When it comes to computer networks, which one will suit your business best?
By Craig Falck for Africa Report
Photograph: © Mike_kiev | Dreamstime.com
Everyone these days needs to have a computer network or setup for their business. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a plumber or a fast-food franchise or a multi-national building supply company, computers are part and parcel of the business environment – there’s everything from emails and websites to social networking and invoicing that need to be done using computers. But what’s the best for your office: wireless or wired networking? Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of each one…
Wired networks are the most common and tend to be cheaper to buy and install because wireless products are more specialised and are more expensive than their wired counterparts. Nine times out of ten it’s a case of a couple of network Ethernet cables which you could probably install yourself, but on the odd occasion or if you have a complex network it would be in your best interests to get cabling professionals or an IT team to setup and install it for you. Wireless networks, on the other hand, are simpler to install. You plug the router into the main server machine or ADSL internet line, set it up according to the manual or your needs (privacy settings can be tricky and you might need your IT guy to do it for you) and you’re ready to go.
The biggest benefit of wired networking in an office is the speed of the network. Wireless technology can only transfer data at a certain speed (the average is 11Mbs) and that is some way off what wired networks operate at (the average for wired networks is up to 100Mbs – nearly ten times faster). Wired networks also tend to be a lot more stable because the only way for the cable to be interfered with is for it to be unplugged. Wireless network signals can be interfered with by other signals, physical obstacles such as walls, doors and other objects, as well as becoming overloaded with users that then slows it down. You just don’t have that hassle when cables connect your machines.
The problem with cables is that they lie around all over the place and can be messy and need to be fixed into position. Also, they make moving around a lot more difficult, whereas wireless networks let you move around and sit (almost) wherever you want to work. You’re also able to join the wireless networks no matter what machine you use… as long as they have wireless capabilities. Not all machines come with network plugs or cards though, so you might even need to spent more to make them network-ready.
Both wired and wireless networks have their pros and cons. When it comes to deciding which is your best option, think not only about the present but also your future needs because technology advances on an almost-weekly basis and you don’t want to get left behind with your brand-new installation.
