Clear To Send: Recent Episodes
Rowell Dionicio and François Vergès
In this episode, we discuss choosing the right Wi-Fi antennas for enterprise environments. The main topics covered include:
- Types of antennas used in enterprise Wi-Fi:
- Omnidirectional antennas
- Directional antennas
- Understanding antenna patterns:
- Elevation and Azimuth
- Beamwidth
- When to use different antenna types:
- Omnidirectional antennas for most environments
- Directional antennas for high ceilings and high-density user areas
- Aesthetic considerations and available options for antenna installations
This episode is part of our “Wi-Fi Hardware and Devices” series, focusing on the crucial aspect of antenna selection for optimal Wi-Fi performance in various enterprise settings.
The post CTS 345: Choosing the right Wi-Fi Antennas appeared first on Clear To Send.
In this episode of Clear To Send, François Vergès and Rowell Dionicio provide an in-depth overview of Wi-Fi access points. They delve into their evolution, form factors, and how different models cater to varying user needs.
They start by discussing the importance of understanding the functionality of your Wi-Fi access points and how they fit within the overall network architecture. They then dive into specific models, including the Juniper Mist AP45, Cisco AP 9166D1, Cisco AP 9120, Aruba AP 635, and various Ruckus APs.
Each model is examined with a focus on its unique features and specifications. The hosts also discuss how these APs can be best utilized in different environments and scenarios. From businesses to public spaces and homes, they cover a broad spectrum of use-cases.
This episode will equip you with the knowledge and understanding to choose the right Wi-Fi access points for your specific needs. Whether you’re a network engineer, a business owner, or simply a tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with valuable insights.
Don’t miss out on this informative discussion! Tune into CTS 336: Overview of Wi-Fi Access Points now.
Resources
- Link to CTS 327: https://www.cleartosend.net/cts-327-the-evolution-of-ap-form-factor/
-
Images of APs
- Juniper Mist AP45:
-
Cisco AP 9166D1
-
Cisco AP 9120
-
Aruba AP 635
-
Ruckus APs
The post CTS 344: Overview of Wi-Fi Access Points appeared first on Clear To Send.
In this episode of Clear To Send, François and Rowell dive into the world of Wi-Fi security and encryption as part of our “Back to Basics” series. We break down the evolution of Wi-Fi security, from the outdated and unsafe methods to the current gold standards.
Here’s what we cover:
- A brief history of Wi-Fi security, including the now-obsolete WEP and WPA (TKIP) methods
- Current security techniques: WPA2 (PSK and Enterprise) and WPA3 (SAE and Enterprise)
- Guest access options: Open Authentication and Enhanced Open (OWE)
- The importance of staying updated with the latest security protocols
We also discuss why older security methods are no longer safe and why it’s crucial for both home users and enterprises to adopt the latest standards. Whether you’re a network admin or just curious about your home Wi-Fi security, this episode has something for everyone.
Resources:
- Wi-Fi Security Timeline: https://semfionetworks.com/blog/wi-fi-security-timeline1385106/
Bonus: We’ve created a handy Security Comparison Table to help visualize the differences between various Wi-Fi security methods. Check it out in the show notes!
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave us a review if you found this episode helpful. Got questions? Hit us up on social media or leave a comment below.
Resources
- Wi-Fi Security Timeline: https://semfionetworks.com/blog/wi-fi-security-timeline1385106/
Bonus
- Security Comparison Table
The post CTS 343: Exploring Wi-Fi Security and Encryption appeared first on Clear To Send.
https://youtu.be/F-jrkxog6NAIn this episode of Clear To Send, François Vergès and Rowell Dionicio dive into the topic of optimizing Wi-Fi performance and coverage. As part of our “Back to Basics” series, we explore various strategies and best practices to enhance your wireless network’s efficiency.
Key points discussed in this episode include:
- Coverage optimization:
- Why more power isn’t always better
- The importance of choosing the right antenna
- Designing with secondary signal in mind
- Performance enhancement:
- Proper frequency band selection
- Effective channel planning
- Maintaining consistent channel width for APs
- Planning for capacity
- The benefits of disabling legacy data rates
- Implementing 802.11r/k/v for improved roaming experience
Whether you’re a network administrator, IT professional, or Wi-Fi enthusiast, this episode provides valuable insights to help you maximize your wireless network’s potential.
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts on this episode. Got questions or topics you’d like us to cover? Reach out to us on social media or leave a comment below!
The post CTS 342: Optimizing Wi-Fi Performance and Coverage appeared first on Clear To Send.
https://youtu.be/8u0hXi-tMIkMeter is going one step beyond AI chat bots with their product Command. It’s a generative UI that goes beyond command line interface and adds visuals to create custom dashboards using a natural language interaction.
A network operator can make queries for their network, configure SSIDs, new networks, and other network changes by using plain English.
Meter Command allows a network operator to be highly efficient and productive. A simple English query can yield results of the network. Or if you need to build a custom dashboard for a CTO, you can ask Meter Command to build that for you. No extra coding experience required.
Another great aspect of Meter Command is it is built to be collaborative with other team members. Troubleshooting can be kept in a single canvas and updated dynamically. Dashboards can be created and modified on the fly by collaborating with other team members.
Check out the episode and the screenshots below.
Resources
- https://meter.com/command
The post CTS 341: Meter Command – Dynamic and Adaptive Network Management (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
Wi-Fi 7 is just around the corner. It offers new features and complexities to help increase throughput and maintain low latency. In this episode, we’re joined by Arista Networks who gives us a run down on the different versions of MLO.
With their testing, they’ve seen a few versions of MLO being used. As well as seeing when MLO gets triggered and how much throughput you can acquire when connecting to the same AP on different bands.
For stability, Arista Networks displays how preamble puncturing works when interference is detected in a wide channel. The specific channel seeing the interference is removed from the channel width without affecting the other channels.
Check out the video to see it in action.
Resources
- Webinars
- Arista Networks Wi-Fi 7 Series
The post CTS 340: Wi-Fi 7, MLO, and Preamble Puncturing (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
https://youtu.be/z-goZs5Z7aYMeraki starts with telling us the Wi-Fi trifecta of readiness. That is Regulatory/specs/certifications, Clients, and Infrastructure. You need all of this.
And when you have all of this in place, Meraki adds useful features for the network operator.
Features such as Proactive PCAP and Root Cause Analysis. This isn’t just a PCAP file you download. Meraki goes further to tell you what is wrong within the PCAP and what potential solution can resolve the issue.
We’re seeing what the APs are capable of and how the dashboard can help resolve today’s network issues.
