On 08/09/2020 11:37, R D S wrote:
I've never had bother with WiFi in the past but then i've never really
challenged it. At home and prior workplace everything is in close
proximity.

At my current workplace it just doesn't work. But there are more walls,
there's a metal security gate between one PC and the router because of
the L shape of the building (seemingly a complete no go), upstairs is
particularly bad and i'm wondering if that's because we have a lot of
flourescent lighting.

So, is WiFi just a bit ****?
Shall I knuckle down and run cable (would be a ballache) or persevere
resiting the router and PCs and trying different channels?
(Which I have done today and it's currently usable)

I'm starting to think it's only suitable for domestic/non critical
applications.

There are many organisations (private and public sector) that are using
WiFi reliably in some very large multi-floor offices, factories and
warehouses. These only work reliably because a lot of time and effort
has gone into designing and implementing them. Most of these locations
will also have fluorescent lighting. Of course, there won't be just one
WiFi access point - there will be lots of them. If they are running
Voice over IP over WiFi, there will be even more.

There are also many organisations that are using WiFi unreliably -
usually because they have not designed and implemented them very well.

A router with a built in WiFi access point has many limitations.
Notably, the area it will cover and the number of devices that can
connect to it. You probably need multiple access points throughout your
building to reliably cover the areas you need to cover. You might get
away with just adding a second wired access point elsewhere in the
building, especially if things don't move around. If things do move
around, be careful that they don't attach to the first access point they
see and stay attached to it even when they roam to the other end of the
building. You might need many more access points to cover the building.

At home, I use WiFi for most things but my desktop PC, NAS and media
streamer are wired. My work laptop and my wife's work laptop generally
use WiFi but there is also a cable available for quick and easy wired
connectivity (but not quite as quick and easy as using WiFi) should the
need arise.

In the office I work in we use wired connections for users' laptops.
WiFi is available but it's only used for guest access, mobile and
add-hoc device connections.

WiFi can definitely provide reliable service but you can't beat hard
wired Ethernet. It's always going to provide "better" (although I'm not
going to define "better") service. I don't have any experience of what I
would call "critical" devices using WiFi but I understand that even some
life support type equipment does use WiFi. I'm guessing that if it loses
its network connection it continues to work though.