Top 7 benefits of 802.11ac Wave 2 (Part 2 of 2)

The newest Wi-Fi standard, 802.11ac Wave 2, was recently released, with products like the Cisco Aironet 1850 Series Access Point leading the pack. In the first part of this series on this new technology, we discussed how Wave 2 is superior over previous standards at providing super fast connection speeds, accommodating smaller hardware like smartphones and ensuring employees have consistent and clear connectivity while on the go.

These are far from the only benefits of Wave 2, however. Firms that adopt hot spots with Wave 2 functionality can also expect to see these additional four benefits:

4) More intelligent network processing

In addition to being able to adjust throughput for devices on the go, a Wave 2 hot spot can also intelligently adjust bandwidth based on past and present conditions, according to ZDNet. There is a lot more built-in intelligence within Wave 2 versus past wireless iterations, allowing the network to adjust itself as necessary to meet demands.

5) Better able to scale to meet connecting demands for many different devices

The first version of 802.11ac was created primarily with laptops in mind, while Wave 2 is uniquely suited to the demands placed by mobile device proliferation and the IoT. ZDNet noted that Wave 2 is meant to work in situations where they are possibly dozens of devices all requiring a high-bandwidth connection.

“Ultimately, what 802.11ac Wave 2 and Multi-User MIMO means for the industry is that it will help Wi-Fi networks scale, and to increase capacity, even when predominantly single-antenna devices are in use,” ZDNet contributor Jason Perlow wrote. “Cost and complexity is added to the router/AP as opposed to the client device, and it increases network performance without additional cost, power and size on client devices.”

6) Backwards compatibility with other wireless standards

Wave 2 may be uniquely suited for the needs of smartphones, tablets and IoT sensors, but that doesn’t mean that older devices like laptops are left out of the mix. A good Wave 2-enabled hot spot will also very likely be backwards compatible with the original 802.11ac standard. This ensures that all hardware will benefit from this upgrade, even if it was built specifically with 802.11ac or even 802.11n in mind.

7) Avoid congestion on the popular 2.4 MHz band

Many devices, including microwaves and Bluetooth headsets, operate on the 2.4 Megahertz band, making it one of the most popular radio frequencies in use today. However, this means that there can often be interference within this band, which can affect the performance of devices operating at this frequency, Popular Mechanics noted.

Instead of adding further noise on this band, both 802.11ac and Wave 2 operate using the 5 MHz band. This also provides the added benefit of packing more data into transmissions, according to ZDNet, which is helpful for high-bandwidth applications like video.

It’s easy to connect lots of devices to a Wave 2 -enabled hot spot.

How iT1 Source helps you get the most from Cisco’s 802.11ac Wave 2 solution

With an 802.11ac Wave 2-enabled wireless hot spot in place, enterprises can expect to see many benefits to productivity and overall enterprise wireless efficacy. But, getting this in place is hardly something that can be quickly done by someone with limited technical expertise. Wireless connectivity is too important for business today, and setting up new technology needs to be done with care and precision.

Organizations looking for help implementing the Cisco Aironet 1850 Series Access Point should turn to iT1 Source. Not only is iT1 Source a Cisco Premier Partner, but their network and connectivity team is one of the best in the business. This way, you’ll have expert guidance with this new, groundbreaking wireless technology. To learn more about your available enterprise networking options and what’s right for your business, be sure to reach out to iT1 Source today.