Share what you know with millions of people
Focus is the best place to turn what you know into remarkable content
0
What are the basics of wireless networking for business?
I recently leased an office space for my small company, and am going to be setting up a wireless network for use. I’ve decided to do this on my own, but I’m curious to know if there’s anything specific I need to know about when setting up a wireless network for business use. In terms of experience, I’ve set up several home wireless networks but nothing for business use.
Events
- Dos and Don'ts of Small Business Marketing May 29 @ 11 am PT
- Lead Nurturing 202: The Next Generation May 31 @ 11 am PT
- The Tricks to Paid Media June 6 @ 11 am PT
- Display Advertising for Brand Awareness June 20 @ 11 am PT
Related Activity
3 Answers
There are two major concerns: coverage and security.
Coverage can be tricky because building are designed in such different manners. In some cases, a company can drop an access point in and everyone will be able to use it. In other instances, items, such as cubicles, may interfere with the transmission. When you runi into problem, you may have to put the wireless access point on the ceiling or some other weird location. The only way to figure this out is install the network and then play with it.
Security is the bigger concern. Transmission ranges do not automatically stop at your walls, so eavesdroppers could log onto your network. The early Wi-Fi systems were not well designed and easy to break into. Newer systems are better but not foolproof.
Rick–
It all depends on how serious you want to be. It's totally possible to run your wifi off a consumer level router+access point.
There are issues/risks with that approach though: consumer level hardware is … consumer level. It's prone to reliability (how many times have you had to power cycle your router at home?) and security issues, that you might not be comfortable with in a business setting.
If you've got enough employees to justify it, it might be worth it to look at something a bit more pro-grade.
*Shameless plug*
I work for a company that might be perfect for your needs. http://meraki.com
Both gentlemen here are correct, but one vital factor is left out. What type of data are you actually going to be pushing through the access point(s)?
If you are trying to run network intensive applications or streaming media; you may want to think hard about wireless (and especially if you have multiple users doing the same). Some other points to think about are QoS and using a certificate server for authentication (greatly increases security).
Answer This Question