WiFi Support Services
WiFi Support Services

WiFi troubleshooting support is a big headache if you don’t know what you are doing.  First, know what you are purchasing.   The WiFi Access Point (AP for short or hotspot) options in a micro business and home environments typically are low end access points, router integrated Access Points. These are off the shelf products are found at big box stores at Best Buy and Office Depot.  Performing research prior to making your purchase can spare a lot of long term grief.  We specialize in WiFi troubleshoot support in San Diego along with some making basic troubelshooting content available for when a big box store equipment is not meeting your needs and it’s impeding productivity.

Are you in the purchasing or replacement phase and need consultation?

Ubiquiti IT Support – Network Antics  – This Ubiquiti post gives a high level look in everything you need in a router, switch, and WiFi access point setup for your organization.

Other helpful Ubiquiti resources

Already have the product and want some WiFi troubleshooting support? 

Check out below.

 

Wifi access deployed

Basic WiFi Support troubleshooting steps for existing infrastructure include:

  • Easiest troubleshooting maneuver is to simply forget the network and reconnect to it.
  • Get wireless connectivity in its most basic form.  Change the SSID and dumbed down the complexity of the passphrase.  Sometimes SSID’s conflict with other existing SSID’s in the neighborhood.  Make sure you have a unique SSID for your hotspot.
  • Firmware
    • Update the firmware of the router if it contains a integrated Access Point.
    • Update the WLAN drivers for the computer.
    • Update the firmware of the WiFi controller.
    • Update the firmware of the Access Point.
  • The DHCP pool may be too small and therefore only a finite few can hop on to the WiFi before all others are able to connect.
  • Buy some tools to make it work.  Sometimes it’s just not worth the time to troubleshoot. These cheap options will get you back up and running quick.   Other times, simply connecting to the NIC will jump start the WiFi.  Purchase the second accessory too if you don’t already a NIC.
  • Maybe your fancy router with integrated access point is just not “optimized” for your environment.  It may take a specialist to figure that out after you performed the punch list.
  • Up your WiFi troubleshooting support game; and learn about continuous pings, latency, and packet loss.
  • When in doubt reboot..
    • yeah, maybe reboot the WiFi Controller, Access Point, and WiFi whatever… maybe, that will work.
    • Forget the APs in the controller and WiFi SSIDs on the computer.  Then reset the controller to factory defaults.

More WiFi troubleshooting Support Tips!

There are some simple signal tips regardless of what wireless access point you choose.  Follow them and you should be much better shape than you were previously.

  • Elevate the access point.
  • Isolate it from other electronics
  • Centrally locate near hallways when placing in rooms. Wireless signal do not penetrate walls often and while the signal may still be strong, the speed is limited.  Run speedtest.net to determine speeds and ping tests to discovery latency.  High latency prevents reasonable times for accessing web sites and jerky video.

Go to start, run on Windows 7 or select the Cortana search field in the left hand, bottom side of Windows 10, and type “cmd”. Then from the black window AKA DOS prompt, type “ping 4.2.2.2 -t ” followed by enter. The key to the results here is having continuous replies and low latency or as the arrow displays, low ms. This example is from a coffee shop I am at playing catch up on a Sunday :( The latency is pretty high but I can still function but some tasks may lag or simply not work.

WiFi Troubleshooting Support

 

Business WiFi Support

The high end wireless Access Points are managed by an expensive controller.   Business WiFi Support does not have to be that way. There are multiple affordable options for having an integrated WiFi controller or separate hardware or software component that contains the WiFi controller.   Look for buzz words or acronyms such MIMO and AC when purchasing an WiFi access point these days.  These unit produce far superior speeds from the legacy hardware of years past.

Note:  A mini switch may be necessary in some of the situations.  We always recommend a one to one network drop connection but sometimes the switch is unavoidable.

Option 1 – Hire Professionals

  • Get us to perform a cable management solution, recommend a business grade solution, and we will project manage and configure equipment.

 

Option 2 – Ubiquity WiFi Starter Setup for  DIYers &  Micro Businesswifi troubleshooting support

See more details on the Ubiquiti Unifi solution below…

 

Option 3 – Ruckus 

  • Controller – Integrated all in one solution.   Both controller and Access Point are built on the same device.

  • Access Point – Integrated all in one solution.   Both controller and Access Point are built on the same device.

Ruckus does not provide support on Amazon based purchases.

 

Option 4 – Aruba

Aruba is the alternative Access Point on the same quality level but without the standalone controller.  Aruba’s wireless access points are more expensive than the Ubiquity but don’t require a software or hardware controller.  The Aruba Instant does not require a separate controller and they copy the config between themselves when setup.

