When trying to choose an internet connection for your office, the most logical choice at first might be wireless broadband. However, as with many decisions that you could make, there will always be multiple advantages that you need to consider. Here are some of the ones that you need to consider when choosing your Wi-Fi.
Advantage – Connectivity
One great reason to consider wireless broadband is its connectivity. You need no cables to connect to a Wi-Fi network. Other networks require ethernet cables to connect devices to them and this can quickly become messy and difficult to arrange around the office. It also means that employees will not be able to freely move around the office with their devices.
Choosing wireless broadband means that you can connect multiple devices to the network – ranging from desktops or laptops to smartphones and even to smart watches and printers. It means that you will be able to add a whole range of devices to your network with little issue.
Disadvantage – Signal Strength
A disadvantage that you do need to watch out for with Wi-Fi is signal strength. The further you are from the router, the weaker the signal will be. Therefore, you need to make sure that you position your router in the optimum position within your office.
The signal will not travel well through thick walls, and so if you have an oddly shaped office there will always be some employees who get better signal than others. This can be rectified by using a mesh network. Here, you will have one central hub and a series of boosters that will create a wider mesh across your whole office. This should hopefully prevent you from losing signal strength no matter where you are positioned within the office, or no matter how you have to move around for meetings or even just for work.
Advantage – Speed
You will be able to select a range of different speeds depending on the size and needs of your business. Make sure that you choose the right speed for you based on the number of devices on your network and the tasks and operations of your business.
A tech-heavy office that does most of its work online is going to need a strong broadband connection compared to what others might need. You might find that you need 500 Mbps as a download speed, or you might get by just fine on 300 Mbps. Every office is different, but there are plenty of connections to help you get the right speed for your needs.
While you should be able to get the speed that you need, it is important to keep an eye on the speed of your wireless broadband. It might begin to slow over time, but it should be relatively easy to fix – whether you have to monitor the number of devices attached to it or simply upgrade your broadband package overall. Speed should not be an issue when it comes to your Wi-Fi, so make sure that you aren’t trying to struggle through with a connection that does not work for you.
Disadvantage – Security
You need to make sure that your Wi-Fi is password-protected, no matter what your business might be and where you might be located. There is no knowing who might try to piggyback on an open wireless broadband connection. In addition to using up the valuable bandwidth that you are paying for, there is every chance that the security of your data could become compromised.
If you do wish to offer guests to your business a Wi-Fi connection, you should look into setting up a guest network that they can use. This means that you will still be able to offer a connection to those visiting your premises without having to worry about the security of your data and other important aspects of your network.
Advantage – VoIP
VoIP – or voice over internet protocol – is a handy feature that allows you to make phone and video calls using your wireless broadband connection rather than the phone line. A number of apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram already allow you to do this with your personal phone number, but you can also set up VoIP through your business number too.
It allows you and your employees to maintain your business’s phone no matter where you might be. If you are interested in what VoIP could offer your company, get in touch with Omnitel to find out more about whether it could be right for you.
A wireless broadband connection might be just what your business needs. If you wish to discuss any of the above advantages and disadvantages that a wireless connection can offer, or if you want to know more about options for your business, get in touch with our experts at Omnitel today.
