Managed Wi-Fi: What Is It & Does My Business Need It?

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What is managed Wi-Fi? Managed Wi-Fi is a network solution in which a third-party vendor handles the tasks involved in designing, installing, and maintaining a Wi-Fi network for an organization.

How Does Managed Wi-Fi Work?

Managed services, particularly managed IT services, are a cornerstone of modern business. Enterprise-level companies and small-to-medium-sized businesses alike can leverage powerful IT infrastructure to mobilize their business operations in ways they would normally be unable to do if they had to implement that infrastructure themselves. Managed services have expanded over the years to encompass complex and critical services:

• Cloud storage and computing
• Identity and access management
• Cloud applications (software-as-a-service)
• Computing infrastructure-as-a-service
• Security and compliance
• Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi)

In terms of hardware and design, network infrastructure seems like a relatively fixed commodity in terms of where it is placed and how it connects devices. 

Managed Wi-Fi is outsourcing important processes within a Wi-Fi network to ease its operation, security, and ongoing optimization. Some of the critical services that are often included in a managed Wi-Fi setup include the following:

Site Surveys and Network Design

While home and small office networks are relatively simple setups (a modem, router, and connected devices), enterprise networks quickly become complex. These larger organizations often have needs built around large office spaces or campuses, high-bandwidth demands, detailed security, and advanced controls over network resource access. 

A managed Wi-Fi provider may offer a partial or complete design and survey services to support enterprise organizations in planning and implementing their network. This includes device types, placement, and configurations that can meet coverage requirements. 

Hardware Leasing

Dedicated network hardware can prove to be expensive, especially as new upgrades and maintenance impact larger enterprise Wi-Fi systems. A managed Wi-Fi provider can offer services to monitor equipment, replace it in cases of damage or obsolescence, and provide expert support for expanding or adjusting your existing infrastructure of routers, access points, and other devices. 

Deployment

Hardware needs to be placed, cabling installed, and natural and artificial obstacles moved or worked around. A managed Wi-Fi provider will mobilize information from their surveys and designs to actually implement the network infrastructure to spec.

Configuration Management

A managed Wi-Fi provider will often include managed services to set the configuration of network devices, including performance, security, and connection configurations to maintain any optimization or compliance demands placed on your network. 

Ongoing Monitoring

Networks suffer different issues on a day-to-day basis. These issues can include device mismanagement due to hiccups in software, a dropped signal from select hardware, bandwidth bottlenecks during high-traffic times, breaches to network security, packet loss, and jitter. Solid and ongoing management can help mitigate these challenges. 

What Are the Benefits of Managed Wi-Fi?

As with any managed service, managed Wi-Fi brings significant benefits to any organization. With the right provider, your business can rely on several streamlined and optimized bonuses that rely on expert Wi-Fi providers.

Some of the benefits of managed Wi-Fi include the following:

• Cost Management: Managing enterprise-grade Wi-Fi is a full-time job that calls for full-time staff — a burden that many organizations can’t, or don’t want to, bear. A managed service provider offers expert services with well-defined costs that are easy to budget for. Furthermore, long-term savings over maintaining dedicated IT for networking purposes will reduce operating expenditures.

• Expertise: Managed Wi-Fi providers are the leading experts in their field. Their design, implementation, and management services are powered by experts who do the job right and maintain an optimal system.

• Security and Compliance: Dedicated managed service providers can often specialize on top-notch security and focused compliance configurations. Enterprises working in areas like healthcare, finance, or government and defense work must have secured network infrastructure to protect sensitive data over large networks by ensuring proper security and privacy controls. 

• Troubleshooting and Support: If things go wrong (down network segments, traffic bottlenecks, or security issues), organizations must be able to respond quickly and decisively. A managed provider can offer ongoing support without requiring you to have a SOC or field response team on call. 

• Effective Design: Enterprise networks need to be designed — there is no way around that. Otherwise, you end up with an underperforming network that cannot grow. Network scalability is key and a critical part of your business as you expand physical infrastructure. Effective network design makes both good performance and scalability possible. 

Work with Meter as Your Managed Wi-Fi Provider

Network design, ongoing management, hardware upgrades: these are significant aspects of enterprise Wi-Fi. Enterprise customers who want to field an effective Wi-Fi network deserve to work with a partner who supports their security, performance, and Wi-Fi coverage needs. 

Contact us for a network design to learn more about Meter and how we can be your managed Wi-Fi provider for the long haul.Plus, take advantage of Meter Connect, our free and comprehensive local business internet provider database for deals in your area.