Why do I need on-going management for my Wireless Access Points?

This is a question we are often asked when quoting or fitting new wireless networks and so we want to break this down and offer a more detailed explanation to help you understand the importance behind on-going maintenance in wireless networks.

Your wireless network is one part of your organisation’s IT ecosystem and as such, needs to be maintained in the same way as your server, PCs and laptops to minimise downtime.   However, the most important reason for on-going management is that your wireless network is a gateway into your organisation’s network.  This means it poses a security risk if it is not maintained and updated.  Especially if you also run public and private networks to allow customers to connect to gain internet access, while also allowing your organisations devices to connect to your private network.  Through your wifi a hacker wouldn’t even have to enter your premises to attempt connection to your network, they could do it from the street.

Here at MJD, our monthly WAP management package means that every time there is a new firmware released for the devices within your wireless network we will get these installed at a time that is convenient for you.  This keeps our clients in compliance with their Cyber Essentials or IASME accreditations and allows you to confidently advise your customers when connecting that your wireless network is maintained and secure.

You may be wondering what firmware is?  Firmware is a type of software which is the low-level control for the devices hardware. Firmware allows your devices to behave in the way the manufacturer designed them too.  The firmware of a device is held on Read-Only Memory, so that even when the device has no power it can still store the data.  As it is read only, firmware updating tools are required to apply updated firmware to your devices.

In addition, by keeping the firmware up to date on the equipment which runs your wireless network, you avoid any issues further down the line if you must try and install numerous updates in one go which can cause further issues and even failure.  By maintaining the network regularly, it means that down time is minimised to small periods of time when the firmware is updated.

If you have any questions about your wireless network or would like to explore WAP management please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team here at MJD.