Clear To Send: Wireless Network Engineering

What if you could design your next Wi-Fi project without downloading any software onto your computer. It’s entirely possible to design Wi-Fi in the browser leveraging CPU and GPU resources. https://youtu.be/gHSJgcO3qnI Hamina is giving us our first look into a new Wi-Fi design tool. With any laptop you’ll be able to increase your productivity and efficiency. I highly recommend you watch this episode if you want to see it in action. Check it out on our YouTube channel. Jussi Kiviniemi, Founder and CEO, gives us an early demo of how Hamina plans to change the way we do Wi-Fi design. From designing Wi-Fi 6E to CBRS and private cellular, Hamina covers many aspects of a wireless project. You just need to see it for yourself.

As 6GHz access points are starting to ship, we wanted to talk about how 6GHz will change our day-to-day life working as a Wi-Fi Engineer. In this episode, we talk about how 6GHz will impact the way we design and configure Wi-Fi networks. Here is a quick agenda of the topics covered in this episode: * 6GHz Coverage* 6GHz Design Considerations* 6GHz Device Classifications* Where 6GHz will be deployed at first* Limitation of 6GHz today* Security Configurations This episode comes after WLPC 2022 where a lot of discussions around 6GHz happened. We recommend that you guys take a look at the following presentations from WLPC: * Wes Purvis presentation from WLPC: “The Impact of 6GHz on Network Design” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIDDmzcPkns&t=2s* David Coleman presentation from WLPC: “Wi-Fi 6E: It’s Almost Like Wi-Fi is Being Born Again!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgL53Lh5TJE* Presentation from Jatin Parekh from WLPC: “Practical Considerations for Deploying Wi-Fi 6E” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEvOhJxXRPQ&list=PLXJsNZqZEF9ZBJG-70N84cgyvqhxncRtH&index=8 Here are a few additional resources we have mentioned during the show: * U-NII 6 GHz devices operating in the 5.925-7.125 GHz band: https://apps.fcc.gov/eas/comments/GetPublishedDocument.html?id=455&tn=713821* Propagation Losses Through Common Building Materials from Robert Wilson: https://www.am1.us/wp-content/uploads/Documents/E10589_Propagation_Losses_2_and_5GHz.pdf* CTS 218: https://www.cleartosend.net/cts-218-6ghz-psd-afc-with-chuck-lukaszewski/* CTS 84: https://www.cleartosend.net/cts-084-channel-widths-devin-akin

Wi-Fi security hasn’t changed much in many years. The most common security method is using a pre-shared key, one that hardly changes. Next, you have a more complex configuration using 802.1X with certificates. But what if we could flip this model and think about it differently by leveraging the cloud? We could use passwordless multi-factor authentication that verifies users and their devices. This can be implemented with today’s devices using a trusted module platform (TPM). Our sponsor, Beyond Identity, is helping organizations implement this security model and making 802.1X over Wi-Fi easier. In this episode, our guests Ashish Bhatia and Ashwin Rana discuss the challenges of today’s Wi-Fi security and dive into the Beyond Identity architecture and authenticator. We’ll discuss what the implementation looks like and how users and their devices are authenticated and postured for the Wi-Fi network and for application access. Resources Beyond Identity Ashish Bhatia on YouTube Photo by FLY:D on Unsplash

Wi-Fi news is heating up this year. With vendors coming out with Wi-Fi 6E access points to surprising vendors in 5G space. This episode is about the latest Wi-Fi news. Check out the video version of this episode and see who won our Juniper Voucher giveaway! In this episode we’re talking about 6 GHz APs from the following vendors: * Cisco 9136* Meraki MR57* Mist AP34 and AP45* Arista C-360* Aruba 630 and 650* Cambium XE5-8* Extreme 4000 Listen in on the rest of the episode to hear about Wi-Fi 7 updates, new 5 GHz channels, and other news. Resources Download the 802.11ax-2021 Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Gone are the days of not knowing what is happening on your Wi-Fi network. Traditional WLAN systems would be able to tell you if a client is connected or not but it wasn’t enough to understand the end-user experience on your Wi-Fi network. Network Assurance is how you’re able to understand the client journey, from association, DHCP, DNS, application performance and more. Our sponsor, Arista Networks, has made this possible for network operators in a simple dashboard. In this episode, we’ll learn the architecture and decision making trees behind Arista’s Network Assurance. We have two special guests, Karan Gupta and Robert Ferruolo, to help educate us on how we can run better Wi-Fi networks today. Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

