Adjusting bandwidth utilization of wireless network based on potential issues being predicted
Monitoring activities of wireless devices connected to a wireless network (e.g., when connected and to what access points, what activities, bandwidth utilized). Processing monitored activities to develop trends for wireless devices (e.g., likely time for connecting to which access points, likely activities performed, likely bandwidth usage, likely movement patterns). Predicting potential issues with the wireless network based on current network activities and predicted activities based on the developed trends. The potential issues may include congestion of an access point. Taking actions, including modifying activities of one or more wireless devices, to avoid the potential issues, reduce impact of the potential issues and/or prevent any performance degradation to high priority wireless devices. The activity modifications may include, for example, restricting/changing access point connectivity, limiting/modifying functions performed, modifying bit rate, changing frequency band, and delaying/restricting activities. Parameters associated with wireless devices may be identified, including identifying high priority wireless devices.
1. A method for using trends to predict potential issues and take actions to avoid the potential issues or limit impact thereof in a Wi-Fi wireless network, the method comprising:
defining parameters of the Wi-Fi wireless network, the parameters including topology of the Wi-Fi wireless network and priority levels of the wireless devices for connecting to the Wi-Fi wireless network;
monitoring activities of the wireless devices connected to the Wi-Fi wireless network;
processing the monitored activities to develop trends for the wireless devices;
predicting potential issues with the Wi-Fi wireless network based on current network activities and predicted activities based on the developed trends; and
taking actions with regard to network usage by the wireless devices based on the predicted potential issues and the priority levels of the wireless devices, to avoid the potential issues or reduce impact of the potential issues on the Wi-Fi wireless network.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring activities include monitoring at least some subset of when the wireless devices are connected to the Wi-Fi wireless network, what activities the wireless devices perform, when the activities are performed, what access points the wireless devices are connected when the activities are performed, and bandwidth utilized by the wireless devices during the activities.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the trends include at least some subset of likely time when the wireless devices connect to the Wi-Fi wireless network and the access points associated therewith, likely activities performed by the wireless devices and times and access points associated therewith, likely bandwidth usage and times and access points associated therewith, and likely movement patterns between access points and times associated therewith.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predicting potential issues includes predicting congestion for an access point, wherein the congestion could result in at least some subset of bandwidth limitations, reduction in signal strength, reduction in bit rate, change in connectivity, loss of connectivity, and connectivity restrictions.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the taking actions includes modifying the activities of one or more wireless devices.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the modifying activities include at least some subset of restricting connectivity to prevent congestion, changing access point connectivity for one or more wireless devices that have sufficient signal strength available at other access points, limit and/or modify functions performed by one or more wireless devices connected to the access point, slowly modify bit rate for one or more wireless devices connected to the access point, changing frequency band to other frequency band for one or wireless devices that support other frequency band, delaying or restricting certain activities for one or more wireless devices and restricting access to the access point.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the taking actions includes modifying the activities of one or more wireless devices to prevent any performance degradation to the wireless devices having the priority levels indicating high priority wireless devices.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying the parameters associated with the wireless devices that connect to the Wi-Fi wireless network.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identifying of the parameters includes identifying the wireless devices having the priority levels indicating high priority wireless devices.
10. A device for using trends to predict potential issues and take actions to avoid the potential issues or limit impact thereof in a Wi-Fi wireless network, the device comprising:
a wireless interface to communicate with one or more wireless devices;
a processor communicatively coupled to a memory for storing network configuration information, wherein the network configuration information includes network topology and wireless device parameters; and
a computer-readable storage medium to store instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
define parameters of the Wi-Fi wireless network, the parameters including topology of the Wi-Fi wireless network and priority levels of the wireless devices for connecting to the Wi-Fi wireless network;
monitor activities of the wireless devices connected to the Wi-Fi wireless network;
process the monitored activities to develop trends for the wireless devices;
predict potential issues with the Wi-Fi wireless network based on current network activities and predicted activities based on the developed trends; and
take actions with regard to network usage by the wireless devices based on the predicted potential issues and the priority levels of the Wi-Fi wireless devices, to avoid the potential issues or reduce impact of the potential issues on the Wi-Fi wireless network.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein when the instructions are executed they cause the processor to monitor at least some subset of when the wireless devices are connected to the Wi-Fi wireless network, what activities the wireless devices perform, when the activities are performed, what access points the wireless devices are connected when the activities are performed, and bandwidth utilized by the wireless devices during the activities.
12. The device of claim 11 , wherein when the instructions are executed they cause the processor to identify trends including at least some subset of likely time when the wireless devices connect to the Wi-Fi wireless network and the access points associated therewith, likely activities performed by the wireless devices and times and access points associated therewith, likely bandwidth usage and times and access points associated therewith, and likely movement patterns between access points and times associated therewith.
13. The device of claim 10 , wherein when the instructions are executed they cause the processor to predict congestion for an access point, wherein the congestion could result in at least some subset of bandwidth limitations, reduction in signal strength, reduction in bit rate, change in connectivity, loss of connectivity, and connectivity restrictions.
14. The device of claim 10 , wherein when the instructions are executed they cause the processor to modify the activities of one or more wireless devices to avoid the potential issues or reduce impact of the potential issues.
15. The device of claim 10 , wherein when the instructions are executed they cause the processor to modify the activities of one or more wireless devices to prevent any performance degradation to the wireless devices having the priority levels indicating high priority wireless devices.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing stored instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to use trends to predict potential issues and take actions to avoid the potential issues or limit impact thereof in a Wi-Fi wireless network by:
defining parameters of the Wi-Fi wireless network, the parameters including topology of the Wi-Fi wireless network and priority levels of the wireless devices for connecting to the Wi-Fi wireless network;
monitoring activities of the wireless devices connected to the Wi-Fi wireless network;
processing the monitored activities to develop trends for the wireless devices;
predicting potential issues with the Wi-Fi wireless network based on current network activities and predicted activities based on the developed trends; and
taking actions with regard to network usage by the wireless devices based on the predicted potential issues and the priority levels of the wireless devices, to avoid the potential issues or reduce impact of the potential issues on the Wi-Fi wireless network.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein when the instructions are executed they cause the processor to
monitor at least some subset of when the wireless devices are connected to the Wi-Fi wireless network, what activities the wireless devices perform, when the activities are performed, what access points the wireless devices are connected when the activities are performed, and bandwidth utilized by the wireless devices during the activities; and
identify trends including at least some subset of likely time when the wireless devices connect to the Wi-Fi wireless network and the access points associated therewith, likely activities performed by the wireless devices and times and access points associated therewith, likely bandwidth usage and times and access points associated therewith, and likely movement patterns between access points and times associated therewith.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein when the instructions are executed they cause the processor to predict congestion for an access point, wherein the congestion could result in at least some subset of bandwidth limitations, reduction in signal strength, reduction in bit rate, change in connectivity, loss of connectivity, and connectivity restrictions.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein when the instructions are executed they cause the processor to modify the activities of one or more wireless devices to avoid the potential issues or reduce impact of the potential issues.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein when the instructions are executed they cause the processor to modify the activities of one or more wireless devices to prevent any performance degradation to the wireless devices having the priority levels indicating high priority wireless devices.