As covered in Part 1, many people think that wired Internet connections are no longer needed because Wi-Fi has become so widespread in everyday use. However, hard-wired connections have several key advantages for businesses and should not be ignored. Part 2 will cover Wireless Benefits and Wireless Considerations.

Wireless Benefits

Typically, wireless Internet connections are sufficient for most workplace tasks. Employees often prefer wireless because of its convenience and mobility, thinking the benefits from a hard-wired connection are not worth the effort of connecting to an Ethernet cable. In addition, advancements in Wi-Fi technology are gradually gaining on hard-wired’s edge. Even though an organization may not require Ethernet’s advantages in low-latency, security, speed, and stability, it should seriously reconsider before going totally wireless.

Wireless Considerations

Ensure that the new Wi-Fi equipment that your organization purchases features the newest 802.11 AC Wave 2 standard. This will be important for future proofing because it can support several users and handle multiple inputs and outputs (MU-MIMO).

Another advantage of 802.11 AC Wave 2 is that it enables Wi-Fi equipment to support several inbound and outbound streams simultaneously. This allows the Wi-Fi network of a business to transmit and receive data at the same time. This capability will also improve audio and video streaming performance.

Having the 802.11 AC Wave 2 standard will let your company implement future technological advancements. The newest Apple devices can support MIMO over 5Ghz bandwidth, and soon this will eventually become the industry standard.

Conclusion

A facility or business office can be equipped with both Ethernet and Wi-Fi. Some companies will require a hard-wired network for handling extremely large files. However, they will also need Wi-Fi to provide internet access for conference rooms, guests, and outdoor areas. What is important to keep in mind is that Ethernet will provide superior performance vs. Wi-Fi for companies required to process large volumes of data.

Alpha Engineering Business Support

Choosing an expert computer technology-support provider is an important decision for your business. Alpha Engineering Associates has been a trusted partner of many companies in the Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Annapolis areas since 1990. For affordable client-focused network consulting services and solutions, please call Alpha Engineering Associates today at (410) 295-9500.