As we have seen in the first installment of this series, TR-069 offers unprecedented visibility into the customer premises network to highlight devices beyond the gateway, and in the case of WiFi, the issues affecting service quality.

Insights into the surrounding WIFI landscape alone provide ample data to provision the access point (AP) to operate in a part of the spectrum with the least amount of interference. A graphical representation of these data is shown below:

Ensure the access point operates in a part of the spectrum with the least amount of interference, providing a better quality of experience for subscribers. / Click to Enlarge

In this example, taken from Incognito Auto Configuration Server, it is immediately obvious that the 2.4 Ghz spectrum is crowded, while the 5Ghz spectrum still provides areas that are currently unoccupied.

In addition, bandwidth and signal data from connected devices allow easy detection of “top talkers” and devices within your network using larger than expected bandwidth. This data can be enriched easily when combined with information derived from mobile applications communicating with both the management server and the AP. Now, it becomes possible to analyze both the transmission behavior of a client with the AP, or any deployed extender, for that matter, as moving across for example the rooms within a house, and thus survey the signal quality across the rooms within the subscriber’s premise.

Furthermore, this data can be analyzed for offline, proactive measures. Imagine running a report across your device population, inquiring all devices located in high interference areas that only support 2.4Ghz, and automatically upgrade those to dual band routers that can operate within wider, less congested frequency bands.

What about networks that have multiple WiFi APs, such as mulit-dwelling units, malls, or stadiums? Find out more next week in the third and final blog in this series: From Single AP to Large AP Deployments.