Check List for Setting up a Small Business Wifi

Check List for Setting up a Small Business Wifi

Consider the Cabling

If you are setting up more than a wireless router, you will have to run Internet cabling from the out of the router to each access point. Evaluate the cost and examine what it takes to hide unsightly cabling.

You also should consider hard wiring computers to the router if you are going to doing a lot of sharing and transferring files via other local computers.

Check for Wireless Clients
You need to make sure that each computer you want on the wireless router has a Wi-Fi adapter. In addition, check which standards and speeds 802.11 wireless supports.

Choose a Standard Wireless
Once calculating or purchasing wireless adapters or access point, you should consider the 802.11 standards and speeds they support. There are 802.11b at 11 Mbps, 802.11g at 54 Mbps, 802.11a at 54 Mbps, and 802.11n at 450+ Mbps.

Each standard is interoperated with the others. As for maximum speeds and performance of 802.11n, you only need to use 802.11n for both the local computers and clients. A number of 802.11a, 802.11n wireless routers and access points are dual-band that means they can use 5GHz air-wave with less congested than 2.4GHz band.

Consider Wireless Internet for Visitors
In case that you want to offer Wi-Fi for your customers or public, considering a wireless router or access points will makes it easier. There are many wireless networks on the market which include the guest feature offering a separated Wi-Fi signal for public, so your private router is still secured.

For using multiple access points, considering which supports multiple virtual LANs and SSIDs. However, you also need a router or transfer that VLANs supports. To make it easier, you should limit the public access for wireless network and the access points are just for the private network.

Tips to Improve Small Business Wi-Fi Security

Is your small business Wi-Fi network secured enough? If you are not sure, the following tips can enhance your network's security and improve your small business network security.

Tips to Improve Small Business Wi-Fi Security

1. Change the router's default admin password
Consider when you set up your Wi-Fi router and choose wireless network password, did you change the router's administrative password too? If not, you should do it now. Default passwords for countless router are easy to find on the Web. Within that information, it is simple for someone to take control of your network to use your router to create an attack.

2. Update router's firmware
Many routers will show you if a new firmware version is available, when you log into the administrative, and download updates for you automatically.

3. Disable Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)
Wi-Fi Protected Setup is a convenient way for a device to connect a Wi-Fi network. But the more convenience usually means the less security and many routers are susceptible to a WPS which can expose your passphrase in short time. It is no easy to know whether your particular router has the WPS weakness or not, so you would better shut off the feature.

4. Create a guest Wi-Fi network
When your customer in the office needs to access the Internet, will you please to give your Wi-Fi network password? So that visitor's laptop is able to be infected with malware. Instead of, you should also check if your router supports a Guest network and if so, activate it.

5. Reduce output power and relocate your router
If you do not have an outdoor area as employees’s workplace, you should not keep your Wi-Fi router om the walls of the bulding. Depending on the size of your office and the place the network resides with, your network may have signal leakage. If so, people can access your network from a parking lot or other outside area.

Setting Up Wi-Fi for a Small Business

Here are tips for the main tasks to set up a wireless network for small business or organization. They are plan, hardware, security and file sharing.

If you want to set up wireless network at your small business, the first thing you need to know is the difference between a wireless router and a wireless access point, commonly called an AP.

A wireless router is made for the smallest deployments: homes or small offices. It serves Internet sharing and network services. An AP does not have these features and induces wireless access. A traditional network requires a wired or wireless connect. So if wireless network coverage is required more, APs can be added throughout the buildings.

Setting Up Wi-Fi for a Small Business

Determine the Wireless Network Coverage Area

Firstly, you need to determine where you need Wi-Fi coverage. Are there a number of computers that will be wired to network, and do not need the wireless? Are there specific areas you need better signals?

When you know the area you want to cover, you should determine how many wireless access points you need to cover. If your business area is in 1,500 or fewer square feet, you will need only one AP placed in the middle of the coverage area. But the signals distance also depends on the construction of the coverage area, walls and the building, size of the rooms and the furniture inside.

A Mock RFI for a Software-Defined WAN Download

If you need more than one access point, do a simple site survey. You may move a wireless router or AP around the coverage area boundaries and come up with rough spots where you need install the wireless router. You may also walk around with a laptop to know where the signal drops.

Within these useful tips, you will get basic knowledge to set up a wifi for small business.

Securing Wifi Network for Your Small Business

Offering a free WiFi hotspot to customers may creates some complications to your business network.

It seems common to just let customers use the existing WiFi which your business uses. In fact, this is not secure and can increase the risk of hacking and data theft from your company. So if you already have a wifi router setup, you should set up minimum a guest network WiFi Protected Access (WPA) or WiFi Protected Access II (WPA2), which are built up to protect wireless computer networks. For more security, you can also turn off the ‘SSID broadcast’ on your private WiFi router so your visitors unable to see it on their ‘available networks’ screen.