Resources
- Cisco 6 GHz and Wi-Fi 7 Update with Nicholas Swiatecki
- Delivering Better Results with Cisco Wireless
- Cisco AnyLocate and Next-Gen Wireless Controllers
- Cisco Digital Experience Assurance with Tauni Odia
- Cisco CTO Update with Jerome Henry
The post CTS 339: Cisco Meraki Brings New Functionality at MFD11 appeared first on Clear To Send.
Fortinet has had a strong portfolio. They’ve been able to show all the solutions that are pertinent to a secure Wi-Fi network at every Mobility Field Day they’ve attended. This one is no different.
Their end-to-end solutions make it easy for any organization to select Fortinet.
It’s no shock that they’ve been able to develop a Wi-Fi 7 access point. But now they’re diving into Firewall as a Service while still providing the flexibility for any organization to migrate between the management method needed to grow and expand as required.
Check out the episode!
Resources
- Fortinet’s WLAN Vision
- Wi-Fi 7 FortiAP
- Fortinet Wi-Fi 7 and IoT with WPA3
- Fortinet’s LTE / 5G Gateway portfolio
- Wireless as a Service with FortiFlex
The post CTS 338: FortiWiFi at MFD11 appeared first on Clear To Send.
https://youtu.be/I6KASVEiCagRowell and Jussi discussed the integration and functionality of a new live view feature in Hamina. Jussi explained that the feature pulls data from the vendor, including details such as AP locations, maps, transmit powers, and more, to create a more accurate network coverage prediction. The discussion also touched on the system’s ability to account for environmental factors like wall attenuation, with Jussi noting that the system’s accuracy in this area will likely improve over time. Rowell expressed interest in understanding more about how the floor plan is incorporated into the vendor data.
Also discussed was the potential of using AP data to create detailed floor plans and site maps, which could be used for live troubleshooting and capacity planning. Exploring the possibility of pulling in client data into these heat maps to provide a more comprehensive view of the network. In the recording, Rowel and Jussi touched on the potential of integrating data from different vendors to create a more complete picture. However, that the ability to do so is dependent on what the vendors choose to provide via their APIs.
Check out the episode to see more!
Resources
- Hamina
The post CTS 337: Live Heatmap Views at Your Fingertips (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
In this episode, we’re speaking with Anil Varanasi – the CEO at Meter. He’s an engineer that set out to solve an infrastructure problem with his brother, Sunil.
Meter, founded in 2015, is a Network as a Service company that provides end-to-end networking solutions. From firewalls, to switches, and Wi-Fi – they provide the infrastructure for businesses so they can do what they do best.
Their purpose is to build great beautiful networking that combines products and services into a single solution.
Meter has also developed an in-house solution to help network admins procure ISP services for their offices – making it even easier to get up and running fast.
Meter scales to provide a single pane of glass for management of multiple sites. It’s simple to add firewalls, switches, and access points.
Anil provides his insight into how they position themselves in the industry and how they can help network admins with their day-to-day job.
And you might think, a Network-as-a-Service might not give you the granular configuration management or insight, but that is further from the truth. It’s built for network engineers with various knobs available for fine tuning.
Check out Meter and the resources below to learn more.
Resources
- https://www.meter.com/
- How Meter works – https://www.meter.com/how-it-works
The post CTS 336: Network as a Service with Meter (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
Live demos are awesome to see. And when executed very well it is impressive. Arista Networks came to Mobility Field Day 11 ready to wow the delegates.
With a Wi-Fi 7 access point in the room and a Google Pixel phone, they were able to show how MLO works in Wi-Fi 7.
From their dashboard, it showed how the phone was associated to both 5 GHz and 6 GHz channel on a single access point.
In addition to MLO, they also showed a demo of how puncturing would work. An interference source was synthetically created via software just to show one channel being removed but Wi-Fi still operating well.
Check out the MFD11 video and be sure to look at the pcap Rowell was able to capture which shows the MLO information elements.
Resources
- MLO information elements PCAP
The post CTS 335: Live Demo of MLO at MFD11 appeared first on Clear To Send.
https://youtu.be/nCLoqCq-1CMRowell was fortunate to be a delegate for Mobility Field Day (MFD) 11 which was located in Santa Clara, CA. Juniper Networks was the first presenter at MFD11 and just like in previous MFD events, there were many announcements and new features coming to the Mist dashboard.
A lot of the discussion does revolve around Marvis and the AI capability. Marvis Minis weren’t announce too long ago for access points and now they will be extended to providing testing for applications such as Zoom and Teams. With this comes new Application SLEs.
Providing insight into the user experience is a nice way to measure the impact of poor application performance. AI is used to take Zoom data merged with network data from wired, wireless, SD-WAN, etc to build models that can predict latency with up to +/- 9ms of accuracy.
When it comes to user experience, I would like to gather data closer to the device being used. That’s where the Marvis Client Agent comes into play. It will be able to provide more information to feed on layer 2 information and display within Client Insights on the dashboard.
Troubleshooting Wi-Fi is challenging. But the Mist dashboard is helping to bridge the gap by providing information that occurred in the past with Dynamic Spectrum Capture. We’ve known that intermittent issues have been difficult to track, especially RF interference.
And when you have to troubleshoot remote sites, it’s not easy to fly someone onsite to troubleshoot, especially when travel costs are involved. Juniper Networks brought Jussi Kiviniemi as a guest to display live troubleshooting and analysis using Hamina. It utilizes the Mist API to pull in RF data to get a live heatmap view on a floor plan within Hamina.
Like I said, Juniper Networks announced a lot of new features. Watch the full video for yourself!
Resources
- Mobility Field Day 11 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cr78UCc_OI&list=PLinuRwpnsHaf-E0qY3_JRbeuETzKnx42I&index=3
The post CTS 334: Juniper Networks Announces New Features at MFD11 appeared first on Clear To Send.
In episode 333 of the CTS podcast, your hosts François Vergès and Rowell Dionicio delve deep into understanding Wi-Fi channels and frequencies.
During the podcast, they discuss the intricacies of Wi-Fi channel operations and the science behind the frequencies used in Wi-Fi connections. This episode is a treasure trove of knowledge for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of Wi-Fi operations in depth.
They also talk about the Automatic Frequency Coordination (AFC) in the context of 6GHz networks. For more details on this topic, listeners can refer to a previous episode, CTS-218: 6GHz PSD & AFC with Chuck Lukaszewski, available here.
Additionally, they provide an infographic that neatly summarizes DFS operations. This infographic serves as a handy reference for those wanting a quick overview of DFS operations and can be accessed here.