We’re continuing our discussion of certifications and career growth by diving into something different – Python certifications. Automation and scripting is making its way into Wi-Fi. As Wi-Fi engineers, we need to educate ourselves and determine whether we can find good value by leveraging Python. François came across Python Institute which has its own set of Python certifications. It provides a good structure into getting started. Then you can test your knowledge by taking an exam. In this podcast, François shares his opinions on Python Institute certifications. The two certifications are: * PCEP* PCAP

Are you interested in taking the Juniper Mist JNCIA-MistAI or JNCIS-MistAI certifications? Rowell recently took the JNCIA-MistAI and he provides his thoughts on the exam. The JNCIA is an entry-level type of certification. There won’t be any configuration type of questions. But what you will need to know is identifying the different components of MistAI. Having working knowledge and experience with Mist is an advantage for you and is a great way to prepare for the exam. When it comes to the JNCIS-MistAI, there is a lot more to learn and lab. While Wi-Fi fundamentals are still covered in JNCIS-MistAI, it covers nearly half of the objectives. But once you get passed the fundamentals, you must demonstrate your knowledge of MistAI such as troubleshooting, location-based services, and automation. Resources * I PASSED JNCIA-MistAI* Mist Design* Juniper Learning Portal

Wi-Fi has always been important. People are mobile and it seems as though any issue gets pinned on Wi-Fi. That’s why this year it is your time to get into Wi-Fi, learn the fundamentals, and become the Wi-Fi expert at your workplace. In this episode, we’re going to discuss how to get started and what to do first. We then talk about training, which you can get from WiFi Training and even our course site. Next, there are certifications. Do they matter today? Which Wi-Fi specific IT certification should you start with? In addition to training and certifications, there are various books to add to your bookshelf. Such as the CWNA Study Guide, 802.11 Standard, Next Generation Wireless LANs: 802.11n and 802.11ac, and 802.11 Wireless Networks. Some of the blogs you can follow include: * SemFioNetworks.com* gjermundraaen.com* mrncciew.com Listen to the episode today and let us know what you think in the comments below. Here are some links to episodes about tools: * CTS 244: Handheld Wi-Fi Tools with NetAlly* CTS 125: 802.11 Frame Captures on Windows* CTS 121: Capturing Wireless Frames with a Mac* CTS 189: WinFi – The New Windows Wi-Fi Scanner* CTS 047: Troubleshooting WiFi With Wireshark* CTS 247: The Best Wi-Fi Apps for MacOS

The year is coming to a close and this is our last episode. We want to thank you, the listener, for supporting us. Thank you for listening to our episodes and sharing them with others. If you have 5-10 minutes, please fill out our annual audience survey. It will help shape the direction of the podcast in 2022. We want to produce episodes you want to listen to. https://youtu.be/WXUfShGgpkw We published 28 episodes this year. Right on par for what we intended as we switched to publishing every other week. We were incredibly busy with Wi-Fi work throughout the year but we always wanted to create an episode for the CTS community. We officially made it over 647,000 all-time downloads so thank you so much! Here are the top 10 countries listening and learning about Wi-Fi: * United States* United Kingdom* Canada* Germany* India* Australia* France* Sweden* Taiwan* Netherlands Here are the top 10 episodes of 2021: * CTS 264: Spectrum Analysis* CTS 265: Wi-Fi News – 6 GHz, Wi-Fi 6E AP, Stress Test Report* CTS 252: Our Wi-Fi Design Walkthrough* CTS 266: Private Cellular Demystified* CTS 261: Troubleshooting Common Wi-Fi Problems* CTS 263: Wi-Fi Vulnerability – FragAttacks* CTS 262: Troubleshooting Wi-Fi Issues with RUCKUS* CTS 259: Optimizing for Client Devices* CTS 260: Troubleshoot Common Wi-Fi Problems w/ Meraki Health* CTS 251: Fast BSS Transition Frame Exchanges (CWAP) We want to wish you a Happy New Year! Have a great time going into 2022. Be safe. We’ll see each other soon.

