For small business owners who are looking to set up an office space, one particular element that may cause great confusion is determining how best to develop a wireless office network. Unlike home WiFi networks, office networks must cater to dozens of different devices, all operating at the same time and during select hours throughout the day.
If you’re feeling a little lost with the process of establishing an office network for a team of 10 or more employees, then this little guide will be sure to provide you with some much-needed direction. Read on to gain insights into the process of setting up a strong office network for your small business.
Gather all your networking hardware
First and foremost, you’ll want to make sure that you have all the necessary hardware at your disposal. This means securing a modem, router, additional range extenders or access points, fibre optic cable supplies, LAN or ethernet cables, and ethernet hubs or switches (and patch panels for larger organisations) for seamlessly connecting multiple devices to your network via ethernet.
Investing in some cable management solutions is also a great idea, especially for business owners who are seeking to establish multiple departments across their office space. Cable management systems can help ensure all device AC cables, ethernet cables, and USB or HDMI cables are all neatly arranged and don’t present as tripping hazards in your office space. Some office furnishings like desks may come equipped with their own integrated cable management solutions, so be sure to keep an eye out for these features when fitting out your office space as well.
Set up your network connection
With all your networking hardware installed and ready for use, the next step is to set up your network and its access restrictions (i.e. usernames and passwords) by connecting to the admin panel of your router. This can be done by typing your browser’s I.P. address into any computer on your network and accessing your network settings.
When setting up your network, it’s also a good rule of thumb to include a VPN service as well as a firewall. These network devices should be considered foundational to your office’s cybersecurity strategy, both due to their effectiveness as well as the fact that they are typically quite low-cost and can easily be factored into your small business budget. Other cybersecurity measures that you may want to consider include malware protection packages, external hard drives for backing up sensitive business files, and even cybersecurity training for your staff. Do not underestimate the efficacy of education and digital literacy as a strong line of defence against the ever-present threat of cyber crime.
Organise additional access points
Next, you’ll want to set up your office access points in accordance with the placement of your desks or even the distinct departments that occupy your office space. If you’re planning on having desk clumps in your office, then you could organise each access point around a desk clump, ensuring that there are enough ethernet ports for all connected devices, like printers, webcams, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone systems, and computers or laptops.
If you’re not looking to set up many connected devices like printers or other devices that use ethernet cables, then you can easily just swap out additional router access points with wireless range extenders. Just keep in mind that range extenders don’t strengthen your network signal, but simply stretch it out further, cutting network strength down the further away you are from your main router. As a result, range extenders are not recommended for office spaces that are looking to expand quickly.
Establish guest WiFi infrastructure
Although it isn’t inherently dangerous to give your office’s WiFi password out to trusted third parties, having the access information for your network available in common areas of your office can leave you vulnerable to cyberattacks. If you’re looking to invite clients or other third parties to your office, then it’s imperative that you establish guest WiFi requirements for these non-employees to utilise your office network without having to sacrifice on your cybersecurity.
Thankfully, establishing guest WiFi infrastructure is easier than you may think. All you really need to do is set up an additional SSID (or ‘service set identifier’) in the admin panel of your office router. Once this alternate network has been set up, consider putting in place access measures like a network password, as well as setting up encryption for ensuring that your guest users can enjoy a secure connection.
Be sure to test the speeds of your guest network routinely, both to make sure that the network maintains its usability, but also to check for any of the tell-tale signs that the network has been hacked. As guest WiFi networks tend to use a 2.4GHz connection speed, it may already be slower than your main office network, but severe dips in speed could be indicative of a hidden party using your network with malicious intent. By monitoring your network speeds, you can better your chances of detecting cyber crimes before any negative financial impact or privacy concern can occur.
Consider how your network will change with company growth
We’ve alluded to the importance of building a network that’s equipped to handle your business growth over the course of this guide. The fact of the matter is that many small business owners find that their office networks eventually become too simple to adequately cater to a growing body of staff. Using quick fixes like range extenders and ethernet hubs can drastically limit the maximum number of devices that can connect to your network without impacting speeds.
For this reason, it’s imperative that small business owners consider how their company’s networking needs are likely to evolve as their business grows, and take measures to invest in all the hardware required to cater to a growing device and user list. Hardware like patch panels can be a veritable godsend when it comes to accommodating more connected devices. Similarly, you may even consider using off-site servers for added data security as your client list grows and your business is tasked with maintaining more sensitive digital documents.
At the end of the day, however, so long as you’ve been able to set up a flexible and agile network for your small business alongside a thorough cybersecurity strategy, there should be no reason why you can’t utilise the power of digital to your utmost advantage.
