Boost Your Outdoor Wi-Fi for the Summer Months

During the summer months, you’ll be spending more time outdoor enjoying the weather. No matter what your favorite activity be it poolside or on the patio, you're going to need a strong home Wi-Fi networking foundation. Not only do you need it to check emails and stream video on your phone, but it may also be necessary to stream your favorite music to your outdoor speakers, play a movie on your weather-proof TV, or monitor your security cameras. The requirements for a successful network installation are much different when taking your signal outside, which is what we’ll cover in this article.

SEE MORE: Why Worry About Wi-Fi Networking?

Design a Comprehensive Plan

Since your outdoor signal will be somewhat unpredictable due to external factors, you want to make sure you have a strong foundation. Be aware of your needs—the systems you'd like to connect ranging from climate control to entertainment—and any issues that may occur. This will help your technician know just how comprehensive your network needs to be.

Your technician also has specific tools that will help him gauge the interference in your outdoor spaces to figure out the ideal antenna and cable placement for your network. Your design should also come with some lee-way, so it's easy for your technician to come in and extend it over time.

Using the Right Tools

To take your Wi-Fi signal outdoors, you're going to have to find the right equipment for the job. This is another area in which an expert technician can make all the difference. Why waste your time trying to research the best products when we already have the knowledge necessary to design extensive indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi networks?

The system will require wireless access points to relay the signal to your outdoor areas. These WAPS draw data from Ethernet cables and amplify it through an antenna. Outdoor access points are not only designed to deal with harsh elements, but their omni-directional antennas are designed to be powerful enough to deal with added interference.

Since the access points will be linked directly to a router, you’ll need to have one with strong dual-bandwidth capabilities. Placement is also important. Don't tuck it away deep in your home where the signal will be weakened on its way outside. In larger estates, it may even be necessary to install multiple routers to get reliable coverage everywhere. For best results, we use the same manufacturer for your access points (both indoors and outdoors) and routers.

Manage Your Network

BRAVAS partnersBRAVAS partners offer ongoing monitoring services to keep an eye on your connected devices, remotely. If there's an issue with your network—say your cameras go offline—they can often resolve it before you even notice something has gone wrong. If the signal is affected by a change in weather or landscaping, they can come in and make the necessary modifications. Since an outdoor signal is easier to steal, they also ensure your devices have the latest software to patch up security vulnerabilities.
Another item to consider is how to manage your network traffic. Just like you would indoors, you can prioritize certain types of data transmission, so it moves faster. This is done through dedicated VLANs for control, media, security, and more. This strategy is especially important outdoors where you use your network less often.

For example, have your security data prioritized during the day as these are required for background actions even when you’re not actively using your network. Then as soon as you connect to the network to stream music or video, your AV bandwidth takes top priority, so there's no lagging during your favorite entertainment.

Stay connected at all times and turn your luxury home into the ultimate destination for friends and family this summer. To upgrade your current Wi-Fi network for outdoor use, just reach out to a local BRAVAS partner.