As a bonus, they also provide the CTS Channel List 2024 in PDF format. This list is an invaluable resource for those who want to delve deeper into the world of Wi-Fi channels.
Join François and Rowell in this episode as they break down complex concepts into easy-to-understand explanations. You don’t want to miss this comprehensive overview of Wi-Fi channels and frequencies.
Resources
- Episode on AFC: https://www.cleartosend.net/cts-218-6ghz-psd-afc-with-chuck-lukaszewski/
- DFS Operations Infographic: https://semfionetworks.com/blog/dfs-operations-infographic/
Bonus
- Channel List
CTS Channel List 2024.pdf
The post CTS 333: Understanding Wi-Fi Channels and Frequencies appeared first on Clear To Send.
We’re headed back to the basics with a series of episodes focused on Wi-Fi fundamentals.
How do devices and access points communicate with each other? How does it work in varying environments?
A standards body defines how different vendors and manufacturers use a standard way to communicate over the air.
Since the inception of Wi-Fi, newer standards were created to build upon the previous versions – increasing data rates, efficiency, and more. New Wi-Fi protocols were born.
In this episode we touch upon the different Wi-Fi Standards and the technology that it is based on.
Resources
- IEEE Timeline: https://ieee802.org/11/Reports/802.11_Timelines.htm
- IEEE 802.11-2020 Standars: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9363693
- MCS Table: https://mcsindex.net/
Bonus
- PHY Graphics updated: CTS 802.11 PHY Table 2024.pdf Canva Link: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGCfrixqSk/GRb4CFU7VOJrpklM2hEkZw/edit?utm_content=DAGCfrixqSk&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton
The post CTS 332: Intro to Wi-Fi Standards and Technologies appeared first on Clear To Send.
Coming back from WLPC we feel highly motivated. But we also took the time to reflect on the conference, the content, and the people we connected with.
In this episode, we talk about the lessons we’ve learned from WLPC Phoenix.
Those lessons are:
- Not as many real world Wi-Fi 6E presentations
- Wi-Fi 7 is coming sooner than we think
- MLO seems to be the biggest feature of Wi-Fi 7
- You can transfer data through bananas and get PoE
- Lots of presentations from people that work for vendors.
- We need to ask more questions
- We need to listen more closely
- Hearing about different people coming from different perspectives can be really important
- Why having a community is really important
- More eyes on WLPC
The post CTS 331: 10 Things We Learned From WLPC Phoenix appeared first on Clear To Send.
https://youtu.be/YP_AQXx0nboIn a big surprise to us, HPE has announced they will be acquiring Juniper Networks. We’ve been working with Mist Systems since Juniper Networks acquired them.
We’re hoping the acquisition doesn’t impact Mist negatively but we can see why HPE wanted the MistAI technology.
In this episode, we’re going to provide our opinions on the acquisition, what impact this has on the customers, and how partners navigate this acquisition in the coming years.
The post CTS 330: HPE And Juniper Networks Unite! appeared first on Clear To Send.
https://youtu.be/Q9SFPY2XzpwNetwork Access Control (NAC) has always been a challenging technology to implement. It usually meant utilizing someone with an expert level certification to come in and deploy it on your network.
I remember when I was a systems administrator and watched a seasoned network engineer struggle to get it working the right way.
Today, Juniper Networks shows us how implementing a cloud-native NAC can help secure your Wi-Fi and wired networks easily without the hassle of on-premises hardware. The goal is to provide a seamless and scalable way to utilize the benefits of NAC using the Mist dashboard.
Juniper Networks is emphasizing their commitment to eliminating on-premises infrastructure components, managing upgrades, and ensuring flexibility while maintaining simplicity in configuration.
Dive into this episode with our guests, Wes Pervis and Slava Dementyev from Juniper Networks alongside with Bryan Ward of Dartmouth.
We talk about how devices can be onboarded, certificates, policies, insights, and more.
Resources
- Mist Access Assurance Documentation: https://www.mist.com/documentation/category/mist-access-assurance/
- Password vs Certificates for 802.1X: https://www.mist.com/documentation/passwords-vs-certificates-for-802-1x/
- Mist Access Assurance Configuration Guides: https://www.mist.com/documentation/category/configuration-mist-access-assurance/
- SecureW2 solution: https://www.securew2.com/products
- Microsoft intune: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/fundamentals/what-is-intune
- Considerations and known issues when using Credential Guard: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/identity-protection/credential-guard/considerations-known-issues
The post CTS 329: Network Access Control in the Cloud (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
Rowell and Jussi discussed the use of 3D modeling for Wi-Fi design and validation using Hamina. Jussi demonstrated the tool they use, showing how it can predict signal behavior in a warehouse environment.
They also discussed the importance of 3D modeling for validating project details like shelf heights and the construction of walls.
There’s immense value of this tool for collaboration with non-Wi-Fi professionals.
3D modeling is useful in a stadium environment using slopes and raised floors. Jussi explained how the simplicity Hamina allows for complex designs. The importance of the material of the raised floor was also highlighted.
Jussi goes into how Hamina will be used to perform a validation survey. At Hamina, they developed a mobile app and hardware for this purpose, which stores data locally and uploads it to the cloud when an internet connection is available. The device, which can host four Wi-Fi 6E adapters and includes a USB-C connector for data, supports optional spectrum analysis. Jussi confirmed the device’s battery life is not affected by its size and it can last half a day before needing a charge.
Going into the various survey methods, specifically Point Survey, Line Survey, and Continuous Survey. Jussi explained that Point Survey is a simple method that collects data intermittently, whereas Line Survey collects data continuously but provides a bit more relaxation time between clicks.
As far as functionality goes, Jussi confirmed that the app continuously saves measurements to prevent data loss and can detect the vendor of the Access Point automatically. The app’s analysis features include primary and secondary coverage, channel interference, and the ability to view data for specific frequencies or SSIDs.
Resources
https://www.hamina.com/
The post CTS 328: Simple 3D Designs and Validation with Hamina (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
In this episode, we discuss the evolution of the Wi-Fi access point form factor.
You may have noticed that the size of Wi-Fi access points is increasing. Why is this happening? We provide some answers in this episode.
We also talk about the challenges vendors face in providing directional antennas on the 6 GHz band, and how some are able to solve this issue for low-power indoor access points.
We invite you to watch this episode on YouTube to see the different AP models we shared during the episode.
Let us know what you think and share your AP beauty shots with us on Twitter.
Enjoy!
