If you own or manage a small business, you probably learned a long time ago that:
- You get what you pay for
- Not every product is worth the money you’ll spend on it
- You can sometimes find ways to save money without sacrificing performance — especially when it comes to technology
That last reason is usually why we see businesses, especially smaller ones, rely on routers and wireless devices designed for home use to keep their offices connected.
This substitution may help you save a few bucks on hardware, but it can also lead to frustrating bottlenecks and performance issues. Simply put, when it comes to wireless routers and wireless devices, business-class is worth the up-front cost.
To help you understand why business-class routers are worth the extra money you’ll pay, consider what you actually gain by upgrading:
Speed and Bandwidth
This is a simple benefit, but it’s also one of the most important. A router that’s designed for home use can only handle and process so much information at once, so it’ll often prioritize one device over another. Think of all of the devices you have operating at once in your business (desktops, printers, mobile devices, etc.)… can you afford for any of those devices to be less of a priority than another? If your business is using a wireless router intended to handle only a handful of devices, you can say goodbye to speed and performance: two factors that have important bottom-line effects in your office.
Security
Business-class routers utilize different security protocols and permission levels than home routers do, and when you’re working with sensitive information, this is not a place you should be trying to cut corners. If safety is a concern, which it should be, then you need professional equipment for your business. Your network is your first line of defense against hackers and thieves, and this defense is far stronger if you’re using the right equipment (especially when you factor in the firmware and updates that are built into business-class router processors).
Range of Connectivity
Not only are business-class routers faster and more secure, they also extend farther and have the ability to operate on different channels. If your wireless router operates on a different channel than others in the area, you can expect to experience fewer conflicts between devices, and better connections throughout your office or facility — especially if you have workstations that are spread out or separated by walls and/or electrical equipment. That, my friend, is a win-win situation.
Wolf Technology Group is a small business itself, so we definitely understand the value in finding ways to save money. But, on the other hand, we also understand why you can’t sacrifice the equipment you need just to save a few dollars. In the case of WiFi routers, the price savings aren’t that great, and for what you lose in speed, security, and range, it just doesn’t add up.
To learn more about wireless networking in the Greenville, SC or Atlanta, GA areas, contact Wolf Technology Group today! We can conduct site surveys to identify WiFi performance issues, design custom wireless networks, improve existing network speed and security, and more! Just give us a call at (833) 482-6435 or contact us online.
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