How to Get the Best Wi-Fi at the Office

​With the number of Wi-Fi-connected devices in the office today, you need the best possible connection speeds for everyone. In this guide, you'll learn about how to improve Wi-Fi reception in your office.

Make sure you have business-grade Wi-Fi

You probably already know that business internet is different from home internet. The same is true for Wi-Fi, as well. Business Wi-Fi solutions include access points geared toward 24/7 operations with dozens of active connections. They'll also include improved security, deployment, load management, and upgradeability.

Check the placement of your access points

There are a few key things to consider when determining the best Wi-Fi access point for the office. You'll want to keep access points away from interference from other Wi-Fi networks, microwave ovens and other appliances, Bluetooth devices, and aquariums. You should also try to keep access points away from walls—the fewer walls or floors the Wi-Fi signal has to travel through, the better. But you also don't want to put a single access point in a corner; the reception will not be as strong in the opposite corner.

Secure your Wi-Fi office network

Keep in mind that even business-grade Wi-Fi is shared between all active connections. You'll want to be sure that all connections are legitimate. If you want to provide Wi-Fi access to guests, consider setting up a separate connection that only provides internet access. If you share your password with guests, don't forget you're also granting access to wireless printers, any open shares on your network, unsecured devices, or other wireless connections. You might even consider deploying a second Wi-Fi network for BYOD (bring your own device) employees, to maintain business-critical internet delivery on work-related devices, like laptops and printers. With that strategy, your company can improve Wi-Fi reception by ensuring the devices used for business get priority—while still offering Wi-Fi for guests and your employees' personal phones or tablets.

Upgrade your firmware or hardware

You know technology changes fast, and business Wi-Fi solutions are no exception. You can improve Wi-Fi reception by ensuring your hardware has all the latest firmware upgrades. If your equipment is more than few years old, you might want to consider upgrading your hardware. Wireless technology has advanced considerably since 802.11b and 802.11g. These days, the most current options are 802.11n and 802.11ac, which operate in the 5GHz range. The 5GHz range is typically less crowded with connections and offers 23 non-overlapping channels—which translates to better connections and less interference. 802.11ac devices will provide the best speeds and more connections. But if you aren't ready to replace all your hardware at once, you can have a mix of 802.11n and 802.11ac access points on your network, and upgrade them incrementally.

Get enough bandwidth to share

Your Wi-Fi office network depends on your internet connection. Even using the best Wi-Fi access points, you'll need enough bandwidth to support all the devices connected to your internet service, whether they're wired or Wi-Fi. You should have a good idea of how many connections you have along with how internet is used in your business. If you have more than a few employees, and you use several cloud services, you'll need more bandwidth than a company with a smaller team. Your internet plan should cover your existing needs and provide room for growth, but not by so much that you overpay.

Cable ONE Business can help you choose business internet solutions that are right for your company's unique needs. Contact us today 555-555-1212 to learn more about how our ultra-reliable, state-of-the-art network can provide your company with business-grade Wi-Fi with 24/7 support services.