As a best option, you need set up a separate wireless access point for customer only. This is the most secure practise to keep your private business information secured from the other users on your public WiFi hotspot.

Securing Wifi Network for Your Small Business

Distributing Your WiFi Password

You should consider giving the WiFi password only to customers who are purchaser. This makes business sense become better as well as increases the security of your network. An easy way to do this is customize your receipts to print WiFi password. This is a quick and easy process if you’re running a cloud-based POS system.

Besides, you should change your password regularly to prevent people from continuing to use your network and slowing down the connection for other customers. Obviously, the more often you change your password, the better. Changing it every morning or every week would be the most secure based on how much time you and your employees have and how many customers are accessing your wifi.

In replacement, there are recommended systems you can use to generate individual passwords with each purchaser with specific time associated with them, but it is more expensive and complex.

Business-WiFi for Small Business

Besides the fast Internet network, get the fastest and the most powerful WiFi connection for your business employees and customers is an important decision. As a customer of Comcast Business Internet, you can now enjoy the conveniences from Business WiFi Standard – and even more once you upgrade to Business WiFi Pro.

Comcast Business WiFi Pro is a following generation business WiFi solution. WiFi Pro delivers big-time features on a small business wifi. Within WiFi Pro, you will get all the features of Business WiFi Standard plus enhanced features like. Take the differences here.

Business-WiFi for Small Business

Business Wi-Fi

• Private and Public router set up on business equipment
• Fast and secure private router for your business with a separate public network for customers.
• Access hotspot from the largest and fastest local WiFi router
• Access by any device such as desktops, laptops, smartphones, tables,… etc.
• Make customers happy by giving them a reliable network to connect
• Save money when stop data at work and connect to Comcast Business WiFi
• No risk, 30-Day Money Back policy

Business Wi-Fi pro

• Protect your business with best security network, including winning 24/7 active threat detection and monthly wireless security reports.
• Add the brand to your wifi with a Custom WiFi Network Name (stand by SSID)
• Keep unauthorized users off your network by shutting down automatically when unnecessary time with Automatic Network Scheduling
• Keep your private and guest WiFi connections separate with Bandwidth Allocation, thus your customers will never slows down your office connection
• Prevent the users from accessing inappropriate websites with Content Filtering
• Marketting your business with Splash & Landing pages which allow you speak directly to your customers before connecting to your WiFi
• Control your wifi anytime, anywhere with Remote Configuration – browser and smartphone supported
• Get a professional install from highly trained technicians, who will give you general directions.
• Business WiFi service is opened to Comcast Business Internet subscribers who want to provide their customers with high speed wireless internet with an Business Hotspot at your business.

Best Small Business WiFi Routers

In order to have a reliable network connection, you must invest in a premium wireless router. While deciding the router to purchase, you should consider these three factors: performance, security, and the overage of use and support from the router’s manufacturer. There are top small business WiFi routers and the benefits of them.

Linksys WRT 1900AC

Linksys was known for developing powerful hardware so the WRT 1900AC is powerful too. Although it is expensive options on the market with over $200, it will bring you both speedy and reliable for small business wifi.

Linksys WRT 1900AC

Asus RT-AC68U

The Asus router is powerful and modern, marking it in top 3 routers of 2015. It uses the latest technology of WiFi and will provide a fast network connection for you and your customers. With the price of $184, it is one of the most premium wifi routers and the cheapest on list.

Asus RT-AC68U

Asus RT AC68U

RT-AC68U wifi router offers a mass of security tools and features. With the WPS button, access devices are secured set up easily within minutes. Like the WRT1900AC, the RT-AC68U also has a dual firewall and the latest WPA2 encryption to ensure your network is secured every time. It also provides a guest network so that you can induce access congestion.

Asus RT AC68U

Netgear Nighthawk X6

The router is more than just a Batman-esque’s design, it’s also an powerful router that serves high band-width. The Netgear Nighthawk X6 has the most expensive price of the other premium routers on this list.

Netgear Nighthawk X6

Nighthawk X6 router

The Nighthawk X6 boasts a 1GHz processor and a tri-band network and prevents network congestion. Although it has a little slower processor than the Linksys and Asus routers, it has the same speed capabilities. The X6 consists of 4 Ethernet sites for devices connection easily.

Nighthawk X6 router

Best Knowledge for Setting Up A Small Business WiFi Hotspot

Today, customers do not praise businesses offering WiFi, rather they expect it usually free. Giving a WiFi hotspot to customers can help boost sales, but if it is not done correctly, it can actually react. Thus, consider a few things when setting up a wireless internet connection for your customers.