With the pandemic to continue on, how does this impact future carpeted office Wi-Fi projects? More workers are wanting to work from home, avoiding long commutes, easier way of life, and just avoiding the office altogether. Some businesses have opted to move towards a more remote workforce thus reducing their office footprint. Many other businesses continue to delay the return to the office. These large offices remain empty for quite some time. Will they continue to do Wi-Fi upgrades? Are they preparing for the workforce to return? Or maybe it’s a hybrid approach. As some businesses continue to downsize the office, how does this impact the work of Wi-Fi experts for carpeted office? We’ve seen a big decline if office installations. Take a listen to this episode and let us know what your thoughts are down below in the comments section.

In this episode, Arista Networks joins the podcast to provide an overview of their Wi-Fi solution – Arista Cognitive Wi-Fi. Arista Networks acquired Mojo Networks in 2018. Today, it forms CloudVision Wi-Fi that provides network administrators with a view of end user experience on their Wi-Fi networks. Robert Ferruolo and Metka Dragos join us from Arista Networks to talk about their platform’s architecture – from separation of control plane, management plane, and data plane and to providing a flexible deployment with on-premises or cloud. The Arista’s Wi-Fi solution leverages a hierarchical management model which can ease configuration through inheritance and role-based management access. The role-based access can be applied to network administrators and even marketing teams who want to view campaign reports. Deployment is zero-touch. Access points are assigned to your account and once moved into one of the hierarchical folders, configuration can be pushed to the access point once it is online and has internet connectivity. Arista Networks’ access points have a multifunction radio to enhance wireless security scanning and RF scanning. A dedicated radio for these types of functions means allowing a client serving radio to do just that – serve clients. The multifunction radio also allows a network administrator to perform synthetic testing to ensure Wi-Fi connectivity works as part of the network assurance feature set. Listen in on this episode and let us know what you think down below in the comments section. Links and Resources AI-driven Management and Security of Corporate Networks with Arista Cognitive Campus Workspaces: https://www.arista.com/assets/data/pdf/ESG-Tech-Review-Arista-Cognitive-Campus.pdf Arista Cognitive Campus Network: https://www.arista.com/assets/data/pdf/Whitepapers/Cognitive-Campus-WP.pdf Arista Cognitive Wi-Fi: https://www.arista.com/en/products/cognitive-wifi

A common question we get and see on the CTS Slack is what equipment we have in our AP-on-a-Stick (APoS) kit? In this episode, we discuss the core components of our APoS kit including the tripod, AP stand, casters, cases, etc. The most common question about APoS is the tripod. Which one should you get depends on how high you want your AP to go. There are various types of tripods from painters poles to specialized tripods that can go up to 40 feet high. For example, take a look at this Neewer light stand (affiliate link). It can go up to 8.5 feet. One thing to consider may be casters for easy movement but that is your preference. It’s possible to get extenders as well for additional height. I use a Manfrotto 3-section extension pole (affiliate link) for an additional 7.6 feet. Take a look at Manfrotto’s 12 foot tripod (affiliate link) too. It’s a good combination with the 3-section pole and will provide you with most of the heights you need. If you need additional height, then you may want to look at the Vantage tripod which can extend up to 40 feet! I’ve used this in a warehouse and found it incredibly useful. There was no need for a scissor lift. Now that you have your tripod, you need to mount your access point to something. That’s where the WiFi Stand bracket comes into play. I use the XL version and it will hold the majority of access points. Speaking of WiFi Stand, you can grab a full kit with all the components you need. Just take a look at all the options. Listen to the whole episode to hear what else we include in our APoS kit!

