Wi-Fi systems have become an essential part of any business. They're not just for the home anymore; they're also used in offices, restaurants, and even retail stores. Being connected is essential in the communication of any organization, both internally and externally. Today, this is why Wi-Fi plays an important role in the execution of functions in a company and more so if it is directly related to the digital and technological environment.
It's not a question of whether Wi-Fi is important for small businesses; it's a question of when. Here's the problem we see small business owners running into frequently: the expectation that the wi-fi we're used to connecting to in our homes, on our laptops, or streaming Netflix, isn't nearly strong enough to handle your business requirements.
Goto VISSONIC to know more.
Home networks just aren't designed to handle large amounts of data, or traffic. It also doesn't require the same levels of network protection, and is not under risk of attack like a business Wi-Fi connection.
In the early startup days of a business, a home network Wi-Fi solution often worked and was economical enough, albeit risky. However, the time comes quickly when most businesses should consider adopting enterprise level wireless networking solutions.
Fast, stable and secured business-level wireless networks are critical to the function of small business teams and can improve productivity and flexibility for employees as well as your organization's visitors. Especially since the vast majority of companies allow their staff to bring their own personal devices from home (cells and laptops) to use on their company network.
So what exactly is Enterprise-Grade Wi-Fi? This is a type of network connection that offers greater safety, interoperability, and accessibility provided, rather than something like your own personal Wi‑Fi system. Essentially, an enterprise-level Wi-Fi network can connect more users, is much more secure, and offers greater scalability and customization.
A network can only handle so many simultaneous connections before its performance starts to degrade. Since most homes use a single Internet connection, their networks tend to be slower than business networks. Additionally, because they're sharing one Internet connection, the speed of their networks tends to decrease as more people connect to them
Your organization may also work with applications that require a constant internet connection, like Microsoft 365/Microsoft Outlook , or cloud-based drives where large files need to be moved online such as Google Drive, One Drive or Dropbox. These applications require that you stay connected to the network even when running in the background and can require a huge amount of bandwidth. The more users you have connecting to these applications, the larger the demand on bandwidth. And the poorer the strength of your Wi-Fi, the longer the time it takes to transfer files or execute application actions.
Conversely, an organization-wide Wi-Fi network is intended to provide fast and reliable connectivity for all employees and guests so that they don't experience any downtime or lag time during their working hours.
It's important for larger office environments to adopt wireless technologies that cover the entire floor space. Many business owners believe that using high-powered routers will suffice, but it's actually far more effective to install multiple low-powered devices within an enterprise-level Wi-Fi network. Limited signal strength can be difficult to extend across distance.
Instead, an organization may deploy its own wireless network infrastructure with multiple integrated access points (IAPs) for effective deployment and maximum signal coverage. With multi-point capabilities, your business network will be much stronger than one high-powered router consumer product.
A similar issue in office spaces can be extending coverage through concrete walls. Quite often the walls in these older buildings are thick enough that they block outside signals from getting through. Pairing several connection points with boosted connections at the enterprise-Wi-Fi level will supply a stronger signal in older buildings.
Imagine someone sitting in your office next to you watching everything you and your employees do or say or look at on your laptop, your drives, the internet, your network. Except they're doing it without anyone knowing about it. Almost every business keeps confidential information based on your transactions with clients or partners.
To protect against unauthorized network attacks, businesses must be aware of and implement additional security measures than they take using Wi-Fi at home. The risks are higher and the fallout is much more devastating to have your small business fall victim to a cyber attack.
There are various encryption methods used by enterprises for their wireless networks that offered improved and enhanced security for your business. This includes advanced security features such as intrusion detection, specialized technologies such as adaptive radio management (ARM), increased WPA enterprise encryption, and the 802.1x authentication protocol.
Enterprise Wi-Fi lets you set up guest accounts for people who don’t need full network privileges. The result of this can enhance your network security as these guests can be granted limited or no network privileges so they can’t get into your company’s sensitive data.
When poor signal occurs in the office, it can lead to a whole range of consequences
Businesses don't stay stagnant. When things change, people need to know right away so they can adapt their plans accordingly.
The most common way that this happens is through . If you have an account at your business, then you are probably already familiar with how emails work. You send them out and wait for replies. But what if you receive no reply from that hot lead? What if you get one but the attachment can't come through? How do you know whether or not your message was received?
Even worse: We’ve all been there: you’re trying to make a sales presentation over video conference (Zoom, Webex, GoToMeeting) and your internet is painfully slow. You can hear the other person breathing down the line as they wait for their screen to load. It feels like an eternity before they even get to see what you’re showing them. Now imagine this is your business, on a prospect call.
Poor connectivity reflects poorly. For a business - it can make or break the sale. As one client shared with us, a slow internet connection on one important cross-country Zoom call with a new client cost them the pitch - and $30k in revenue.