Resources
Here a few datasheet of Wi-Fi 6E access points we covered during this episode:
- Cisco Catalyst C9166D(1) → https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/catalyst-9166-series-access-points/catalyst-9166-series-access-points-ds.html
- Juniper AP45 → https://www.juniper.net/content/dam/www/assets/datasheets/us/en/access-points/ap45-datasheet.pdf
- Juniper AP24 → https://www.juniper.net/content/dam/www/assets/datasheets/us/en/access-points/ap24-access-point-datasheet.pdf
- Ruckus R760 → https://webresources.ruckuswireless.com/datasheets/r760/ds-ruckus-r760.pdf
- Aruba AP650 → https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/ds/DS_AP650Series.pdf
- EnGenius ECW336 → https://www.engeniustech.com/engenius-products/cloud-managed-6-ghz-4×4-indoor-tri-band-wireless-wifi-6e-access-point/
- Actiontec WF-196 → https://fccid.io/SFKWF196/User-Manual/User-Manual-Rev01-6123937.pdf
The post CTS 327: The Evolution of AP Form Factor appeared first on Clear To Send.
https://youtu.be/z-DsCKoUSMcIn WLPC Prague 2023, there were a lot of great presentations. It’s a must-attend Wi-Fi conference where you can connect with smart Wi-Fi people.
You’re guaranteed to leave feeling inspired and you’ll have ideas of what you will want to do next with your Wi-Fi network or even your career.
In this episode, we’re going to highlight some of our favorite presentations. We have listed them down below for your viewing pleasure.
Few presentations to highlight:
Wave Antenna → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkEr45DXS9g&list=PLXJsNZqZEF9Y8CWiynffBgnZfjPpSkkSZ&index=12&pp=iAQB
Jim Palmer’s session on 6 GHz devices and AFC → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC3WKR61XwA&list=PLXJsNZqZEF9Y8CWiynffBgnZfjPpSkkSZ&index=41&pp=iAQB
Evolution of Wi-Fi Beacons – Jean Macq→ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuNT1LkgGuw&list=PLXJsNZqZEF9Y8CWiynffBgnZfjPpSkkSZ&index=13&pp=iAQB
The different versions of 802.1X – Karsten Iwen → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiAFcSLa0EE&list=PLXJsNZqZEF9Y8CWiynffBgnZfjPpSkkSZ&index=20
Thought Provoking presentations:
Warehouse Wi-Fi is possible without external antennas – Oguzhan Eren→ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-_WmZ0LGEc&list=PLXJsNZqZEF9Y8CWiynffBgnZfjPpSkkSZ&index=34&pp=iAQB
Off with the offset → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gboMeL9SDk&list=PLXJsNZqZEF9Y8CWiynffBgnZfjPpSkkSZ&index=3&pp=iAQB
Will AI make site survey a thing of the past – Drew → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezNbouWVfGY&list=PLXJsNZqZEF9Y8CWiynffBgnZfjPpSkkSZ&index=26&pp=iAQB
Tools Presentations
Hamina announced their Nomad tool and their partnership with Oscium
Sidos gave more information about how they tool works
WLAN Pi integrated new services (including Grafana)
Intuitibits announces full Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 support for Wi-Fi Explorer & Wi-Fi Explorer Pro for Windows
Tool introduced by Timo to do surveys differently (SpectQ). Does a Lidar Scan and a Wi-Fi / 5G scan at the same time. Gives you additional set of data for analysis.
Aaronia spectrum Analyzer
Fun Presentations
Wi-Fi X in 10 minutes → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jquMBdxnUU&list=PLXJsNZqZEF9Y8CWiynffBgnZfjPpSkkSZ&index=6&pp=iAQB
The post CTS 326: Greatness from WLPC Prague appeared first on Clear To Send.
Rowell and François discussed their experiences with deploying OWE and WPA3 on a higher education Wi-Fi network. Rowell noted that the adoption has been slow due to device compatibility issues, particularly in higher education where many devices are personal and outside of their control. They opted for a slow rollout strategy to monitor and gather information, emphasizing the importance of planning. Rowell admitted that their strategy was a hope for the best, as they couldn’t be certain about the device updates.
This episode is sponsored by WiFi Scanner.
Different SSIDs are used for OWE and eduroam with WPA3. Device compatibility was tested with the new mode and addressed potential user concerns. There was also a consideration for the need for educating the team about the new configuration and verification process.
Rowell discussed the method he used to gather statistics and troubleshoot issues related to the use of OWE. He mentioned that he rolled out the change silently to a few buildings and decided not to notify the end users about the change to avoid an increase in tickets. Rowell also explained that they transitioned to Mist and chose to roll out the OWE change per site, limiting it to specific buildings.
What about Wi-Fi 6E and WPA3 deployment? Rowell explained that they initially had issues with devices supporting 6 GHz, leading to connectivity problems. The transition to WPA3 was largely successful, with no complaints from users, and they are now using 8 buildings with OWE transition mode and WPA3-Enterprise only. The discussion concluded with a brief mention of an issue with meeting room devices connecting to Wi-Fi.
The post CTS 325: Transitioning to OWE and WPA3 in Higher-Ed appeared first on Clear To Send.
In this episode, we are having the pleasure to welcome Greg Ennis on the show. Greg is the author of the book called Beyond Everywhere, How Wi-Fi Became the World’s Most Beloved Technology.
Greg is one of the founders of the Wi-Fi protocol. He has worked with organizations such as the IEEE and the Wi-Fi Alliance to create and democratize this technology. Having had the privilege of witnessing the creation and success of Wi-Fi, he decided to write a book about its history, using his own story as a foundation.
Here is how the author describe what the book is about on his website:
Billions of people rely upon Wi-Fi every day. With 18 billion Wi-Fi devices around the globe, and with 4 billion more sold every year, it supports over half of all internet traffic. But we all simply take it for granted — our ever-present companion, so prevalent as to be virtually “beyond everywhere”, working exactly the same in Cairo, Beijing, and Tierra del Fuego, in planes and cars, hotels and shops, connecting laptops, cellphones, TVs, cameras, thermostats and just about everything else. How did this come to be?
Beyond Everywhere tells the entire dramatic Wi-Fi story, spanning two decades and three continents — its origins including an FBI sting operation, the intense battles among rivals as the standard was being developed, to its final explosive success all over the globe. Written by one of Wi-Fi’s key players, this is the definitive inside story of how Wi-Fi became the world’s most beloved technology.
The book is really good and I would encourage you guys to read it. Working in the Wi-Fi industry, you will find it very interesting.
