Starting a New Business Series – Part 7
Do you have a good signal?
Hello fellow entrepreneurs!
Last week I wrote about choosing the right computer for your business to get the best bang for your buck. This week I’d like to talk about a piece of equipment you either ignore, or love to hate…your WiFi. How do you choose the right hardware for your needs?
There are a few things to consider. First, let’s talk about the different WiFi standards. Back in the olden days, we used something called wireless G, which had mediocre performance. Then it grew to wireless N, which promised amazing speeds, that rarely delivered. Wireless N gave way to wireless AC, which used new technologies to drastically increase speed, range and reliability. The latest standard is Wireless 6 which has barely made it into most environments and promises the best WiFi we’ve ever had. I won’t even mention anything before wireless G, since it will just make you sad. So which one is right for you? My advise would be to always buy the latest available standard. Fortunately, wireless hardware is (usually) backwards compatible with all but the very oldest standards. That means even if you buy a brand new WiFi router using the newest Wireless 6 standard, pretty much all your old devices will still work with it. They won’t be able to take advantage of the speed increases, but they should work.
Next, let’s talk about something that might be a mystery to you…frequency. What’s that you say? Have you ever seen 2.4GHz or 5GHz displayed on any wireless related equipment? That defines the radio frequencies it uses to communicate, like the stations on a radio. Does it really matter you’re thinking to yourself? It sure does! The lower frequency of 2.4GHz has much slower transfer speeds, but travels through walls and obstructions much further than higher frequencies, so often provides a more reliable connection. Also, some devices like smart home or IoT (Internet of Things) often only work on 2.4GHz networks. The higher frequency of 5GHz provides much faster speeds but is a lot more fickle when it comes to distance or obstructions. Most newer hardware should play well with 5GHz. The good news is that most wireless access points provide both, so you don’t need to choose. If your laptop or phone is having major signal issues, try connecting to the 2.4GHz channel if it’s setup and see if you get more reliable performance.
Now that you know a bit about the different technologies involved, how do you choose good reliable WiFi hardware for your business?
Firstly, I can’t overemphasize the importance of standardization. Once you choose a good brand that works for you, stick with it. This will help ease administration since the software and interfaces will all be at least similar, and presumably a manufacturers devices should play well with each other.
Secondly, it depends on the physical size of your space. If you’re running a small home office, a single wireless router might be more than enough to supply all your WiFi needs. One supplier I use as often as possible is Ubiquiti, a commercial wireless company that has equipment for everybody from ISP’s (internet service providers) to home users. One example of an all in one wireless router suitable for a small business would be the Ubiquiti dream router.
If you have a fairly large space, you may want to go in a different direction. Personally, I was sick of poor WiFi signals at the office and at home, so I went commercial grade. I installed three Ubiquiti in-wall access points throughout my home, powered by a Ubiquiti PoE network switch (which comes in different sizes). PoE simply means “Power over Ethernet”, which is a way to power remote devices like security cameras and wireless access points right through the network cable, instead of running power to each one. It drastically simplifies installation! The access points each have 4 wired network ports built in, allowing you to physically plug in a TV or computer for a completely reliable connection when desired. This system has been fantastic and I have 100% signal coverage in my whole home without any unreliable areas and can physically plug in those critical things like my Roku box and TV, where I can get grumpy if they don’t work well during a movie night with friends 😉
While you may be able to setup the dream router on your own if you’re a bit technical, the in-wall access points may require some external help to install & configure. No matter what you choose, make sure you do your research first. Buying consumer routers and WiFi equipment at your local big box store, may work for a bit, but as you grow you will definitely want to look at commercial equipment like Ubiquiti. WiFi is one of those things that you like to set it and forget it, and you just want it to work! You don’t want your business to suffer due to cheap hardware.
Finally, as always, I want to encourage you on your journey as you establish and grow your business. If you’ve been reading my blogs you’ve probably already figured out you need help with some of these IT things in varying degrees. Try to partner with a good professional IT person (not your uncle, or your niece or your hair dressers cousin) to take the burden off yourself. You need to do what you love and focus on your business, not the technology running it. You’ll be happier for it!
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Until next time,
Ernst Bergen
B.Sc. Mech. Eng.