprise wireless solution that will increase employee mobility and enhance office productivity. And don’t forget choosing the right wireless solution is the first step in creating a good a compliant BYOD infrastructure.
Our team of experienced network engineers are always available to discuss your Wireless Requirements and recommend the right solution for every scenario. To discuss your wireless and BYOD solutions, call us on +233.54.431.5710 or write to sales@apotica.net.
Apotica, headquartered in Accra, Ghana brings together the best information and communications technologies to help clients grow, compete and serve their customers better.
Matilda, a Chartered Accountant, joined Apotica in May 2023. With over 12 years of experience in banking, insurance, pensions, accounting and finance, she is responsible for the company’s financial control, strategic planning, management reporting, and overall financial performance.
She holds a BSc degree in Business Administration (Accounting) from the University of Ghana Business School and an MSc in Accounting and Finance from the same institution. Matilda is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana.
Matilda has attended the Executive Education course in Strategic Management at the Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands and participated in other leadership seminars around the world.
Peniel Korley is Head of Marketing for Apotica, designing and implementing comprehensive marketing strategies to create awareness of the company’s business activities.
Peniel joined Apotica in April 2019 and has helped build our market presence through an adept combination of traditional marketing and digital marketing techniques, executing and monitoring corporate promotion campaigns, and conducting market research to help us stay abreast of trends.
He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Ghana and a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing from the University of Ghana Business School. He’s a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK.
As Head of Projects, Sylvester Kyeremeh is responsible for coordinating people and processes to ensure that our client projects are delivered on time and produce the desired results. He leads this function within the confines of our quality management and information security management systems.
Sylvester joined Apotica in 2017 as a Systems Engineer, before moving on to join our project management practice a year later. His calm and collected approach to interpersonal engagements, impressive sense of planning, and excellent communication skills continue to receive the plaudits of our customers.
Sylvester received his B.S. degree in Computer Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology. He’s a Certified Information Systems Auditor, a Cisco-certified professional, an ISO 27001 Lead Implementer, and a member of the Project Management Institute with PMP and Scrum Master qualifications.
At 25, Millicent is currently the youngest head of department at Apotica, taking up this role in August 2020. She’s responsible for managing all aspects of risk to the organization, employees, clients, assets, reputation, and interests of stakeholders. Millicent also works with the leadership of the organization to embed and maintain a risk-aware culture in the organization.
Before joining Apotica, she worked as a broadcast journalist at Radio Universe – a popular media house in Accra. Millicent holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and has attended the Executive Education course in Personal Leadership at the Maastricht School of Management, Netherlands.
She’s a Certified Governance, Risk, and Compliance Professional (GRCP) and a qualified ISO 9001 Lead Implementer.
Elom Kutsienyo is the Chief Technology Officer at Apotica. A technology enthusiast and Apple nerd, he is responsible for the development and maintenance of our excellent technical services capabilities and enabling our engineering teams to become adept at industry best practices relating to enterprise solutions design, deployments, and support.
Since taking up the CTO role in August 2019, he has strategically grown our product offerings through strong channel partnerships with leading ICT vendors. Elom’s extensive experience in product sales, project management, service delivery, and field engineering also helps as he oversees company webinars, product demos, proof-of-value activities, and technical proposals for clients.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Telecom Engineering from Ghana Technology University College and has attained several professional qualifications including the coveted Cisco CCIE certification as well as certifications from Microsoft, VMware, NetApp, HPE, and Nutanix.
Clifford leads the Customer Experience practice at Apotica which encompasses our consulting, technology, support, and learning services.
Prior to his position at Apotica, Clifford was the senior manager of IT Infrastructure at Stanbic, a leading commercial bank in Ghana. He has also previously held roles in field engineering, service delivery, and customer support at organizations including Huawei, IBM, Tech Mahindra, and Zenith Bank.
Clifford is PMP-certified and holds a Bachelor’s in Information Technology, as well as several industry certifications from Microsoft, VMware, and Amazon.
Dzigbodi Amekoudi oversees company business in Benin and the countries in French West Africa. As Country Manager, his primary responsibility is business development, which involves helping to define and introduce the right go-to-market strategies and making sure our business operates profitably in the territory. He’s also responsible for establishing operating budgets and managing company employees in his region.
During his tenure, Dzigbodi has led Apotica’s expansion into other countries including Burkina Faso, Guinea Conakry, Mali, and Niger. Additionally, he works with our technical services leads to ensure successful post-sales delivery of customer projects.
Dzigbodi started his career in engineering and project management, before joining Apotica as a key accounts manager in January 2020.
He earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Telecommunications from Ghana Technology University College and a Master of Science degree in International Management from Franklin University Switzerland. He’s a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK.
Emmanuel Nketia is responsible for managing all sales functions at Apotica and oversees other departments, including marketing, operations, and client renewals. An excellent salesman and negotiator, he brings with him 20 years of experience in logistics, accounting, business development, and customer relationship management.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology. He’s also a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK, and an MBA Marketing candidate at the University of Ghana Business School.
Emmanuel has attended the Executive Education course in Strategic Management from the Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands and participated in other leadership seminars in the USA.
At Apotica, we are on a mission to help clients grow and serve their customers better. As CEO, Felix Nkansah works closely with our Sales, Services, and Operations leadership to identify customer and industry transitions and determine our strategies to address them.
Felix joined Apotica in January 2017 and brings more than 18 years of experience across executive leadership, systems engineering, customer support, and sales functions with some regional conglomerates and information technology companies.
He has a background in computer science and holds expert-level professional certifications in networking, security, and systems design.