CompTIA A+® Certification All-In-One For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

2.4. Increasing Wireless Network Performance

Some basic steps that you can take to improve wireless performance include the following:

• Reduce interference from other sources. This might include changing channels that you are using or changing the spectrum that you are using, such as switching from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz technologies.

• Reduce the number of clients per access point. Because wireless is a shared medium, the fewer clients the access point has to share bandwidth between, the faster each client will be.

• Reduce the range between the clients and the access points. As the range between the client and access point increases, the signal quality decreases — and, therefore, the data throughput rate decreases.

• Use faster technology. For example, upgrade from 802.11b to 802.11g or 802.11n.

• Reduce the material that the signal must travel through. The distance ratings are usually open-air ratings, and construction materials and other objects in the path of the signal will reduce the signal strength.

  NOTE

  Outdoor wireless networks set up during the winter can experience problems in the spring when trees in the path of the signal leaf out. Try to anticipate how annual weather and seasonal changes in your area will affect both your wireless equipment and wireless signal.

• Use proprietary or nonstandard technology to improve data transfer speeds. This might work only when teamed with specific networks cards from the wireless vendor.