Challenge
The asset management firm’s CEO had endured months of frustrating Microsoft Teams call drops during critical business meetings at their Cape Town offices. The Wi-Fi connectivity issues were so persistent that he issued an ultimatum to his IT team. “Throw out our entire Fortinet wireless infrastructure and replace it with something that actually works.”
The IT team was under enormous pressure. They faced the prospect of scrapping their entire wireless network. They would need to spend over £375,000 on completely new infrastructure.
They had exhausted their support options with Fortinet’s Technical Assistance Center (TAC). They received conflicting advice from different technicians that left their configuration in chaos.
- Multiple TAC changes had been implemented with no improvement in Teams connectivity
- Executive frustration at its peak with threats to replace entire infrastructure
- Critical business meetings consistently disrupted by connectivity drops
- IT team reputation at risk with massive capital expenditure looming
With executive frustration at its peak and a massive capital expenditure looming, the company needed expert help. They had to determine whether their wireless infrastructure was truly the problem. Or if something else entirely was causing their connectivity nightmare.
Approach
Si Futures responded to the urgent request by partnering with Duxbury to conduct a comprehensive wireless infrastructure audit. Our methodical analysis revealed several critical insights:
- Wireless heat mapping and site survey showed minimal issues — the infrastructure was fundamentally sound
- Fortinet configuration chaos from multiple TAC interactions with conflicting advice
- Critical need for deeper network diagnostics beyond standard wireless troubleshooting
- Suspected underlying network issues that wouldn’t be resolved by replacing hardware
Rather than immediately recommending an expensive infrastructure replacement, we proposed a methodical approach. Clean up the wireless configurations first, then deploy advanced monitoring to identify the real root cause.
Our systematic diagnostic methodology focused on network connectivity monitoring rather than assumptions about hardware failure. This approach would either validate the infrastructure replacement requirement or uncover the true source of the connectivity problems.
Solution
Si Futures implemented a comprehensive two-phase diagnostic and remediation approach. This addressed both the immediate configuration issues and the underlying connectivity problems:
Phase 1: Wireless Configuration Cleanup
- Complete wireless configuration cleanup — removed conflicting TAC changes and optimised Fortinet wireless settings
- Enhanced wireless coverage by enabling additional radios on existing access points for better density
- Restored wireless network to stable baseline configuration
Phase 2: Advanced Network Diagnostics
- Advanced network monitoring deployment in partnership with Duxbury — installed probes to monitor connectivity from inside the network to multiple global endpoints
- Real-time Teams connectivity analysis targeting specific Microsoft Teams endpoints to isolate the problem
- Comprehensive latency and routing analysis across different DNS providers
Root Cause Discovery
Our advanced network monitoring revealed the true problem. DNS configuration was routing Teams traffic to European servers instead of local South African infrastructure. This caused excessive latency and connectivity drops.
The Solution
The transformation was surprisingly simple. Change DNS servers from FortiGuard (Europe-based) to Cloudflare and Google. This reduced latency from 158ms to 21ms and eliminated connectivity drops entirely.
Outcome
The DNS configuration change delivered immediate and dramatic results. It transformed the firm’s connectivity experience while avoiding massive capital expenditure:
Technical Performance Improvements:
- Zero Teams call drops monitored over the following month after DNS changes
- Latency reduced by 87% — from 158ms to 21ms for Teams connectivity
- Network performance optimised with proper DNS routing to local South African servers
- Complete wireless configuration cleanup providing better coverage and performance than before
Business Impact:
- £375,000 infrastructure replacement avoided — existing wireless hardware was perfectly adequate
- CEO satisfaction restored — executive pressure on IT team eliminated
- Business meeting continuity — no further disruptions to critical client meetings
- IT team credibility restored with cost-effective problem resolution
What Made the Difference
Our systematic approach to network diagnostics revealed the true cause of connectivity issues. Traditional troubleshooting methods missed these problems:
- Methodical diagnostics over assumptions — wireless audit proved infrastructure wasn’t the problem
- Partnership approach with Duxbury bringing specialised monitoring expertise
- Ethical consulting — prioritising problem-solving over expensive hardware sales
- Advanced monitoring tools that identified the real root cause invisible to standard troubleshooting
- Deep technical expertise in DNS routing and geo-location impacts on cloud services
The combination of comprehensive network analysis and advanced monitoring capabilities enabled us to identify DNS routing issues. These would have remained hidden with traditional wireless troubleshooting approaches.
Client Impact
“Si Futures saved us from making a costly mistake. They could have easily sold us new infrastructure, but instead they solved our real problem for the cost of a DNS configuration change. Our CEO’s Teams calls haven’t dropped once since then.”
The transformation extended beyond immediate technical fixes to long-term business benefits:
- Executive confidence restored in IT infrastructure and support capabilities
- Budget preservation — massive capital expenditure avoided through proper diagnostics
- Operational efficiency — business meetings proceed without technical disruptions
- Technical credibility — IT team reputation enhanced through successful problem resolution
- Future-proofed connectivity — optimised DNS configuration provides better performance for all cloud services
Avoid Costly Infrastructure Assumptions
Don’t let connectivity issues drive expensive infrastructure decisions. Our systematic diagnostic approach identifies the real root cause of network problems. This often saves significant capital expenditure while delivering superior technical outcomes.
Whether you’re experiencing Teams connectivity issues, wireless performance problems, or planning infrastructure upgrades, our comprehensive network analysis ensures you’re solving the right problem with the most cost-effective solution.
Contact Si Futures today to schedule your network connectivity audit. Discover how proper diagnostics can transform your business communications infrastructure.