Designing Wi-Fi for university lecture halls can be challenging. From dealing with BYOD, high density, aesthetics, and more.. How do you tackle it? What should you consider? And what will the results be? There are many challenges to consider such as high density, high capacity, BYOD, aesthetics, application usage, and more. All must be considered in the design. In our experience, it is best to communicate with multiple people – building manager, professors, etc. If you’re looking for a partner to work with on your next Wi-Fi project. Reach out to us. Rowell & François are available for engagements from our respective companies: Packet6 or SemFio Networks. In this episode we discuss a specific scenario where over 1000 devices associated to Wi-Fi and brought it to it’s knees. This lecture hall had a seat capacity of 498 people. When it comes to Wi-Fi design in lecture halls, we use Ekahau for the design so we can determine capacity. After determining installation possibilities, we identify the antenna we want to use. Our preference is to use directional antennas to shape signal over areas of the lecture hall. We avoid omnidirectional antennas because of the propagation pattern. Even in a lecture hall, the signal from directional antennas will still spread over the room. We take the seat capacity to determine how many devices we can expect to see in the lecture hall. We will want to multiply that number by the number of devices each person typically carries. For example, if the room capacity is 500 and everyone has 2 devices, then we may expect 1000 total devices. But not everyone uses both devices simultaneously. That’s when we determine a “take rate”. How many devices we believe will be using the Wi-Fi network. Maybe out of the 1000 devices the take rate is 80%? Around 800 devices. You have to determine what that number is. Additionally, you must consider any applications that will be used. We add all these details into Ekahau for capacity planning to find out if we will exceed capacity or not. Listen to the episode to hear the full conversation! Here are a few photos and screenshots for context Here’s a look at one of the access points before optimizations were made. The screenshots were taken from Cisco Prime. Here is the result after making a channel change and optimizing transmit power. Additional Resources *

In this episode, we talk about what updates Fortinet brings to Mobility Field Day 6. Fortinet reminds us that they have a full stack offering with security first. We like to call it their FortiOffering. Security is always at the heart of their solutions. They have products to answer a lot of needs – Very scalable. * FortiGate (NGFW) –* Access Points* Switches* NAC* SD-WAN And for Wi-Fi, they have the ability for the Fortigate to be a wireless controller or have have APs on site and managed in the cloud. But if the business isn’t quite ready to scale, they also have Wi-Fi solutions for SMBs. Fortinet is bringing more of their security solutions closer to the edge, specifically on the access points. Fortiguard services at the edge integrated into an AP (UTP). It will include web filtering, IPS, Anti botnet, app control and antivirus before the traffic hits the wire. It’s UTM at an SSID level. What are your thoughts on bringing security closer to the users and directly on the access point? Let us know in the comments below.

NetAlly continues to add features to their existing handheld tools. In this episode, we’re going to take a look at two features for the EtherScope nXG, the BLE survey and LANBERT which was showcased at Mobility Field Day 6. BLE is integrated into more and more APs nowadays (Mist, Aruba, Meraki…). BLE is leveraged for a lot of applications that we start to see being integrated into the WLAN infrastructure (Location, proximity tracing …). There are tools to do BLE design but not all of them can validate. We usually rely on the vendor tool to assess the BLE signal. With the EtherScope nXG, you can do a BLE survey and validate the BLE coverage. The EtherScope collects information from different types of beacons: Eddystone UID, Eddystone URL and iBeacon. And this is done while performing a Wi-Fi survey. LANBERT is a tool to assess the quality of transmission and available bandwidth of a cable or fiber. It measures the transmission of line rate Ethernet frames over your network cabling infrastructure. It’s a better way to do cable testing. It’s not just a simple pass/fail model. It shows the SNR and which speed will be supported. Noise is measured coming from ESD, crosstalk or EMF. Tests can be done over a longer period to detect any sporadic interference. You can make sure that your multi-gig link will link and stay at a multi-gig speed.