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WiFi is a wireless network technology that allows you to connect to other devices or the internet. The wireless connection is created by using radio waves in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.

The use of WiFi is license-free. This means there are no costs associated with the use of WiFi frequencies, unlike, for example, 4G/5G.

Thanks to WiFi, you can easily connect more and more different devices with each other and/or the internet. This allows devices such as laptops, tablets, telephones (VoIP), scanners, cash registers, heating installations, cameras, alarm systems, production machines, digiboards, etc. to communicate quickly and easily.

(By the way, the term WiFi was once coined by a marketing agency.)

VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol (IP). Loosely translated, this means speech over IP (network connection). It is also known as IP telephony or Internet telephony.

In the past, telephony consisted of national cabling. The challenge was that a copper connection was required from A to B to be able to transport speech between two participants. Due to the great distances, all kinds of intermediate stations and amplifiers were needed.

At one point someone came up with the idea of ​​packing speech into very small 'samples' as data and sending that in IP 'packets' over a network connection. This allows speech to be sent over anything that supports IP, such as WiFi, Ethernet, the Internet, etc.

The big advantage is that VoIP makes use of the existing ICT network, so that one technology can transport data and speech. This means less equipment and less cabling.

In fact, cables are not always necessary, because VoIP also works wirelessly with well-designed WiFi networks (hyperlink). The old-fashioned telephone exchanges are being replaced by software on a server. Simplicity, flexibility and mobility - because it also works for WiFi - are key features of VoIP.

With VoIP, it is very important that the network is properly designed and set up for Quality of Service (QoS) so that the calls are of good quality.

WPA3 is a new and stronger security protocol for modern wireless networks (WiFi). The term stands for WiFi Protected Access.

Thanks to modern encryption methods (Simultanious Authentication of Equeals - SAE), increased security is ensured. This encryption prevents passwords for your WiFi network from being tried through with the help of word lists.

Other security functions are also mandatory, such as PMF (Protected Management Frames). This creates a more secure exchange of data during the logon phase between the client and the WiFi network (controller).

WiFi 6 enables MU-MIMO. It stands for “Multi-User Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output”.

Its predecessor MIMO, which stands for “Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output”, is a technology originally introduced with the WiFi 5 standard. Thanks to MIMO, bandwidth can be split so that devices (clients) can communicate with a WiFi Access Point (AP) simultaneously.

With the MU-MIMO technology, the WiFi channels can be used even more efficiently. In addition, MU-MIMO with WiFi 6 is available in both the downlink and uplink, while with WiFi 5 Wave2, the MU-MIMO was only available in the downlink.

With WiFi 6, a total of 12 streams are available (5GHz = 8 streams, 2.4GHz = 4 streams) compared to WiFi 5 where only 8 streams on only the 5GHz band were available.

OFDMA stands for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access. This channel access method has been available since WiFi 6 (link) and has a double advantage:

On the one hand, a channel can be divided into even more sub-channels than before. Alternatively, the distribution of one or more subchannels can be assigned to one or more clients.

If a client uses little bandwidth, the remaining bandwidth can be used for other clients. Only WiFi 6 has this channel access method.

The choice of brand and type of hardware is determined by the combination of price and quality. The required quality is determined by the ICT-environment, (the number of) expected users, applications en so much more. Please contact our WiFi specialists, they will help you select the best choice.

Please contact Procyon Networks if you:

• Have questions about anything related to the ICT-network field regarding current or future challenges.
• Want to be sure that the ICT-network works well and continues to function well.
• Want independent advice on data communication.
• Want to offer your ICT-team the best management tools and/or have them expand their knowledge through training.