Have our Access Points become ugly?  An upturn of design in our Access Points being used have shown they are becoming and starting to look nice.  Do you remember looking at the Cisco 1250, that thing was heavy and just ugly. However, it was a tank and worked very well.

Has the ugly AP lead to a design issue? Or has the ugly AP realized in order to work well, it must take some lessons in design.  If you can not see it, then it probably does not work well. Wireless is good if you can see the AP–Line of Sight.

At Mobility Field Day 1, Ventev was presenting different types of antenna design to make the hidden Access Point work! During this time I have been reading the book: The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman.  Have you ever heard the phrase Norman Door? I’m sure you have, but just didn’t realize it, the best example is: When you go to a door do I push or pull it?  aka Norman Door.

I remember unboxing the Meraki MR34 and thinking damn this looks nice. Even down to the little foam screw-tray holder.  In our office the access points are out in the open, everything was made to match our office colors–the network plates, RJ45 jacks and cables all match a color design.  Sure, it cost a little more, but it does look good.

I think more and more people are starting to notice the AP, is that becoming a sign of the network performance? I also think people are starting to be “okay” with seeing these parts of the network, that is if performance is great–and by having the AP in sight this helps.

…But only if the design of the Access Point is good, if not, an antenna can help.