Where's the Interference? Finding out Helps Improve Wi-Fi Performance

Newsletter Article

Where’s the Interference? Finding Out Helps Improve Wi-Fi Performance and Security

What do microwave ovens, cordless phones, and wireless video surveillance cameras have in common? They all can create interference that affects the performance, reliability, and security of a school’s wireless network.

“When schools limited their use of Wi-Fi to the library and administration areas, an occasional dropped connection caused by interference from a 2.4 GHz phone or a microwave oven wasn’t much of a problem,” says Sylvia Hooks, senior manager for mobility solutions at Cisco.. “It’s a different story when schools provide campuswide wireless connectivity for students, faculty, and staff.”

In fact, many K-12 districts are in the process of expanding their wireless networks to provide high-performance 802.11n wireless for high-speed Internet access, web-based student information systems, and video for classroom learning and district meetings.

Quickly Find Interference Sources The complication is that Wi-Fi operates in an unlicensed spectrum, shared by equipment ranging from cordless phones to baby monitors. Until recently, if teachers or students complained about wireless network performance, school IT teams could not readily identify the types and locations of the devices causing the interference, especially if the interference was intermittent. And when IT teams did find the source, which could be as benign as a neighboring building’s wireless network, mitigating the problem took specialized skills and time, both in short supply within school IT teams stretched thin.

Easily Visualize Wireless Air Quality Now school IT teams have an easy way to visualize the wireless spectrum. Cisco® CleanAir technology has the unique ability to detect RF interference that other systems can’t see, identify the source, and locate it on a map. What’s more, Cisco CleanAir technology can also automatically make adjustments to optimize wireless coverage, without any involvement from the IT group. The result is a self- healing, self-optimizing wireless network.

“By helping make 802.11n wireless networks as reliable as wired networks, Cisco CleanAir technology helps school districts create a stable, high-performance Wi-Fi environment for students, teachers, and staff,” says Peggy Casey, manager for education mobility solutions at Cisco.

Keep the Network Secure from Threats Cisco CleanAir technology also helps to keep school networks secure. With Cisco CleanAir, schools can identify and map unauthorized wireless access points that provide a back door into the network, as well as unauthorized video cameras, RF jammers, and other devices within range of the wireless network that can pose a security threat.

Cisco CleanAir technology is built-into Cisco Aironet® 3500 Series Access Points, Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers, the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS), and the Cisco 3300 Series Mobility Services Engine (MSE). To learn more, visit www.cisco.com/go/cleanair.

To see how Cisco CleanAir technology mitigates RF interference and protects wireless performance, visit www.youtube.com/ watch?v=y0vcTlXifOs.

Americas Headquarters Asia Pacific Headquarters Europe Headquarters Cisco Systems, Inc. Cisco Systems (USA) Pte. Ltd. Cisco Systems International BV San Jose, CA Singapore Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide. Addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at www.cisco.com/go/offices.

CCDE, CCENT, CCSI, Cisco Eos, Cisco Explorer, Cisco HealthPresence, Cisco IronPort, the Cisco logo, Cisco Nurse Connect, Cisco Pulse, Cisco SensorBase, Cisco StackPower, Cisco StadiumVision, Cisco TelePresence, Cisco TrustSec, Cisco Unified Computing System, Cisco WebEx, DCE, Flip Channels, Flip for Good, Flip Mino, Flipshare (Design), Flip Ultra, Flip Video, Flip Video (Design), Instant Broadband, and Welcome to the Human Network are trademarks; Changing the Way We Work, Live, Play, and Learn, Cisco Capital, Cisco Capital (Design), Cisco:Financed (Stylized), Cisco Store, Flip Gift Card, and One Million Acts of Green are service marks; and Access Registrar, Aironet, AllTouch, AsyncOS, Bringing the Meeting To You, Catalyst, CCDA, CCDP, CCIE, CCIP, CCNA, CCNP, CCSP, CCVP, Cisco, the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert logo, Cisco IOS, Cisco Lumin, Cisco Nexus, Cisco Press, Cisco Systems, Cisco Systems Capital, the Cisco Systems logo, Cisco Unity, Collaboration Without Limitation, Continuum, EtherFast, EtherSwitch, Event Center, Explorer, Follow Me Browsing, GainMaker, iLYNX, IOS, iPhone, IronPort, the IronPort logo, Laser Link, LightStream, Linksys, MeetingPlace, MeetingPlace Chime Sound, MGX, Networkers, Networking Academy, PCNow, PIX, PowerKEY, PowerPanels, PowerTV, PowerTV (Design), PowerVu, Prisma, ProConnect, ROSA, SenderBase, SMARTnet, Spectrum Expert, StackWise, WebEx, and the WebEx logo are registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries.

All other trademarks mentioned in this document or website are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1002R)

Americas Headquarters Asia Pacific Headquarters Europe Headquarters Cisco Systems, Inc. Cisco Systems (USA) Pte. Ltd. Cisco Systems International BV San Jose, CA Singapore Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide. Addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at www.cisco.com/go/offices.