There is also a significant amount of equipment required for
installing Wi-Fi including splitters, routers, a hub, access points, signal
boosters and much more. In addition, according to Ralph Anderson, Vice
President of GreyFox Services (a local
company who are experts
in installing Wi-Fi into new and existing homes), “A professional service such as GreyFox Services
needs to consider all aspects of the Wi-Fi installation, both inside and out. It may appear to the Internet
service provider that ample signal is coming to the house, however, once inside the
house, if the signal is being split into multiple rooms and devices, it could
be spreading the signal too thin for adequate service.”
Therefore, following
is a list of items to consider even when using a professional service:Age of the Home: The newer the home, the easier it is to install technology. Ideally, a newly built home or one being constructed will incorporate the necessary technology from the planning stage. If you are buying an older home, you need to consider how the house was built. For example in my own home, I did not find out until after I purchased it that the walls were made of plaster spread on top of chicken-wire. All this wire interferes with our wireless devices and we have had to buy “boosters” to increase the Internet signal throughout the home. When considering the cost of the stronger equipment needed for whole home Wi-Fi, my advice would be to research your home buying options carefully.
Placement of
Equipment Cabinet: Due to the amount of equipment needed, an in-home
location for a shelf or cabinet is required. Again, newer construction should have
planned for a cabinet or shelf to be placed in the ideal location for Internet
access. However, this is not so for older construction. The ideal location could possibly be in the den, laundry room or garage.
A professional service such as GreyFox Services can assist with the ideal
placement of the equipment, access points, etc. throughout the home.
Internet Provider:
Depending on the location of your home you may or may not have a choice of an Internet provider. Some
companies are now bundling Internet access with your cable and phone service.
The key here is to shop around and get the best possible deal but also research
which one has the best customer service record and least amount of outages. Also,
if you can choose between more than one company, do not be afraid to negotiate
among the companies for better rates and services.
Other Potential
Sources of Interference: Besides walls and how they are constructed, other
electronic equipment can interfere with the Wi-Fi and vice-versa such as
baby-monitors and your
phone’s cordless handsets. Be sure to make a list of all electronic devices you
are planning to use in the home when you meet with the professional services so
they can plan accordingly.
Security: Within
the home, the Wi-Fi has to be setup so that a
“Security Key” is required to gain access to the Internet. Originally, many
home-owners were setting up the Wi-Fi with public access only to have the
connection hacked, used by neighbors, or have strangers sitting in
their driveway using their Internet access. This “Security Key” can be either a
long string of characters and numbers or a secret phrase that is meaningful to you
and easy for you to remember.Budget: Make sure that you do your homework and be very aware of the costs associated with Wi-Fi access and add that cost into your buying plans. While you can get bargains, Wi-Fi is still an additional expense associated with the purchase of your home. This list of considerations contains my current recommendations for installing Wi-Fi into the home. Meanwhile, if you have any questions or comments, please post about it on Northern Connection magazine’s Facebook page
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