Resources
- Greg Ennis’ website: https://www.gregennis.net/
- Get the book from amazon (US): https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Everywhere-Became-Beloved-Technology/dp/B0CCCS2G48/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3J49QOYF6TMIU&keywords=beyond+everywhere&qid=1695416778&sprefix=beyond+everywhere%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-1
- Get the book from amazon (CA): https://www.amazon.ca/Beyond-Everywhere-Became-Beloved-Technology/dp/B0CCCS2G48/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1SK4QJPBKN2UZ&keywords=beyond+everywhere&qid=1695416857&sprefix=beyond+everywhere%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-1
- Listen on Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Beyond-Everywhere-Audiobook/B0C95GD88H?eac_link=DjKffjsaC0kH&ref=web_search_eac_asin_1&eac_selected_type=asin&eac_selected=B0C95GD88H&qid=BCqx867mzU&eac_id=143-0773183-1063462_BCqx867mzU&sr=1-1
- Greg’s Fun Facts: https://www.gregennis.net/wifi-fun-facts-2
The post CTS 324: Interview with Greg Ennis author of Beyond Everywhere – How Wi-Fi Became the World’s Most Beloved Technology appeared first on Clear To Send.
This episode is sponsored by Arista.
In this episode, we are welcoming Sriram Venkiteswaran, Director Product Management at Arista. The focus of this episode is to talk about Arista’s NAC solution called AGNI (Arista Guardian For Network Identity).
Here are the topics discussed during this episode:
- What is Arista’s AGNI and what does AGNI bring to Identity Solutions now?
- Connections between the APs and AGNI over RadSec
- Modes of authentications supported by AGNI
- Integration of AGNI with Cloud Vision and the rest of the Arista products
- The use of UPSK to handle access based on identities
- Network segmentation using UPSK
Check out the YouTube video if you want to see a demo of the AGNI environment.
Documentation
Community central AGNI
Resources
- AGNI Brief Solution: https://www.arista.com/assets/data/pdf/Arista-AGNI-Solution-Brief.pdf
- AGNI Product Page: https://www.arista.com/en/products/network-access-control
- AGNI Documentation: https://arista.my.site.com/AristaCommunity/s/global-search/%40uri#q=AGNI&t=All&sort=relevancy
The post CTS 323: What Arista Guardian for Network Identity brings to wired and wireless networks appeared first on Clear To Send.
https://youtu.be/r_5PCGM83h0?si=fAgwG5au7cq0_QFxWe had the pleasure of having Kevin Robinson, President and CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance Services, on the show with us.
He introduced the new Wi-Fi Alliance subsidiary called Wi-Fi Alliance Services and discussed the AFC services they offer.
Wi-Fi Alliance Services was announced on August 3rd. The subsidiary is currently focused on providing AFC services to their customers, such as OEMs, Service Providers, and software solution providers.
Here is an excerpt from their launch press release:
Wi-Fi AFC delivers many benefits:
- Scalability: utilizes dynamic, predictive, and targeted scaling policies to support anticipated (or unanticipated) device growth
- High performance:* allows for *continual optimization of frequency evaluation and data management to improve latency and throughput
- Latest security: offers compliance with the latest industry benchmarks for data at-rest and in-transit
- Advanced modeling:* employs *site-specific information for improved calculation accuracy and incumbent protection to ensure Wi-Fi networks receive optimal access to spectrum
- Highly extensible: supports implementation of value-added features to meet evolving customer needs, such as integration with existing cloud systems, and can rapidly enter new markets as 6 GHz availability grows
Wi-Fi Alliance Services is currently focused on serving the U.S. and Canadian markets, but is prepared to quickly adapt and scale Wi-Fi AFC globally to serve Wi-Fi equipment vendors and service providers as the regulatory landscape evolves around the world.
Wi-Fi AFC is based on the platform developed by Open AFC, a software group within the Telecom Infra Project and hosted on leading cloud platforms. Open AFC is a dedicated open-source community led by well-established industry leaders for the design, development, and testing of AFC software for unlicensed services (e.g., Wi-Fi) in the 6 GHz band.
Resources
- Press Release: https://www.wi-fi.com/news-and-media/introducing-wi-fi-alliance-services-driving-broad-adoption-of-6-ghz
- Wi-Fi Alliance Services: https://www.wi-fi.com/
- AFC Specifications from Wi-Fi Alliance: https://www.wi-fi.org/file/afc-specification-and-test-plans
- Open AFC: https://telecominfraproject.com/open-afc/
The post CTS 322: Wi-Fi Alliance Services appeared first on Clear To Send.
Wi-Fi Alliance defines three modes of operations for WPA3-Enterprise: This Episode is sponsored by WiFi Scanner Download your trial today at WiFiScanner.com Specifications WPA3-Enterprise Only Here are the important specifications: WPA3-Enterprise Transition Here are the important specifications: WPA3-Enterprise 192-bit Here are the important specifications: Beacon Frames WPA3-Enterprise Only WPA3-Enterprise Transition Comparison between WPA3-Enterprise and WPA3-Enterprise […]
The post CTS 320: WPA3-Enterprise Part 2 appeared first on Clear To Send.
This episode is sponsored by Arista Networks We’re taking a dive into how a multi-function radio can help network engineers with many tasks. A multi-function radio is an additional radio not used for client access. It’s mostly used in listening mode. These are the six functions of the multi-function radio: An advantage of a multi-function […]
The post CTS 319: Multi-Function Radio with Arista Networks (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
In this episode, we’re diving into WPA3-Personal and understanding what is different between previous Wi-Fi security, such as WPA2. WPA3 has been around since 2018 but we’re barely implementing it in our networks because of 6 GHz. As we see more compatible 6 GHz compatible devices and access points we will see 6 GHz networks. […]
The post CTS 318: WPA3-Personal Part 1 appeared first on Clear To Send.
Kelly Burroughs, our special guest from iBwave, joins the podcast to discuss the shifting landscape in Enterprise from a ‘one and done single technology’ solution view to an agile ‘one and what’s the next technology’ roadmap view that includes Wi-Fi, LTE, IoT, 5G, etc.
Different use cases require the right technology to be implemented and enterprises are beginning to see that. But there still remains an educational piece to it in understanding how these technologies fit into the bigger picture.
Resources
- iBwave eBooks
- Follow Kelly on Twitter
- Follow Kelly on LinkedIn
The post CTS 317: Wireless Playoffs appeared first on Clear To Send.
https://youtu.be/Z-3FKFGBX-AOpportunistic Wireless Encryption (OWE) is a way to secure open Wi-Fi networks. Encryption keys are created between a device and an access point (AP).
In Wi-Fi 6E, you can no longer create open Wi-Fi networks. OWE is a requirement when creating an open Wi-Fi network in 6 GHz.
