First, the Apple Watch only supports 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi’s legacy spectrum. That’s a problem, because it’s almost entirely out of step with current wireless trends. Networks everywhere are steadily moving toward universal 5GHz coverage. Meanwhile, the old spectrum is being phased out. So before you can test out your new gadget as a possible tool for the office, you’ll first have to check with IT and confirm they still support 2.4GHz to begin with.
Apple says the watch relies on the iPhone’s Wi-Fi configuration settings to connect to preferred networks. Yet the watch itself is unable to access any 802.11x networks (the standard for Port-based Network Access Control, or PNAC). Nor can it connect to standard guest networks, since it lacks the captive portal function. This limits your options for finding a connection in different locations.
Last, in order for the watch to even work on a corporate network, IT departments must create an open SSID, or an SSID that supports WPA/WPA2 encryption. Unfortunately this is a deal breaker for many enterprises, since it conflicts with needs for security and access control.
