2020 in Review

Wow! Did That Just Happen?!

What a doozy! 2020 has been a horrendously difficult year for everyone. Just as we were expecting great things to happen: to attend many conferences; bring on many new clients; and initiate new trainings, COVID-19 hit us all.

The great thing is that, if you are reading this, you are still here. So are we. We count our lucky stars because many companies in our training industry are no longer in existence. From a personal perspective, our team remains intact as well. For that, we are ever grateful. For those who have experienced loss in 2020, please accept our deepest condolences.

In 2020, we continued our co-sponsorship of the WLA – the Wireless LAN Association, which is an association for professional wireless engineers. We support its mission of providing an amazing service in the Wireless Network community. The Association is in process of creating a set of peer-reviewed standards which is backed by some of the biggest names in the industry. Additionally, it aims to create an open a dialog between the regulators and manufacturers of wireless networking equipment and the “boots on the ground” – the engineers making everything work in harmony. (A few questions have arisen over the past year and we would like to take this opportunity to clear up any misconception: although our CEO, Rie Vainstein, serves WLA as its CEO, on a voluntary basis, NC-Expert has no other affiliation with WLA. NC-Expert does not own any part the Wireless LAN Association.)

Moving Quickly to Meet Demand

As you would expect, because of COVID, we had to move quickly to shift all our training to online platforms. This has worked really well, and our students are very happy with the results. Admittedly online training, albeit live, doesn’t quite have the same effect as in-person / in-classroom training – for instance, the instructors cannot look the student in the face and see the “Aha!” moment when the student understands a concept – but, using video helps a bit.

Our vendors, CompTIA, CWNP, Cisco, etc., all moved swiftly, too. They reformatted their exams to enable PearsonVUE to incorporate them into its “test from home” program. Prior to COVID, the only option available to students was to attend a PearsonVUE location in person, to sit the respective exams. Now the exams can all be taken from the comfort of your own homes. We are grateful to the vendors for jumping into action, for the benefit of the students, and getting the problems resolved so quickly.

Cisco renewed its entire portfolio in February, which caused some confusion, but the questions were eventually resolved, and our students are happily studying the updated materials. We have continued to spend a good portion of our year working diligently with Cisco (cisco.com), to author even more of its new portfolio of classes. We are extremely excited to see the various release dates coming closer and look forward to teaching many more students and helping them progress in their chosen careers!

We are looking forward to an exciting 2021, an end to the pandemic, and expect to create more innovations to help our students achieve their knowledge goals.

May we wish you a Healthy, Successful, and Happy New Year!

…

About NC-Expert

NC-Expert is a privately-held California corporation and is well established within the Wireless, Security, and Collaboration industry certification training, courseware development, and consulting markets.

Led by its Founder and CEO, Rie Vainstein, NC-Expert has won numerous private contracts with Fortune level companies around the world. These customers have depended on NC-Expert to train, advise, and mentor their staff.

If you are looking for the best in IT Network Training then call us today at (855) 941-2121 or contact us by email today.

The post 2020 in Review appeared first on NC Expert.

NC-Expert Blog

Wi-Fi Myth Series - Myth #8: Wi-Fi 7 Will Fix My Wireless Problems

By Rie Morgan • July 30, 2026
Every new Wi-Fi generation arrives with a wave of excitement: faster speeds; lower latency; more efficient use of the spectrum; and better handling of dense environments. Wi-Fi 7 is no exception. It brings some genuinely impressive technological advances but, unfortunately, it also brings a familiar myth: "If we upgrade to Wi-Fi 7, all of our wireless problems will disappear." If only wireless engineering were that simple. Wi-Fi 7 is an outstanding technology, but it isn't a magic wand. Poor design, interference, bad client behavior, and unrealistic expectations don't suddenly vanish because the APs have a shiny new logo on the box. Let's bust another myth...

Wi-Fi Myth Series - Myth #7: Roaming Problems are Always Client Problems

By Rie Morgan • July 23, 2026
Few phrases trigger a knowing smile from experienced Wi-Fi engineers quite like this one, "It's the client's fault." Someone's video call drops while walking through the office or a warehouse scanner pauses between aisles, voice handsets crackle as users move from one floor to another... then, almost immediately, someone points at the device and confidently declares, "Well... clients decide when to roam." Technically, they're correct. But, practically, that's only part of the story. Roaming is one of the most fascinating aspects of Wi-Fi because it isn't controlled by a single device or a single setting. It's a partnership between the client, the infrastructure, and the RF environment. When that partnership breaks down, blaming one side rarely tells the whole story. Let's bust another myth... Yes, Clients Make the Decision Let's start with the important truth: in almost every Wi-Fi deployment, the client device ultimately decides when to leave one AP and join another. Laptops, smartphones, tablets, barcode scanners, medical devices, and countless IoT products all use their own roaming algorithms. Some roam aggressively whereas some cling to their current AP for far too long. Others seem convinced that losing the connection entirely is preferable to switching. Every Wi-Fi engineer has encountered at least one stubborn client that appears almost “emotionally attached” to a particular AP. :) Client behavior matters, but that's not where the story ends.

Wi-Fi Myth Series – Myth #6: A Site Survey Is Optional

By Rie Morgan • July 17, 2026
Every Wi-Fi engineer has heard some version of it, "Can't we just install the access points where the old ones were?" Or perhaps, "The floorplan looks straightforward. Let's save some time and skip the survey." Occasionally, someone even says the dangerous words, "We've done hundreds of these buildings. They're all basically the same." That's usually the point where experienced wireless engineers quietly smile, knowing that the building is about to teach everyone a valuable lesson because: buildings don't read design guides, concrete doesn't care about your deployment schedule, metal doesn't respect your project budget, and radio waves have never once agreed to cooperate, simply because everyone wanted them to. Let's talk about why a site survey isn't an optional luxury... it's one of the most valuable engineering tools available. Every Building Is Different At first glance, two office buildings may appear identical: same square footage, same number of floors, similar room layouts, yet their wireless behavior can be dramatically different: one may have reinforced concrete walls, another may contain extensive glass partitions, the warehouse may be filled with moving inventory, a hospital may have elevators, imaging equipment, and countless reflective surfaces, a manufacturing facility may contain machinery that wasn't mentioned on any floorplan, and remember: even furniture changes RF behavior! Anyone who has performed enough surveys eventually develops a healthy respect for one simple fact: the building always gets a vote, too!