Whether you are moving to some new premises, or are looking to set up a new place of work, you will need to take the challenge of correctly setting up your office’s networking infrastructure head-on. Almost all of your productivity tasks will, in one way or another, rely on the stability and strength of your office’s connection, whether for scouring the web, communicating internally or liaising with clients through emails and video conferences, you need to make sure that this crucial task gets done correctly. So before getting started, consider the following points;

A plan

Before you start with anything, you need to have an idea of how you intend on laying out your office network. This means knowing where the most optimal place for your server would be, where your routers are best situated, how many people intend on having access, what hardware is being used to create the network, and of course, how much of your budget should be allocated to the task. Take time to plan carefully to avoid mistakes which could end up being costly in the long run, or could undermine the effectiveness of your network.

Do a site survey

Take a good look around the site you wish to set the network up in and take notes of power supplies, how much cabling you would need, and how it could be best inserted to limit electrical interference. If you are planning on using a wireless system, make sure that each router can be placed in an area where they encourage maximum range, while not having their MHz channels overlap. You may need to consult a networking expert to help you with this.

Wired or wireless?

Both wireless and wired networks come with their own advantages. If you value mobility over connection strength, then a wired network would be ideal for your office. If however, fixed work-stations require bandwidth priority, high speeds and stable connections, and ethernet system will better suit your needs.

Identify what infrastructure you will need

Consider, carefully, the hardware that you need to set up your network effectively. Budget for routers, servers, cooling systems, security and protection, cabling and also the cost of having it installed in your office. The equipment that you require will depend entirely on your approach to networking in the office, so it is best to consider this once you have already drawn up a comprehensive plan.

Find a trusted service provider

Lastly, make sure that the team supplying you with, and installing a network infrastructure is clued up, and up to the task. Check their reputation, examine the products they work with and the services they offer, and whether they offer a maintenance programme. If you would like to know more about how you can have your office network setup seamlessly, be sure to contact a consultant from BT-SA today or visit our website for further details.