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The 7SIGNAL API is great for monitoring, optimizing, and troubleshooting enterprise Wi-Fi networks and other large Wi-Fi deployments. In this article we explain how it works!
At 7SIGNAL, we offer a number of enterprise Wi-Fi optimization solutions that help you build healthier wireless networks. With the 7SIGNAL API, you can access device and WLAN metadata collected via the 7SIGNAL platform directly from the software tools that you use on a daily basis. You’ll be able to sync relevant data, set Wi-Fi performance alarms, configure flexible workflows, and more.
In this article, we cover three ways the 7SIGNAL API can be used to improve the performance of your Wi-Fi network. In particular:
Want to learn more about APIs? Check out the article we wrote about API basics!
What Is an API (Application Programming Interface)?
Before we dig into the benefits of the 7SIGNAL API, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page. Application Programming Interfaces, or APIs, are specifications that enable software programs to share their data, services, and functionalities with other software programs. More specifically, they’re sets of rules and protocols that govern how third-party applications can access the data and services provided by the APIs.
To provide a short-and-sweet example, services like Google Maps and Apple Maps can be accessed via their respective APIs, offering ready-to-use location-based features like routing, trip guidance, coordinated marketing services, and more. Apps like Airbnb, Instagram, Uber, and DoorDash then use these APIs to enhance their services with geotagging, precise route guidance, real-time delivery tracking, and more.
What Is the 7SIGNAL API?
Now onto the good stuff! The 7SIGNAL API facilitates access to real-time Wi-Fi performance data collected by Mobile Eye and Sapphire Eye. This means you can access device and WLAN metadata collected via the 7SIGNAL platform directly from the software tools that you use on a daily basis.
While there are a variety of use cases for the 7SIGNAL API, the big three are for monitoring Wi-Fi performance, optimizing network components, and proactive troubleshooting. Let’s cover these one at a time.
Monitoring Wi-Fi Performance
The 7SIGNAL API offers a holistic approach to monitoring Wi-Fi networks. This is a fancy way of saying that it can be used to follow network performance over time, keep track of connected devices, measure the amount of data being transmitted over the network, monitor the overall quality of Wi-Fi and wireless endpoints, and more. It can also be used to set alerts for key performance indicators like Radio Attached Success (RAS), EAP Authentication Success, DHCP Success, DNS Query Success, and more.
This data can be used to identify trends and patterns in network performance, which businesses can then leverage to optimize their Wi-Fi infrastructure.
Optimizing Network Components
Speaking of which, the 7SIGNAL API can be used to optimize Wi-Fi networks in a variety of ways. For example, data collected from the API can be used to adjust the transmit power or channel width of Wi-Fi access points to improve network performance for end users.
In addition, the 7SIGNAL API can be used to gear networks towards specific use cases or applications. Indeed, companies can use the data collected by the API to inform whether or not they give preference to certain types of network traffic, such as video or voice traffic, over other types.
Proactive Troubleshooting
Finally, the 7SIGNAL API can be used to proactively troubleshoot poor connectivity experiences. Since it provides real-time data, companies can monitor the performance of their enterprise Wi-Fi networks and connected devices and catch issues before end users report them. Taking things one step further, the 7SIGNAL API can transmit this data to ticketing systems, like ServiceNow, or alerting systems, like Slack, to obviate the need for manual monitoring.
For example, the 7SIGNAL API can be used to alert on the digital experiences of end users or to identify sources of Wi-Fi interference. Data collected by the API can also be used to identify devices that are consuming too much bandwidth or causing network congestion.
Learn More About the 7SIGNAL API From Our Experts
We’re always here to answer your Wi-Fi questions at 7SIGNAL. Our enterprise Wi-Fi optimization platform helps you plan and execute a healthier network. Contact us to learn more.
7SIGNAL® is the leader in enterprise Wi-Fi optimization, providing insight into wireless networks and control over Wi-Fi performance so businesses and organizations can thrive. Our cloud-based platform continually tests and measures Wi-Fi performance at the edges of the network, enabling fast solutions to digital experience issues and stronger connections for mission-critical users, devices, and applications. Learn more at www.7signal.com.