Option 5 – Cheap knock off solutions

 

The UniFi® Controller software introduced by the company called Ubiquity is an affordable alternative to the fancy access points. It is a powerful, enterprise wireless software engine ideal for high-density client deployments requiring low latency and high uptime performance. A single Ubiquity UniFi Controller running in the cloud can manage multiple sites: multiple, distributed deployments and multi-tenancy for managed service providers. The wireless Access Points in the each location would need to be able to see the original controller in order to control them.


UAP-AC Network Topology Requirements

  • A DHCP-enabled network.
  • Cloud Key Controller or a designated “Management Station”
    • Order the Cloud Key (mentioned above) to make your life easy and configure it.
    • A management station computer running the Ubiquity UniFi Controller Software, located either onsite and connected to the same Layer-2 network, or off-site in a cloud NOC. *The management station can be a workstation or server. The management station that contains the controller software is not required to be on at all times for the Access Points to work effectively but it was not designed for the controller to be off regularly.  This for the extremely budget conscious individual.

 

Get Going!

Think you are already ready for Ubiquiti Unifi setup?!?!  Get going! https://unifi.ui.com .   Not registered, yet?  https://account.ui.com/register

Can’t find the Unify Cloud Key controller?

  • Web Browser Path to the Controller Example – https://192.168.0.22:8443
    • Don’t know the IP address of the Unify Cloud Key controller?
      • Utilize Advance IP Scanner for discovering where your cloud key is.  Then replace the example controller IP address with the correct IP.
        • Don’t which IP is the controller?
          • Jot down MAC address labeled on the cloud key next to the QR code.

Ubiquiti Unifi Controller Resources and Documentation

All UniFi APs support off-site management controllers. For details see the Users Guide on the website: https//:documentation.ubnt.com/unifi
For Software Controller Downloads:  https://www.ubnt.com/download/unifi/ 

*Always keep up to date on the latest software controller and make backup of your current configuration.  Make sure the controller is always running on the host PC or server.  The Access Point needs to phone home every once in a while.

wifi support

Software Controller Download

 

Fun Management (controller) Station Features:

  • Wireless Access Points can lose their configuration aka factory default by clicking “forget the device” from the management station.
  • It’s called adopt or associate when the wireless first attached to network, receive a dynamic IP, and you are joining the device to be managed by the controller. It’s possible to inherent the other devices wireless access point configuration settings from that point forward.
  • You can view all the wireless bandwidth hogs, limit their connections, and or block them.
  • Wireless Access Points can MAC address can have an alias name and a map can be inserted to easily locate each device
  • You can connect to management station via a web browser URL https://nameofhostcomputer:8443

One SSID for all

Make sure you set the SSID under setting settings (lower left of management station GUI) and select “wireless networks” once you adopt all your Ubiquity Access Points.

WiFi Support Services

 

 

Management Station –  Device Tab

You can easily adopt new Access Points in this tab and make subtle tweak to individual Access Points.  These tweaks include:

  • Attempts to improve the signal
  • Forgetting the device completing from the network
  • Breaking out of the default SSID and configuration settings and creating it’s own unique WiFi Access Point configuration

WiFi Support Services

 

Aruba and Ruckus are the alternative Access Points  on the same quality level but without the standalone controller. Aruba’s wireless access points are more expensive than the Ubiquity but don’t require a software or hardware controller. The Aruba Instant does not require a separate controller and they copy the config between themselves when setup.

ProTip!  Buying Ruckus through Amazon does not have a valid support warranty.  Be careful what you purchase on Amazon for this reason.

Wireless Signal Tips

There are some simple signal tips regardless of what wireless access point you choose. Follow them and you should be much better shape than you were previously.

  • Elevate the access point.
  • Isolate it from other electronics
  • Centrally locate near hallways when placing in rooms. Wireless signal do not penetrate walls often and while the signal may still be strong, the speed is limited. Run speedtest.net to determine speeds and ping tests to discovery latency. High latency prevents reasonable times for accessing web sites and jerky video.
  • Change channels from auto to a unique channel for every AP.  Use NetSpot App to determine free channels.  1, 6, and 11 channels are your options.  Here’s why…
  • Tweek setting within wifi device to what is referenced below if still flakie…
  • Upgrade the controller by backing up *.unf file and uninstalling and deleting all related controller data.  Install the latest version of the controller.   Then upgrade device firmware.

ubiquity wifi support

WiFi Troubleshooting Support in San Diego

When all else fails or you have determined you are in over your head, contact NetworkAntics for all WiFi troubleshooting support in San Diego.