An ability to securely access the Internet or to intranet systems from any location, at any time, allows your business will be able to continue operating without costly interruptions.
If your customers expect you to provide them with wireless internet access, having a poor experience on the internet can be a poor experience as your customer. Keeping your customers happy means providing them with the quality of service that they expect from you, including your Wi-Fi.
Social Beauty Studios for example, a Calgary-based salon suite rental complex, needed to provide their stylist and esthetician tenants with wireless internet access that will make their customers happy. When they contacted Transpera to propose a solution, we recommended and installed a mesh Wi-Fi network at The Hub Calgary that ensured that every beauty studio suite was close to an access point. Each access point being capable of handling more than the maximum occupancy near to it made sure that the wireless internet is as stable and fast as a plugged-in wired computer.
If you've decided that you want to upgrade your Wi-Fi system to an enterprise-level solution, the best thing to do is to consult with your local IT service company. You will need to find an IT Company in your city as they may need to come for an initial site survey, and again for installation or troubleshooting in the future.
A good IT Service Provider will walk you through the process, listen well to learn about your business needs, network issues and budget, and they will offer their expertise in suggesting solutions to help you meet your objectives. This includes:
With the growth of personal connectivity reaching new heights seemingly by the hour, it’s impossible to create a compelling event experience with0ut offering a rock-solid wifi connection.
In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs the essential human needs are mapped out in pyramid form. The most crucial of needs are found at the bottom of this pyramid, while the slightly less critical needs are found as you move on up. It’s safe to say that had Maslow built out this hierarchy in , he surely would have included “good wifi connection” somewhere at the base.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit wi fi conference.
During the last leg of Social Tables’ roadshow, Matt Harvey, the President of Client Network Services at PSAV, shared his insight on connectivity at events, and coached attendees on what to ask for when negotiating event wifi. In his talk, Matt communicated the three crucial aspects to comprehend in order to secure the best connection possible for your next event.
Here are the two crucial event wifi terms you need to know:
Let’s focus on that last definition. It’s mission-critical for you and your event! To give you some added context, here are some examples of what is known as “shared bandwidth”:
For event wifi, you want to be sure to confirm that you are dealing with “dedicated bandwidth” NOT “shared bandwidth”. That is, if you’d like you and your attendees to have a consistent, even basic, connection to the internet throughout your event. Dedicated bandwidth is the major step #1 in providing your attendees with the best wifi possible.
Infrastructure – the designated tool or router that provides connection to the internet to mobile users
Range is imperative for infrastructure placement. Your “access points” will determine a number of items that may seem more like questions as your event organization is underway. Your infrastructure access points can be a guide in helping answers questions such as:
In terms of next steps when getting these details squared away, there is only one logical place to turn to – support! Whether you are dealing with offsite engineering over the , or an onsite accompaniment that provides day-of support, this relationship is an important one to establish and maintain as the date of your event approaches.
While we’re on the subject of support, let’s consider the possibility of your event experiencing some good old fashioned event wifi failure (keep breathing, everything will be ok)!
The top causes are:
But don’t worry! We’re not here to only deliver the bad news and possibilities at hand. There are a number of solutions available to event planners to help prevent any of these connectivity roadblocks.
Go into your conversation with support knowing exactly what your event is going to need. Use the Event Wifi Bandwidth Calculator from Endless Events. It allows an unlimited number of users, so it works super well for networks with more than 1,000 people. Or let PSAV’s “bandwidth estimator” do the heavy-lifting for you after providing some simple info about your event (guest #, size of event, etc.)
When putting together the layout for your event, it’s important to ask some of the following questions to optimize event wifi connection:
These discovery questions will prove to be integral to the success of your event when solidifying both an acceptable level of connectivity AND price point. Speaking of price point, let’s get down to some brass tacks.
When deciding on your event Wifi package, you must first determine the product is acceptable before deciding if the price (including free!) is worth it. In order to lock-up the most cost-effective and reliable option available, you’ll need to come to terms with several event details before “having the talk”:
If you can enter into your negotiations with these bullet points at-the-ready, you will be more than prepared. Additionally, there are several crucial answers you should be looking to receive in this meeting from the provider. For example, you need to find out the venue’s bandwidth, infrastructure, and support. And, you should provide the event venue with your meeting’s profile, your internet use needs, and any reporting you might have from previous events about your wifi usage.
Lastly, to make sure you’re staying on track and not missing a beat be sure to collaborate! Working with teammates when selecting an event wi-fi package is always beneficial for outside opinion (and moral support).
Up next, learn more about creating the best event seating plan, and see how to make an event planning check list to set your meeting up for success.
Plus, is the event technology side of things has got you buzzing from this article, why not try out a free tool that can help gather some of those much-needed numbers? Check out an all in one event calculator that can easily double as a day-of best friend.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Videowall Controller. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.