Opening a new business office is the opportunity to start fresh and create a working environment that is customized to how you operate. There are many things to consider, from phone lines to desk orientation, and even your online connectivity. Yes, how you set up your connectivity, whether it is Wi-Fi or hard-wired connections is a major factor in how you will function on a daily basis.
Many people would not think twice and lean one way or the other but choosing correctly for your business before you move into your new office space is critical. Chose poorly and you could run into problems that can hurt your business.
Here are the differences in the battle between Wi-Fi vs Wired so you can make the right choice for your new office space.
The Benefits of a Wireless Connection
The most obvious advantage of a wireless office is convenience. Without any physical wires, there are no tangled bundles sitting around, leaving the space open to using as you see fit. So, making changes in your office is as simple as moving everything around without any concern for wires or cables.
A Wi-Fi network makes connecting easier too. It offers your business the chance to scale down and use mobile devices for all your employees, again opening up the space for a more liveable and familiar environment as we have all become accustomed to at home. Connecting and networking are made simple, especially when your staff is able to connect their personal devices to the network.
The Downside of a Wireless Office Space
There are a few concerns with a wireless network. Speed, proper setup, signal strength, interference, security, and local congestion.
Speed may be a strong factor to consider when it comes to wireless. While the technology has improved significantly over the years, it’s still significantly slower than a wired connection, and in business, you may need all the speed you can get.
Setting up a wireless system is made very easy for your home, but there are a lot of other considerations in a business environment and you are going to want an experienced IT provider to complete an assessment and ensure you are set up properly. Things such as placement of the wireless access point, signal strength, and security are very important to get right. In addition, business environments need to consider interference such as walls, glass, electrical rooms, and even microwave ovens when setting up the network to reduce the impact of these barriers. And, the final consideration is other local wireless networks. Usually there are many businesses in a small area, and they all have a wireless network. These other signals can cause congestion which results in a poor signal for your network. There are ways to manage this as well, at Longhurst we can help with this fine-tuning.
Of course, sending sensitive business data through the air can also be a serious security issue. Handling confidential information, whether it’s business or personal, is much safer through a wired connection.
The Benefits of a Wired Connection
Going with a wired network allows for better security, reliability, speed, and overall control, making it a better option for most businesses.
Without worry over whether your Wi-Fi is operating or if it is affecting the performance of the software you use, wired connectivity makes for a reliable system you can always trust to be available.
Plus, without any interference from non-essential sources or unauthorized access, your wired system offers a stable platform to operate consistently and securely.
The Downside of a Wired Connection
The one drawback of a wired network is the actual wires. They can be bulky and intrusive at times but when you consider that the purpose of the network, to begin with, is the business, it is a small price to pay for that increased security, reliability, and speed.
Seeing the differences all in one place, the choice is simple. A wired network offers a new business office everything needed to be successful with only one minor inconvenience. So, in the battle of Wi-Fi vs Wired, wired wins.
A Mixed Environment
It is certainly reasonable, and typical, to have a mixed wired and wireless environment. The choices of which to use are made based on the priority of the individual. If the Workstation does not need to move around, it’s always better to go wired. For Laptops, have a wired connection at your regular desk and the ability to connect to wireless when you are roaming around or heading to the boardroom.
