Understanding WiFi

We wanted to create a handy list of quick tups to better understand WiFi and it's importance when connecting to devices like your WATTS lighting systems.

We will go over a few topics at a high level to help with a more general understanding of WiFi and what can cause common issues. We have created a lucky 13 item list below of what we feel is the most important things to know about WiFi.

1. WiFi and the Internet are NOT the same thing
   For a lot of us, it is hard to know the difference when experiencing an issue and understanding the difference between WiFi and the Internet. Without getting too geeky, the best way we can explain the difference is like this.
   WiFi is a way to connect multiple wireless devices together in your home or building and to allow them to connect and communicate with each other without having to connect cables between these devices.
   The Internet is a connection of physical devices over typically very long distances that allow them to communicate and share information between these devices. The internet does require a hard cable of some sort (yes, even with a solution like Starlink).
   We often USE WiFi as a way to connect 1 wireless device to our modem (another WiFi device) which then, that modem allows us to connect to the internet. Sometimes (and by far the better way to connect) you have a second WiFi device that connects to all of the devices in your home wirelessly and then has a cable that connects to your modem. This is the best way to handle it. You can have WiFi without the Internet, and you can have internet with WiFi.
   
   
2. "I have really good WiFi, it is the fastest we can buy"
   Typically, speed does not mean "good" WiFi. As most of us will never even get close to using the maximum speed of even basic WiFi systems, most customers are wasting money by trying to get speed. The biggest factor that helps you have GOOD WiFi in your house, is to ensure that you have full coverage and a REALLY strong signal.
   
   
3. "Using WiFi from my Internet Service Provider is the best option so it works well with my internet"
   While this is true in SOME areas of North America, typically this is NOT true. Typically, if you are just using the WiFi that came when you signed up for internet access (even if you paid extra for a WiFi "upgrade"), you more often than not will have one of the least stable WiFi systems available to you. Having aftermarket WiFi equipment is almost ALWAYS a significant improvement in stability over having WiFi offered by your ISP. We always recommend a proper, aftermarket, meshable WiFi system such as the Google Nest WiFi or the TP-Link Deco WiFi6.
   
   
4. WiFi Security is not better or worse depending on the radio frequency (2.4ghz, 5ghz, and 6ghz)
   This unfortunately is something that we hear people discuss frequently and we aren't 100% sure where this rumor came from. The security type that is layered on top of WiFi (commonly WPA2) has nothing to do with the frequency of the radio of your WiFi. 2.4ghz and 5ghz are equally secure. Some ISP's do have in their menu settings that 2.4ghz is not recommended to be enabled because of some devices that can be connected to 2.4ghz that are not secure such as older security cameras that were easily hacked. This is not as much of a concern these days and had nothing to do with 2.4ghz as a whole. It was just a coincidence that cheaper camera systems were having this issue and that all wireless cameras at the time were operating on 2.4ghz. It is like saying that if you saw someone in a Honda Civic get into a car accident, that all Honda Civics would crash.
   
   
5. WiFi names (SSIDs) SHOULD NEVER have spaces, emojis, and special characters in them
   This is something you will often see debated online. It is because modern WiFi equipment from a standard, does not dictate what is allowed or not allowed to be in a WiFi name. However; in the past, this was a limitation of WiFi types. Most of these WiFi types that do not allow spaces or special characters actually still exist today and are used in the majority of IoT (Internet of Things) devices that are made today. It is always best practice to NOT use spaces or special characters in your WiFi. At the very most, use - or _ and never use them at the start or end of your WiFi name. No matter what the argument online is, this is still the best way to avoid possibly having issues with products that are on your WiFi network.
   
   
6. WiFi supplied by an ISP (Internet Service Provider) is MORE secure than third-party WiFi
   This is just simply not true. Typically speaking, WiFi is not extremely secure no matter what WiFi system you have. If you want solid security it is always best to stay with WIRED connections. Most aftermarket systems have far more advanced security options than most of the equipment supplied by ISPs. Most commonly, WiFi supplied by ISP companies are actually the least secure.
   
