Preparing your WiFi for your WATTS lighting system

For the majority of our customers, nothing is needed to prepare your WiFi system other than ensuring that you have 2.4ghz enabled. This is by default on all major WiFi Brands and if you have any other IoT devices, chances are you already have devices on your network connected to your network on 2.4ghz.

However; if you are still using your ISP (Internet Service Providers) stock WiFi that comes on your Internet modem, you may need to make some adjustments.

Certain ISPs have guides directly on their websites for specific equipment because there are known issues with the equipment.

For the most part, we have NOT had many issues in the United States and Eastern Canada. However; in Western Canada, issues are a bit more common. Telus is by far the largest issue but often this is fixable and the issues are only due to how the technicians set up the equipment. If you have any concerns, please reach out as we do have some white paper that can be sent to help guide you through to ensure that Telus set up your equipment correctly in your home.

There are many different equipment types with each internet service provider so ensuring you are aware of the products you currently have prior to reaching out is important. You can always send photos as well.

Recommendations

Band Steering

Prior to reaching out, we highly suggest that if you are using your ISP's equipment, you ensure that you have two different WiFi names for both your 2.4ghz and 5ghz networks. Having 1 WiFi name for both of your 2.4ghz and 5ghz radios can cause confusion with certain cheaper WiFi devices like what ISPs often give customers for free. This uses what is called Band Steering. While we do support band steering, there is some equipment from ISPs that have trouble properly handling devices that only support 1 of these radios. Watts Lights system only supports 2.4ghz WiFi so we do recommend that you split your WiFi into 2 WiFi names instead of using Band Steering. So having "yourwifiname-2.4" and "yourwifiname5" for each your 2.4gz radio and your 5ghz radio.

Some cheaper equipment types as well from ISPs will also enable what is called Band Isolation. Band Isolation will stop devices on your 2.4ghz network from being able to see devices on your 5ghz network. In some instances, this can not be disabled. Because of this, we highly recommend again that you split your WiFi networks into 2 names. Make sure they are not identical as that is improper and WILL cause issues.

Why Multiple Repeaters Are Always a Bad Idea

We highly recommend that you do not just run repeaters in your home for your WiFi. Not only can this make things more difficult for your neighbors but it adds complexity to your WiFi network in your home and can easily cause confusion after power outages, or if you are having issues with your WiFi.

If your WiFi system is in such a poor state that you have to run multiple repeaters, you need to upgrade to a MESH system instead. Not just for your Watts Lights system but in general. Running multiple repeaters is guaranteed to create hassles and issues for you over time. Additionally, you will be causing a lot of interference and making devices fight against each other for channels. Not just in your own home, but also with neighbors and other nearby devices.

Multiple repeaters can also cause security concerns on your network. When you have that many devices, all sharing passwords, you are bound to have issues at some point. We highly recommend to not use multiple repeaters. If you just need a boost in 1 area, a single repeater is OK but even in that instance we highly recommend a proper MESH WiFi System that is not supplied by your internet service provider.

Speed is NOT Important

While we can not make recommendations on your specific requirements for your WiFi we can say with certainty that if your primary usage of WiFi is streaming video services like YouTube or Netflix, web browsing, and email, then you should not be concerned about the speed of your WiFi nor the speed of your Internet if you are on a internet service that is over 100mb/s. We hear it all the time from customers that they are told by their ISPs that a faster internet connection is needed, and all they use their internet for is very basic usage that will never cap out 100mb service. Often speed is not what customers need. The ability to handle multiple connections and having a STABLE network is what they need.

2.4ghz WiFi can easily handle multiple devices connected at a time watching multiple high-definition video streams and web browsing at the same time, which is more than enough for most families of 4.

When getting into video games and more advanced business or power user requirements speed per device can be a concern. In these instances, 5ghz and faster internet is beneficial. Often, when people are having WiFi issues it is actually coverage and signal issues NOT the speed that is the problem.

Often this is simply a fault of the equipment being used, and simply having a MESH system such as Google Nest WiFi is all that you require. While some of this equipment seems expensive, saving money every month on your internet and using proper equipment can often save you money in as little as 6 months.

Why 2.4ghz? What is the difference?

2.4ghz WiFi is often seen by customers as "older" technology which is simply not the case. The primary decision between 2.4ghz and 5ghz is actually due to signal strength and the ability for a WiFi signal to penetrate through walls.

We chose 2.4ghz because most municipalities require us by code to install the control box on the EXTERIOR of a home unless a pre-wire is done by a qualified professional when the house is being built. Because of this, we need to ensure that your WiFi signal can get from the inside of your home, to the outside of your home and reach to where the control box had to be located. Unfortunately, building code also dictates where your control box is allowed to be located in proximity to your electrical outlet. This limits where the controllers can and can not be installed.

This means that the control box is not always in the most ideal location for your current WiFi signals. Especially if you are just using your Internet Service Provider's free, supplied WiFi equipment.

Using 2.4ghz will help ensure that the signal can penetrate through the walls appropriately and reach the control box on the outside of your home.

5ghz can handle faster speeds but does not do a very good job of making its way through walls and other obstacles.

Because 2.4ghz is still capable of 450mb/s, which is VERY fast, for most customers a 5ghz network is not even needed at all. You are better off having the range over speed.