My name is Mark Rigby. I’m an outdoors enthusiast, an equal-opportunity cyclist, and a lifelong sports fan. At home, I’m the proud owner of a mischievous beagle, a husband, and a dad to two amazing children.
I’ve spent nearly 20 years working in the IT and telecommunications sector, but like many in this field, my journey started long before my first job. In the early days of dial-up internet, I spent countless hours in forums, on IRC, and tinkering with desktop PCs — breaking, fixing, and rebuilding them in ever more creative ways.
Formal education was never my strong point. I limped through college, left without qualifications, and chose not to attend university. Instead, I threw myself into self-study, driven by a passion that started in my bedroom and the belief I could turn it into a career. Microsoft and CompTIA certifications followed, which helped me take my first steps into the industry.
After months of searching, I landed a role as an on-site engineer at a local IT firm supporting UK customers. It was a steep learning curve, but the hands-on exposure to a wide range of technologies set the foundations for my career. These were the glory days of businesses rapidly becoming connected, and I soon found myself working with Cisco-based networking — routing and switching, wireless, VoIP, and security. My path was becoming clear: networking would be my focus.
By chance, I moved into a contract role with a manufacturing company, joining their global 3rd and 4th line support team. I stayed there for over a decade, gaining invaluable experience on a multinational scale. This is where I discovered my real passion: Wi-Fi. Designing, troubleshooting, and commissioning managed wireless systems in some of the most complex physical spaces I’d ever encountered was the catalyst. It pushed me to take my studies further and ultimately gave me the privilege of leading a global team of engineers supporting an estate of more than 9,500 access points.
Today, I hold a number of certifications, including CWNP Enterprise R+S+Wireless, CWSP, CWISA, CWDP, CWNA, JNCIA-MistAI, and Ekahau ECSE Design + Troubleshooting. I also hold a less glamorous but practical CompTIA IT Fundamentals certification — required at the time to apply for my ECS card to work on UK building sites.
On 8th September 2025, after almost 10 years of study, professional development, and the opportunity to work on some incredible projects alongside like-minded peers, I was honoured to achieve the title of Certified Wireless Network Expert (CWNE). It represents not just a personal milestone, but the culmination of years of persistence, learning, and community support.
That’s why I’m here, writing this blog. Encouraged by the Wi-Fi community and CWNP, I want to contribute back — to share my experiences, dig deeper into topics I might otherwise overlook, and hopefully help others on their own journeys.
Finally, I welcome open discussion. If you come across something on this blog you disagree with, I encourage you to comment or reach out directly. Much of what I share is drawn from personal experience — and those experiences are always richer when they’re shared.