As data pipelines and Wi-Fi networks get bigger and faster, you need to pay attention to the switch, the connector that brings the service into your office or home and sends it to your network. You may need a hybrid system that includes an up-to-date switch and some hardwiring to unleash the full power of the internet service that you pay for.

Whenever we get called in by a client because of slow internet or slow network speed, the first thing we do is look at the switch – the place where your internet service comes in and then gets sent to your network. You can have 1 GB (gigabyte) service from your ISP, but if you don’t have the switch to distribute it – and the network to get it to computers and devices, you won’t get the service you pay for and expect.

Today, just about all of our business and home clients do very well with a 10/100/1000 switch, and they do even better with the right network. Most people immediately go to a Wi-Fi, or wireless, system that depends on radio signals to push data to computers and devices. Wi-Fi is especially attractive because anyone can join and use a network, and that’s a key benefit in any office environment or a retail/service environment such as an auto service provider, where Wi-Fi makes it easier to hang out and wait.  In a home environment, anyone can join a network, and nobody needs to be tethered to a wired outlet.

However, that wired outlet gives you a whole lot more speed and reliability and makes your VOIP telephone system work better. Wires can have a higher data capacity, and they don’t have to worry about their signals penetrating walls – because the wires carry signals through them.  You can combine wired access points with a network of strategically placed Wi-Fi boosters to reduce your dependency on radio signals, but we prefer wires wherever possible and practical.

Wires are not overly difficult to install, especially in office environments with drop ceilings and space underneath floors. You can connect computers and telephones to your network and make them perform better with more security. With homes, it may be a little more involved, but if you’re finishing a basement or doing some heavy-duty renovations, running wires for a network, which can also handle streaming to TVs, is a snap, especially if you’re running additional electrical wires. Don’t let a contractor tell you differently.

We can install network wiring and make sure you have the switches and connections to take full advantage of your internet capacity, and we can help you plan for future technology. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to talk about your needs.