In this episode, we dive into how OWE works and look at example frame exchanges to get a better idea so you know what to expect in future Wi-Fi networks. We’ve also included some pcap files for you to take a look at.
Resources
- Opportunistic Wireless Encryption RFC 8110
- Wi-Fi 6E OWE Frame Exchange
- OWE Infographic
- Apple support
- Intel support
- Mist documentation
- OWE PCAP files
The post CTS 316: How OWE Works appeared first on Clear To Send.
Description
💡 Talk about the books you should read if you want to get serious with Wi-Fi
Books
- CWNA Study Guide (David Westcott & David Coleman)
- CWDP Certified Wireless Design Professional Official Study Guide: Exam PW0-250
- Wireless Security Architecture: Designing and Maintaining Secure Wireless for Enterprise (Jennifer Minella)
- 802.11 Wireless Networks (Matthew S. Gast)
- 802.11ac: A Survival Guide: Wi-Fi at Gigabit and Beyond (Matthew S. Gast)
If you want to become a better Wi-Fi engineer, then look no further to these 5 Wi-Fi books. We recommend having these books on your shelf and using them as reference. All of these books include a plethora of knowledge and have helped us in many situations where we need to refresh or learn a new topic.
The 5 Wi-Fi books are (affiliate links are used below):
CWNA Study Guide by David Coleman and David Westcott
CWDP Certified Wireless Design Professional Official Study Guide (PW0-250 version)
Wireless Security Architecture: Designing and Maintaining Secure Wireless for Enterprise by JJ Minella
802.11 Wireless Networks by Matthew S. Gast
802.11ac: A Survival Guide by Matthew S. Gast
The post CTS 315: 5 Wi-Fi Books You Need to Read appeared first on Clear To Send.
Description
💡 Talk about the ChatGPT trend and discuss if it is useful to us as Wi-Fi Engineer
Talking PointsIntroduction
- Chat GPT trend
- How is AI going to change the way we work (as Wi-Fi Engineer)
Main Topic
- Is it really useful?
- What has been our experience
- What works
- Programming (coding, converting, adjusting, debugging, creating)
- Fixing writing and spelling mistakes
- Translating
- Debug or fix issues (mtr)
- What doesn’t fully work
- Research work
- Digging out information
- What doesn’t really work
- Creating Wireshark 802.11 filters didn’t work for me
- Hard to know if what it tells you is True of False (it always sound very confident)
Useful Chrome Extensions:
- Send all Google Search to ChatGPT → https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chatgpt-for-google/jgjaeacdkonaoafenlfkkkmbaopkbilf
- Add access to Internet to ChatGPT → https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/webchatgpt-chatgpt-with-i/lpfemeioodjbpieminkklglpmhlngfcn
The post CTS 314: Is ChatGPT useful to a Wi-Fi Engineer appeared first on Clear To Send.
https://youtu.be/cSta3ST5OFMInforming others on WLPC
WLPC is the Wi-Fi conference to attend. Clear To Send attended the conference in Phoenix in February 2023. It happened to be right before the SuperBowl.
This episode is sponsored by Optifi
It’s a great feeling to attend WLPC and catch up with all our peers and friends. We feel energized during and after the event.
Our favorite part of WLPC is to speak with a lot of different people because the discussions are where you learn the most. There are people from partners, vendors, trainers, etc. A wide range of people with various experiences and skillsets.
A tip for first-time attendees is to bring a suitcase with extra room. You’ll always leave the conference with some goodies, especially if you’re doing a deep dive.
Some of our favorite sessions:
- Secure Wi-Fi Migrations: A WPA3 How-To
- Wi-Fi 6E, Year Two
- Analysis of the Future
- Wi-Fi 7 Heaven or Wi-Fi 7 Deadly Sins
Resources
- WLPC 2023 Phoenix Videos
The post CTS 313: Feeling Inspired After WLPC appeared first on Clear To Send.
Finding the right resource for survey work can be challenging due to the amount of Wi-Fi experts available.
In this episode, we talk about why you would want to outsource the work and who you should outsource to.
We have a discussion into what has worked after outsourcing a few projects and what hasn’t worked for us.
If you’re running your own IT consulting business or need to find someone to do survey work then this episode is for you.
The post CTS 312: Outsourcing Survey Work appeared first on Clear To Send.
The CWNA is our most recommended certification and first path to becoming a Wi-Fi specialist or expert. You’ll gain an immense amount of Wi-Fi fundamentals that will lead you to become the go-to Wi-Fi person in your organization.
These are our 5 reasons why you should get your CWNA.
Get Wi-Fi FundamentalsThe CWNA provides you so much Wi-Fi fundamentals that you’ll be able to get started with any Wi-Fi project. You’ll probably look back at previous Wi-Fi installations and identify any incorrect implementation. Many network engineers lack fundamental Wi-Fi knowledge to properly configure and deploy access points.
Stand out as a network engineerWe’ve come across many network engineers who do not have enough Wi-Fi knowledge to make the correct configurations, select the right antennas, or design properly for a high performing and well optimized Wi-Fi network.
And since Wi-Fi is the most used method to access the network, a network engineer must know how Wi-Fi works!
Become specializedThe CWNA is one path to become a specialized network engineer focusing on Wi-Fi. In addition to standing out as a network engineer, people will look to your expertise for future Wi-Fi projects and troubleshooting. It can open up a lot of doors and further your career.
Improve troubleshootingA skill most often lacking is troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks. Many network engineers blindly tune Wi-Fi networks and make it worse. It’s important to understand what vendor knobs do and what kind of impact it will create on a Wi-Fi network. Having the fundamentals will lead to better troubleshooting Wi-Fi skills.
Vendor-neutral educationThe CWNA certification comes from CWNP and it is a vendor-neutral certification. We often recommended getting this Wi-Fi certification first before jumping into a vendor-specific certification. It will give you a leg up making it a little more easier to work on vendor hardware.
Resources
- CWNA Certification
- CWNA Study Guide
- Official CWNA Study Guide
The post CTS 311: 5 Reasons To Get Your CWNA appeared first on Clear To Send.
channel plans for UWB channels
ResourcesIvo Štastný
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivostastny/
https://www.sewio.net/
The post CTS 310: Ultra Wide Band In the Field appeared first on Clear To Send.
Ekahau AI Pro brings many features and benefits for any Wi-Fi engineer. That’s why we’re being joined by Matt Sterling and Mac Deryng of Ekahau to educate us on what these features are.
First off, Sidekick 2 is updated to support 6 GHz with packet captures and be fully useable with Ekahau Analyzer.