   
7. Never use WiFi reception icons on a phone as a determination of how good you WiFi signal is
   If using the icons on your phone to determine your WiFi, unfortunately, you are not accurately testing anything. The bars on your phone will not update in real-time and are just a visual representation of the stability to the device they are connected to. We always suggest using a proper WiFi analyzer to determine the actual RSSI (signal strength in DB's) between two wireless devices. Unfortunately, Apple has recently blocked the ability to do this on iPhones so this is something that can only be done on Windows, Chromebook, Android or Linux operating systems. This can not be done on Apple iOS devices, unfortunately. Signal bars should never be used as a real-time detection of
   
   
8. Repeaters are NOT a good way to extend your WiFi signal
   1 repeater is not a bad option. If you still have WiFi issues or dead zones in your home after installing a repeater, NEVER install a SECOND repeater. This is almost guaranteed to cause issues for the average user. At this point, if your requirements and house size requires another repeater you need to now upgrade to a proper MESH WiFi system.
   
   
9. Spending money on proper WiFi equipment is always cheaper than paying for faster internet when it is not needed
   This one surprises a lot of people. Often in marketing with internet speeds, we only hear about speed, or the latest technology like WiFi 6. Speed will almost never solve the issue that you are having with your WiFi. Most 4 person families will never max out 100mbs let alone gigabit internet. Saving money every month on speed and putting that into proper WiFi equipment will almost ALWAYS improve your online experience.
   
   
10. You can NOT use multiple WiFi devices using the same WiFi name, not even with repeaters
    Back in the day, using 1 single band (just 2.4ghz WiFi for example) repeaters could share a name. Unfortunately, for most modern WiFi devices, especially if the device offers 2.4ghz and 5ghz at the same time, using the SAME WiFi name as another device in your health WILL cause issues. The only way to do this safely is to use a WiFi MESH system in which it will auto-connect other devices and work cohesively as one large system to share a single WiFi name.
    
    
11. It is always best to separate your 2.4ghz network from your 5ghz network unless you understand the specific settings of your WiFi equipment
    Most new WiFi systems will come with 1 WiFi name but broadcast both 2.4ghz and 5ghz on the SAME WiFi NAME. This is nothing wrong with this system or setup on its own but also a lot of these units have features that can cause confusion for not tech-savvy users when this feature is enabled. For example, some newer WiFi systems will allow users to BLOCK 2.4ghz devices from seeing 5ghz devices even when they are on the same network. This is called "Client Isolation over Band" or "Band Isolation". This can cause a lot of issues when you need to connect to a device on your local network like a security camera or your WATTS system. You will only be able to see it on the cloud, and never be able to see it on your own network. Because of this, and other similar features, we always suggest keeping it simple and splitting your 2.4ghz and 5ghz WiFi networks into different names, and never sharing the Wifi Name (SSID).
    
    
12. Not all WiFi issues are noticeable all the time
    As a network tech, I can not tell you how many times I have heard a customer say over the last 30 years "Well my other devices are working great". One device working well on WiFi has NOTHING to do with any other device on your network. Physical location, temperature, radio type, how the device is used, how you use your WiFi, and even things like where your microwave oven is in your house can all affect the stability of your WiFi.
    
    
13. My Neighbour has GREAT WiFi but I have issues
    WiFi and Radio Waves are not black and white when it comes to connection. Without exaggeration, there are THOUSANDS of factors that can affect the stability and reliability of your WiFi or even a single device on your WiFi. It is always best to ensure you have a simple, and strong WiFi signal to any device on your network but even that will never guarantee a perfect connection, 24/7, 365 days a year. WiFi is good and quite stable, but it is never 100%. Your neighbor is not going to have the exact same equipment on the exact same floor plan and the exact same construction material as you. Like a fingerprint, your situation is unique. Even if you actually have the same house floor plan, the placement of furniture, humidity, temperature, the paint on the walls. These are all things that can affect WiFi. For these reasons, we always suggest a proper aftermarket WiFi system that has the power to give you a simple, and as stable as possible WiFi connection in your home. We strongly suggest the Google Nest WiFi, Ubiquity, or Tp-Link Deco systems.

Pro Tip :If you are going to buy an aftermarket WiFi System (and we highly suggest that you do) you MUST ensure that your ISP (Internet Service Provider) disables your Modem's WiFi and does what is called most commonly "setting your modem in bridge mode". Not doing this will actually cause MORE issues for you. You can not use the router on your modem, and the router on the new equipment at the same time. They will cause conflicts. You will have a connection, but you will have very strange behaviours and random issues.