Speed Up Your Office’s Network Connection

By Dan Munson

How fast is your office’s network? If you are like most offices, you depend on speed and reliability from your network. What happens if you can’t rely on either of those things? Don’t fret too much, there are always solutions to increase the speed and reliability of your network connection. Here are a few tips to a faster network connection and more productivity in the office.

Maintain Control of Devices

Did you know that wireless devices can lead to a slow network connection? Do you know how many wireless devices are connected to the office internet? You should have a wireless network analyzer that can monitor the access points and channels throughout your network. You need to be able to control that traffic. First, you want to make sure that your internet is not open for public use. You do not want people using their mobile devices in or around your building that do not have permission.

In addition, you may want to limit the devices that are allowed on the network. If you see new devices or devices that are not allowed on the network, you can disconnect them. It helps to limit who can access the internet and when.

Change Your Router’s Position

You don’t always have to replace your router for better network connectivity. Sometimes your network problems can be as simple as the position of the router. If you are having trouble with efficiency, then you might want to consider where you have the router located. Sometimes, raising the router can help you with the broadcast range. Otherwise, you may want to keep it in the center of your office. This can help you spread out the internet speed in a more equal fashion throughout the building. Your routers should always be as close to computer systems as possible.

Look for Bandwidth Hogs

Do you know which applications hog bandwidth in the building? If your internet slows to a crawl throughout the day, then there may be an issue with applications that your employees are using. Fortunately, there are ways that you can find out what is hogging all of that bandwidth. With it comes to your bandwidth, it is a limited commodity. You need it to run your business, but it can wind up spread too thin if you have applications that hog it.

The less applications that use a large amount of bandwidth, the less bandwidth you will need. In this case, it also means that you don’t have to spend as much money increasing it. When it comes to applications, first look to music and streaming services that your employees may be using. Other bandwidth hogs in businesses include video conferencing and the cloud.

Take Advantage of the Latest Technologies

When it comes to your network connection, you’re going to want the latest technology available. Technology is always growing and changing. You don’t want to be stuck in the past with a slow or unsafe connection. One problem that many businesses have is with asymmetric routing.

Asymmetric routing allows information to leave through one route and to return in another. This may seem efficient and there is less redundancy involved, but it also opens your company up to security hazards. The problem is that you will have one router in the corporate headquarters and one router with the employees. The employees will send information out through their router and the company router and then receive information back through the ground router. This tends to bypass your detection tools. It’s crucial that you look into the latest speed and security technologies.

Managing a network can be difficult. There are a lot of facets that you have to consider in order to have a smooth running network. With a few minor changes, you may find that your network speeds pick up quickly and that your office runs more efficiently. After all, a good network connection provides opportunities for more productivity throughout the day.