Then there are the features within AI Pro. Our favorite new feature include any drawing of walls and also wall calibration. The wall calibration tool helps us increase the accuracy of our designs.
Auto planner is improved if you like to have access points placed on the floor plan for you or to have channels selected for you.
Network simulator helps with situations where you might need to do a rip and replace of access points but want to verify in a design that your current access point locations will be sufficient. Network Simulator will give you a score that is sure to help you with your decisions.
New to Ekahau is a Private 5G planner! Another skill and technology in our toolbelt. You cannot leave Private 5G behind. If you have an active Ekahau Connect license you should have access to Private 5G planner for one year.
Lastly, ECSE is getting an update as well! With all these new bells and whistles it is important to know how to use these resources properly. Which is why we always suggest taking your ECSE.
Resources
ekahau.com
The post CTS 309: Wireless with Ekahau (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
Jiri Brejcha joins us on this episode to discuss his testing of 6 GHz capable clients (iPad and Google Pixel) and how they discovery 6 GHz Wi-Fi networks. Jiri demonstrates how important the Reduced Neighbor Report plays an important role in 6 GHz AP discovery.
Jiri is an enterprise architect at Cisco UK and part of the Cisco Live team. He’s also a core member of the WLAN Pi team.
In his lab, he has a Cisco 6 GHz access point broadcasting a few SSIDs on different bands. He wondered how an iPad and Pixel will detect a 6 GHz-only SSID. Do you need to have APs operate on PSC only?
Inside of a beacon frame, you’ll find a Reduced Neighbor Report (RNR) Information Element. The RNR contains important details such as the channel used by neighboring access points. This can be one access point or a group of access points. You’ll find this information in the Neighbor AP Information Fields
Target Beacon Transmission Time (TBTT)
📄 Download 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz RNR, 6 GHz FILS, and 6 GHz unsolicited probe response pcaps from here:https://t.co/2p482EehID
📄 Download WLAN Pi Profiler report and 5 GHz and 6 GHz association requests. We can see Pixel's capabilities in these frames:https://t.co/0fC5sITslr https://t.co/DRJDdPZwWX
— Jiri Brejcha (@jiribrejcha) November 11, 2022
Resources
- Section 9.4.2.170 of the 802.11-2020 standards
- https://www.jiribrejcha.net/2022/11/google-pixel-6-wi-fi-6e-scanning-and-6-ghz-ssid-discovery/
- https://www.jiribrejcha.net/2022/11/ipad-pro-wi-fi-6e-scanning-and-6-ghz-ssid-discovery/
- Apple specifications: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202068
The post CTS 308: Reduced Neighbor Report appeared first on Clear To Send.
Our special guests are Jussi Kiviniemi and Joel Crane of Hamina. I’m a previous episode, cleartosend.net/286, Jussi gave us a rundown of Hamina before it was a beta product. In this episode, Hamina is a full product now, available for everyone to use and we decided to learn how Wi-Fi tools are built. Jussi and […]
The post CTS 307: How Wi-Fi Tools Are Made – Building Hamina (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
Multiple BSSID sets out to aggregate individual beacon frames from an access point to a single beacon frame. It helps solve the issue of beacon overhead. As it is today, each SSID broadcasts a beacon. The more SSIDs you’re broadcasting, the more the beacons eat up airtime. Airtime is a precious resource for Wi-Fi devices. […]
The post CTS 306: Multiple-BSSID appeared first on Clear To Send.
We had the pleasure of attending WLPC in Prague for 2022. It was the first time joining a larger conference since the pandemic started. It was great to be around our peers having insightful discussions and catching up. In this episode, we’re providing our thoughts about WLPC EU and which presentations were our favorites. In […]
The post CTS 305: WLPC EU Recap appeared first on Clear To Send.
Wi-Fi gets all the blame for any type of network or device issue. Lean teams struggle to streamline their IT operations and lack the actionable insights needed to make smart decisions. In this episode, we’re talking to Wyebot and how they are able to help many organizations troubleshoot Wi-Fi efficiently with the use of network […]
The post CTS 304: Proactive Wi-Fi Monitoring and Automation (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
Selecting the right antenna for a warehouse can be challenging. There are many factors to take into consideration and different mounting options available. You can mount antennas from top down or at the end of an aisle. When selecting the antenna of choice, keep the device capability in mind. There are various antennas available that […]
The post CTS 303: Warehouse Antenna Challenges appeared first on Clear To Send.
NetAlly has had a history of announcing new products at Mobility Field Day. At MFD7 they continued that tradition with the announcement of the AirCheck G3. James Kahkoska gave us a historical rundown of NetAlly innovations prior to the announcement. With Wi-Fi 6E upon us, the AirCheck G3 will have 6 GHz capability. It has […]
The post CTS 302: MFD7 – Your Ally for Wi-Fi Troubleshooting appeared first on Clear To Send.
Private 5G is another wireless solution aimed at use cases requiring low latency and dedicated throughput for critical applications. But 5G for Wi-Fi engineers is an enigma. We know of 5G but how many Wi-Fi engineers have configured and deployed it? Celona believes that private 5G is so easy that any Wi-Fi engineer can deploy […]
The post CTS 301: MFD7 – Private 5G So Easy Anyone Can Do It appeared first on Clear To Send.
With over 15 patents and 300+ well known customers, monitoring Wi-Fi from the client perspective is a big deal. 7Signal plants sensors on the network to monitor and gather various Wi-Fi metrics to determine root cause analysis. This is done through passive or active monitoring on one of their two products, Mobile Eye or Sapphire […]
The post CTS 300: MFD7 – The Eye of 7Signal appeared first on Clear To Send.
Cisco has been an occasional presenter at Mobility Field Day (MFD7). We were expecting Cisco to reiterate their announcement from Cisco Live. Briefly mentioned was the additional Catalyst access points capable of being managed by a controller or in the Meraki dashboard. Jim presented incredible detail and analysis of 6 GHz compared to 5 GHz […]
The post CTS 299: MFD7 – Cisco’s 6 GHz Analysis appeared first on Clear To Send.
Fortinet is a security-based company pulling in $4.1B in revenue. And as you’d expect, they are securing Wi-Fi users differently from others. Today, their customers are facing many challenges from sophisticated attacks, operational technology, work from anywhere, and the application journey. Their vision is to reduce complexity and have rapid response. There’s a convergence of […]
The post CTS 298: MFD7 – FortiFi the Network appeared first on Clear To Send.
