We update this article on a regular basis to reflect on industry best practice and evolution.
Once upon a time, Wi-Fi network design planning involved grabbing a floor plan and plotting locations for access points with a protractor. This was a tedious and time-consuming activity. Access points no longer require manual power and channel settings. Wireless planning has become much simpler thanks to advanced software tools. However, wireless devices and Wi‑Fi environments are simultaneously growing more complex.
Initially, Wi‑Fi network design focused heavily on coverage, since only a few people relied on wireless connectivity. As more companies adopt BYOD, almost every user now relies on wireless daily — often with multiple devices. Needless to say, wireless network design has changed significantly.
This article provides engineering insight and practical techniques for designing, planning, and implementing a wireless network that is robust, compliant, and scalable.
Key elements of a robust and reliable Wi-Fi network design strategy should include the following considerations.
What do you need to know in 2025 if you are in charge of Wi-Fi Network design?
Plan for capacity, not just coverage
Not that long ago, designing a Wi-Fi network was pretty much focused around physical site surveys to determine the number of access points needed to provide enough coverage. Afterward, you would evaluate the results and compare the number of APs against an acceptable minimum of signal strength, and the whole WLAN design would be deemed a success. Going down this road is suitable for WLANs that are planned for coverage but certainly is not the right approach to meet capacity requirements.
In this method, key elements like the number of concurrent users, and applications’ bandwidth needs are left out. Wireless engineers and IT consultants need to fully understand the Wi-Fi network design requirements to ensure a successful design. This will help reduce the need for further site surveys after the deployment of the Wi-Fi infrastructure in the long run.
Key points to consider:
- Types of applications expected in the network, e.g., web browsing, VoIP calls, software, or video streaming.
- Technologies that the Wi-Fi infrastructure supports (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac).
- Number of client devices that connect to the Wi-Fi network simultaneously (helps to determine the number of spatial streams, technology, and access point types).
- Key geographical areas you need to cover and provide Wi-Fi in and the number of concurrent devices per area.
- Power constraints. It’s way more useful to have an infrastructure equipped with PoE+ that allows you to support high-performing access points.
Channel utilisation
The Wi-Fi network management platform should have incorporated a tool to manage radio frequency. So, it can dynamically assign access points channels, adjust the access point transmit power, and provide coverage lapse mitigation for the Wi-Fi infrastructure.
For instance, for the 802.11ac wireless standard, radio frequency management should be executed at 20, 40, and 80MHz channel widths. Different client devices will support different channel widths for the 802.11 protocols. Client devices that support wider channel widths will support higher bandwidth within the particular protocol.
Estimate how many client devices can be allocated per band. With newer technologies, more client devices now support dual-band operation, and hence using proprietary implementation devices can be steered to 5 GHz. A typical design approach is to do a 30/70 split between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
To know more about how software-managed Wi-Fi is transforming businesses, read our article.
Prioritize mobile devices
A good Wi-Fi network design needs to be built up, also, for mobile – it is very crucial to the success of any Wi-Fi network deployment in recent times. The wireless design for deployment should be optimized for every device, from smartphones and IoT to computers and tablets. Having the right wireless design comes first, especially when ensuring elevated device performance and overall mobility for a better end-user experience. This also means considering features such as 802.11r/w/v.
SSIDs
To maximize performance in the wireless space and simplify deployment, try to minimize the number of SSIDs being broadcasted into the environment. The drawback of enabling more SSIDs is that it generates extra channel utilization due to overhead. A target of three SSIDs per access point provides for a flexible yet straightforward deployment model.
For example, you can have one open SSID for all unmanaged devices (daily guests, consultants, BYOD, customers..) with captive portal authentication. A second SSID for 802.1x authenticated users and devices. And a third SSID for particular use cases or specialized wireless devices, e.g., Wi-Fi-enabled VoIP phones, non-802.1x capable devices, or specialized network devices.
BYOD
Users want to connect their personal devices to public and private Wi-Fi networks. It’s the standard. Just make sure that users are routed through a web content filter to provide a secure browsing experience to all users. Also since there are multiple devices involved, the BYOD solution should be compliant with local and global data privacy regulations. To understand how data privacy has changed digital businesses in the past few years, check out our latest report.
Lastly, a per-user bandwidth consumption limit is essential in the network to manage its performance. It is important to take into account that the BYOD trend has a direct consequence on the bandwidth and throughput requirement.
IoT
The advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) has brought additional complexity to Wi-Fi network design. With the proliferation of interconnected devices, ranging from sensors and smart appliances to industrial equipment, a robust Wi-Fi network must be capable of handling the increased traffic and unique requirements of IoT devices. The design strategy should incorporate considerations such as device density, data throughput, and latency to ensure seamless connectivity and optimal performance for IoT applications. Additionally, security measures must be implemented to safeguard sensitive data transmitted between IoT devices and the network. By integrating IoT elements into the Wi-Fi network design, organizations can harness the full potential of this transformative technology and unlock new possibilities for automation, monitoring, and efficiency.
Bandwidth limitation
The final recommendation for a better Wi-Fi network design is to implement a per‑client bandwidth limit. on all the Wi-Fi network traffic. Priority must be given to applications such as video and voice. For instance, 5 Mbps is a good recommendation for a per-client bandwidth limit in a high-density environment.
With multiple connection modes and device types becoming a common norm at offices, hotels, guest houses, etc. it won’t be wrong to say that a poorly planned and implemented Wi-Fi network design can negatively impact the IT productivity of your entire organization. It might even be detrimental in some situations and could hamper critical business processes. Hence IT infrastructure teams must keep all these parameters in mind in order to think for the long run and design a Wi-Fi network that is robust, compliant, and hassle-free.
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