A multi-SSID, multi-VLAN design managed centrally is the most scalable and efficient approach for this scenario. It provides the necessary segmentation (customer vs. corporate) and allows for consistent QoS and security policies to be pushed from a central controller to all 50 sites, which is crucial with limited IT staff. Separate physical networks (B) is costly and inefficient. A single SSID with RBAC (A) or dynamic VLAN assignment via captive portal (D) adds complexity, may not provide sufficient radio resource isolation, and the portal method creates a poor user experience for corporate devices.

Mounting APs too high, especially in environments with high ceilings and clutter (like warehouses), creates a coverage gap at floor level where clients operate. The signal propagates well horizontally but has a steep null directly underneath the AP. Lowering the APs brings the coverage cell closer to the client devices, which is more effective than simply increasing power (A). While client device capability (C) and interference (D) can be factors, the scenario specifically points to a consistent coverage problem linked to the known high mounting height.

For real-time applications in a dense environment, a high-density design is key. Lower transmit power creates smaller, more manageable cells, reducing the number of clients per AP and contention. The 5 GHz/6 GHz bands offer more non-overlapping channels and less interference than 2.4 GHz. QoS (especially WMM) is essential to prioritize voice/video traffic over best-effort data. Using 40 MHz on 2.4 GHz (A) is destructive due to only one possible non-overlapping channel. 160 MHz channels (C) are often impractical due to spectrum availability and increased noise floor. Using too few APs (D) leads to congested cells and poor performance.

Retransmissions occur when a transmitted frame is not acknowledged. A high number of BlockAck frames is normal for efficient A-MPDU operation, but when coupled with high retransmissions, it points to medium contention problems. RF interference or collisions (from hidden nodes or an overloaded channel) cause frames to be corrupted, leading to missing acknowledgements and thus retransmissions. While AP overload (D) or wired latency (A) can cause issues, they wouldn’t directly explain the high retransmission/BlockAck correlation specific to the RF medium.

The most effective mitigation for persistent non-Wi-Fi interference (e.g., from microwaves, Bluetooth systems, or medical equipment) is to locate and eliminate the source. This is a permanent solution that cleans up the spectrum. Replacing all clients (A) is costly and disruptive. Directional antennas (B) might help in a specific area but are not a scalable solution for a hospital-wide deployment. Band-steering (C) is ineffective as the client devices are 2.4 GHz only.

In the 802.1X framework, the Authentication Server (AS) is the entity that terminates the EAP conversation. It communicates with the supplicant (the client) through the authenticator (the AP/WLC) and validates the user’s credentials against a database like Active Directory or LDAP. The AP/WLC acts as the Network Access Device/Authenticator (D), controlling the port’s state but passing the EAP messages to the AS.

The foundation of capacity planning is a thorough needs analysis. Before any technical calculations, you must understand the applications: How many concurrent users? What are the traffic characteristics (throughput, latency, protocol)? When are peak usage times? This information directly informs your calculations for cell size, channel width, and AP count. Calculating raw throughput (A) is a subsequent step that depends on this analysis. Spectrum analysis (B) and client capability assessment (C) are important technical steps, but they come after defining the business and application requirements.

The key difference is mitigation capability. A dedicated monitor-mode WIPS (using sensors) typically has superior detection and location accuracy because its radios are dedicated to scanning. However, it cannot directly take action on the network. An infrastructure-integrated WIPS uses existing APs in a part-time scanning role and can directly mitigate threats (e.g., contain a rogue AP) because it controls the network infrastructure. Both can detect rogues and both have similar visibility into encrypted traffic (limited to metadata).

For 802.11r (Fast BSS Transition) to function, all APs among which a client is expected to roam seamlessly must be part of the same Mobility Domain. This is defined by the Mobility Domain Identifier (MDID), which must match across those APs. The PMK (B) can be cached or derived via the FT protocol. The BSSID (C) is unique per AP. The GTK (D) is specific to a BSS but can be updated during the FT process.

A multi-SSID, multi-VLAN design managed centrally is the most scalable and efficient approach for this scenario. It provides the necessary segmentation (customer vs. corporate) and allows for consistent QoS and security policies to be pushed from a central controller to all 50 sites, which is crucial with limited IT staff. Separate physical networks (B) is costly and inefficient. A single SSID with RBAC (A) or dynamic VLAN assignment via captive portal (D) adds complexity, may not provide sufficient radio resource isolation, and the portal method creates a poor user experience for corporate devices.0