Ruckus Networks unveils their latest logo of the iconic dog, creating a Ruckus. I couldn’t help noticing how much more confident the dog appeared. Is it possible to teach an old dog new tricks? Ruckus dived into the scalability of their platform, empowering property owners, hospitality, and higher education with the tools of efficiently managing […]
The post CTS 297: Ruckus Gains Confidence appeared first on Clear To Send.
Mobility Field Day (MFD) is the traditional format of Mist product announcements. It’s no different for MFD7. In the room with MFD delegates sits two new Juniper EX4100 network switches. Described to be deliver cloud-native telemetry data to improve Marvis and the AI-driven dashboard. Speaking of Marvis, Mist announced an expansion with the Marvis Windows […]
The post CTS 296: EXpanding Mist appeared first on Clear To Send.
Mobility Field Day 7 is taking place from Wednesday July 13 to Friday July 15 2022. As always, it will be streamed live on LinkedIn as well as on the Tech Field Day website. Tune in at: https://techfieldday.com/event/mfd7/ This year, the presenters will be: Juniper / Mist Ruckus Networks Betacom Fortinet Cisco 7Signal Celona NetAlly […]
The post CTS 295: We’re Going to MFD7! appeared first on Clear To Send.
In this episode, we introduce the topic of Wi-Fi DevOps. François and Rowell defines what Wi-Fi DevOps is and how it can improve some of the operations of Wi-Fi Engineers. DevOps is used more and more on the wired network side but is coming, slowly but surely, to wireless. Listen up in order to understand […]
The post CTS 294: Introduction to Wi-Fi DevOps appeared first on Clear To Send.
In this episode, Heather Paunet and Ed Chapman from Arista talk about their new product: Cognitive Unified Edge. Arista is making a move in the commercial enterprise space by offering a new product that will let its customer manage the full stack of network equipments: APs, switches, firewalls and WAN appliance. Here are a few […]
The post CTS 293: Cognitive Unified Edge with Arista Networks (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
Guest: Kjetil Teigen Hansen, System Engineer at Conscia Norge AS in Norway Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrTeigen
The post CTS 292: Use Case for Wi-Fi Telemetry Data appeared first on Clear To Send.
Jim Florwick, of Cisco, joins us on this episode to discuss many new features about the Catalyst 9136 access point. 6 GHz is a big competitive landscape with many new access points hitting the market. The Catalyst 9136 will be available with 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz radios. Jim Florwick provides us an […]
The post CTS 291: Wi-Fi Cisco Updates with Jim Florwick (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
Ekahau has just released their latest version of the desktop software but with a new name, AI Pro. With revamped features and algorithms we will look into how AI Planner has changed. We will also dive into the newest additions such as Network Simulator. We find this feature to be useful for client projects. Wall […]
The post CTS 290: First Look – Ekahau AI Pro appeared first on Clear To Send.
In this episode, we’re bringing on special guests to provide insight into career interviews in wireless positions. We’re joined by Dave Benham and Sam Clements, experts in their field who have hiring responsibilities for their team. Both Dave and Sam bring their own experience and perspectives. If you’re trying to find your path to a […]
The post CTS 289: Wireless Job Interviews appeared first on Clear To Send.
It can be challenging trying to migrate to a Wi-Fi only role. But it’s not an impossible task. In this episode, we’re going to share some of our own experiences and tips. There are many more tips for getting Wi-Fi experience. But this is a way to get started right now. We ask that you […]
The post CTS 288: 7 Tips for Getting Wi-Fi Experience appeared first on Clear To Send.
Does hiding your SSID make it more secure? Will hiding your SSID keep the hackers away? We’ll show you how to reveal a hidden SSID with ease using your laptop. If the SSID is hidden, how does a device know how to find it? In this episode, we’ll discuss why hiding your SSID is not […]
The post CTS 287: Not So Hidden SSID appeared first on Clear To Send.
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. 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. […]
The post CTS 286: Predictive Surveys with Hamina (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
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: […]
The post CTS 285: 6GHz – What is it going to change for us? appeared first on Clear To Send.
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 […]
The post CTS 284: Zero Trust Wi-Fi Access with Beyond Identity (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
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 […]
The post CTS 283: News – 6E APs, WLPC, Acquisitions, 5G and more appeared first on Clear To Send.
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 […]
The post CTS 282: Network Assurance with Arista Networks (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
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 […]
The post CTS 281: Python Institute Certifications appeared first on Clear To Send.
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. […]
The post CTS 280: JNCIA-MistAI & JNCIS-MistAI appeared first on Clear To Send.
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 post CTS 279: Getting Started with Wi-Fi in 2022 appeared first on Clear To Send.
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.
The post CTS 278: 2021 Year in Review appeared first on Clear To Send.
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.
The post CTS 277: Pandemic Impact to Office Wi-Fi appeared first on Clear To Send.
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
The post CTS 276: Arista Networks Wi-Fi Solution Overview (Sponsored) appeared first on Clear To Send.
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!
The post CTS 275: What’s in Your APoS Kit? appeared first on Clear To Send.
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 * Auditorium Wi-Fi * Wi-Fi Capacity Planner
The post CTS 274: Designing Wi-Fi for Lecture Halls appeared first on Clear To Send.
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.
The post CTS 273 – Fortinet at MFD6 appeared first on Clear To Send.
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.
The post CTS 272: NetAlly’s BLE Survey & LANBERT appeared first on Clear To Send.
A new release that has both of us excited is the VenVolt 2 from Ventev. We do quite a number of AP-on-a-Stick surveys that require a portable battery pack for an access point. The previous VenVolt provided a lot of runtime when it came to the battery. But the unit itself was rather large and heavy.
The latest version, VenVolt 2, comes with a lot of welcomed updates. First off, it has a USB type C input and output (60W). So not only can you utilize an existing cable you might have, but you can also charge any other USB-C devices out of this port. For example, charging your Macbook Pro won’t be a problem with the VenVolt 2.
The battery itself is 26,400mAh / 98Wh Lithium Polymer battery. This battery can provide quite the power for an extended amount of time. The PoE ports onboard can provide 802.3af/at/bt. Pretty much covers nearly all access points out there. The VenVolt 2 can even power two PoE devices at once!
When it comes to charging the VenVolt 2, it will take approximately 3 hours to full charge. With that full charge, you can expect 7 hours and 43 minutes battery life when a Cisco 9120 (EWC) is connected running at full power. For a Cisco 3802e running mobility express, it will run for 5 hours and 54 minutes at full power.
The VenVolt 2 is absolutely portable. It fits right into a backpack and has a USB port so you can charge your mobile devices while you’re on the go. Just check out the MFD6 video for yourself.
The post CTS 271 – Ventev VenVolt 2 at MFD6 appeared first on Clear To Send.