Best Knowledge for Setting Up A Small Business WiFi Hotspot

Understand Your Customers

The first one you need to do is understand your customers. Who are they and how will they use your wireless network? How many people will access the network at the same time? How long will they connect? Answering these questions will help you to guide the right equipment and service package to offer a reliable connection.

Get Right Equipment and Service Package

Getting the right equipment is very important. We have many places advertising free WiFi, but when you try to use it, it’s too slow and useless. This may come from low quality hardware or lack of care from your internet provider.

If you do not have internet today, you will certainly need a modem and wireless router. While consumer models often work well for almost small businesses, depending on the size of the building, it would be recommended getting a premium model network which can handle more users at the same time. Then you will need a seperated wireless hotspot for guests access. It also creates a separate public WiFi signal to help remain your network secure. It may also protect your business as well as help avoid filter content (adult content, gambling, etc.) and manage the usage of your guests (limiting video streaming).

Best Knowledge for Setting Up A Small Business WiFi Hotspot

There are a number of local internet providers with the price and service quality varies by location. Give your provider the expected type and number of users for your business and they will help you get the right package.

Avoid Mistakes When Setting up Your Small Business Wifi

Mobile devices are now as essential to workplaces that means a fast and reliable wireless network is necessary as well. If you have never done it before, setting a Wi-Fi network fast enough for your business can be very tricky. Here are some common mistakes and suggested solutions to avoid them.

Overloading the wireless router

In general, it is common to start with an entry wireless network when setting up your router. However, the business grows with high appliances plus into the mix, many consumer routers are overloaded by the mass usage. The solution is to set up a stand-alone network switch and access point. Turn off some clients to the access point will reduce the overloading on your network and increase your local network’s speed.

Under provisioning your Wi-Fi network

Another mistake is relying on only one access point regardless of the network load. You had better should err on the side of over-coverage. Installing multiple access points up front reduces the risk of productivity killing bottlenecks.

Multiple mobile devices

Installing mulitiple access points will ease the stress on your network caused by many connected mobile devices.

Bad placement of Wi-Fi access points

The physical location of a Wi-Fi access point is very important, as you will quickly find if you place it in alcove, beside large metallic fixtures or cupboards,…etc. These locations may weaken your Wi-Fi signal. A simple way to assess possible locations is visualizing the wireless signals from the access point in a straight line.

Expecting to get the speeds shown on the box

It’s easy to be addicted by the 300Mbps or 450Mbps speeds wireless routers. However, they are theoretical and do not accounted for real conditions or overheads inherent to wireless networks. If you need to transfer large files across your local network, you should set up a wired Gigabit network.

Using your router’s default channel

When you need your network to run quickly, it is necessary to start using your router without changing the default channel. To avoid this, you may change the channel on your device when you set up.

AT&T Wi-Fi-Small Business Site

AT&T Wi-Fi-Small Business Site

AT&T supports customers and employees with friendly and reliable Wi-Fi users.

If you want to choose the suitable Wi-Fi solution for your business and totally manage the Wi-Fi network via a friendly online portal, let’s consider AT&T Wi-Fi-Small Business Site. The site offers you two packages with distinctive account management and reporting options, including:

Starter Package

Allow gettiing business-grade Wi-Fi which is simple and easy to manage. Choose the Starter Package, you can get:

• Change the password of your small group Wi-Fi network
• Edit the information appearing on your public Wi-Fi sign in page
• View the number of users access to your public Wi-Fi network

Standard Package

Gain greater miner and control through your Wi-Fi solutions. The Package provides all the capabilities and advantages of the Starter Package and plus the ability to:

• Manage the names and passwords of your public and small group Wi-Fi network
• Create a brand, Wi-Fi connection customer facing page
• Supply small business Wi-Fi with 4G LTE backup connection
• Manage user access with URL advanced filtering options
• View the number, device model and sign-on method of Wi-Fi users on your small business public network

AT&T Wi-Fi-Small Site: powerful connectivity in a user-friendly package

AT&T Wi-Fi-Small Site is an intuitive, smart solution which provides free Wi-Fi for customers, plus higher private and secure connection for employees. With Wi-Fi-Small Site, you can:

• Access public and private Wi-Fi connection by just a few minutes
• Encourage customer remain access longer
• Support business processes with dependence wireless connection
• Help business and customer traffic separate and high secure
• Create guidelines for public business Wi-Fi with customizable URL filtering

Fast Wi-Fi setup - right out of the box

AT&T Wi-Fi-Small Site configures your wireless network for public and small business Wi-Fi access automatically by separating customers and employees access which help you make your guests happy and your business get high secured.