Is your computer networking infrastructure supporting your business needs? Many business owners don’t realize they’re making several mistakes that are slowing down their office’s performance.
To keep your computer networking system effective, you should avoid:
- Over-relying on Wi-Fi
- Using residential-grade hardware
- Neglecting network traffic control
- Improper switch usage
- Outdated firmware
At Digital Solutions, our computer networking experts provide reliable IT and business network services across Metro Detroit. Contact us today for a free consultation.
5 Computer Networking Mistakes That Are Slowing Down Your Office
Your business office is only as fast as its network. The more time your team spends staring at a loading screen, the more your bottom line takes a hit.
If you notice slow computer speeds in your office, your first instinct might be to replace your computer. However, the computer itself isn’t usually the culprit. Instead, the underlying network infrastructure is usually to blame.
Five common problems with your networking system include:
1. Over-Reliance on Wi-Fi
For desktop work, an over reliance on Wi-Fi can end up slowing down your system. Ideally, any stationary devices, including desktop computers, printers, and servers, should be hardwired rather than connecting to the Wi-Fi each time.
Wi-Fi is an essential convenience, but it’s unable to send and receive data at the same time. This leads to latency during high-stakes tasks like VoIP calls or video conferencing.
By connecting your stationary devices to an Ethernet connection, you can clear up your Wi-Fi airwaves for mobile devices that actually need to connect to the network.
2. Using Residential-Grade Hardware
If you’re using residential-grade hardware for commercial devices, it can lead to significant slowness. Your router at home is designed to handle five to ten devices maximum. Meanwhile, an office network can easily have 50 or more devices, between phones, laptops, smart-clocks, and guest devices.
Residential routers lack the CPU power to manage high-traffic networks and firewall rules simultaneously.
Instead, you’ll need to upgrade to enterprise-grade access points (APs) and managed switches. These let you work with high client densities without dropping connections.
3. Neglecting Network Traffic Control
If your computer networking doesn’t have Quality of Service (QoS) rules, it means a YouTube video will get treated the same as a critical client Zoom call.
QoS acts as a form of traffic control, ensuring nothing hogs the bandwidth of your entire network when you need it most. It allows phone calls and CRM software to get first priority over background updates or non-essential streaming.
4. Improper Switch Usage
Plugging small switches into other switches, rather than running dedicated lines back to a central hub, creates a significant bottleneck. These kinds of daisy chains, or unmanaged 5-port switches, are difficult to have underneath every desk. Instead, consider professional network mapping.
At Digital Solutions, we ensure your networking infrastructure gives every device a direct, fast path to the core router.
5. Outdated Firmware
Ignoring firmware updates for your router and firewall doesn’t just slow down your network. It can leave your business open to cyber security threats. It also makes your hardware obsolete. Be sure to install firmware updates for your router and firewall regularly. This can help your hardware last longer.
Our team provides 24/7 monitoring and automated patching to keep your computer networking system running efficiently and securely.
Contact Digital Solutions to Upgrade Your Computer Networking System
Is your computer networking system in need of an upgrade? At Digital Solutions, we have over 25 years of experience providing IT services throughout Metro Detroit, Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Illinois, and Ohio.
We work with a variety of small businesses and residential customers, creating reliable, high-quality IT solutions at affordable prices.
Our business networking services ensure you get the technical expertise you need to continue your daily operations successfully.
Want to learn more about working with our IT experts? Call (313) 388-4150 or contact us online today for a free consultation.