5 Tips to Improve Your Wireless Connection

Wireless technology has come a long way in recent years. Most of us expect to get free Wi-Fi everywhere we go. From the doctor’s office to the appliance store, there’s no reason not to provide this convenience to your customers. For most customers, wireless connectivity is a must but how can you improve your signal strength and bandwidth so customers have a great wireless experience?

Below are 5 tips to help ensure that your customers are getting amazing wireless technology that is safe and secure while they’re visiting your premises.

Upgrade Your Firmware

Most router manufacturers provide firmware updates on a regular basis. These can boost your performance and improve your security. Many homeowners never do this but business owners should be using commercial grade routers that will automatically update if properly set up. This gives you patches for any security worries and some new features—all free of charge. Why not take advantage of it? If you have a tech savvy person around, then you can also download third-party firmware that will offer a number of robust features to your users.

Replace Your Antenna

Most routers come standard with small antennas that have omnidirectional capabilities. Though they broadcast a signal in all directions, the range is fairly short. Replace your standard antenna with a commercial grade directional antenna to improve your range. These antennas are called “high-gain” and they will increase your signal strength so it covers new areas and provides a stronger signal to all users.

Position Your Router Properly

A wireless signal doesn’t carry far. Plus, if there are walls or large objects, you may experience interference. Position your wireless router in a central location to ensure the best range possible. Place your router on a flat surface off the floor and away from obstructions. Make sure you’re using a unique wireless channel to limit interference from obstacles or a neighboring wireless signal.

Get A Repeater

A wireless repeater can boost your signal and these are very inexpensive. They work very much like a router. The difference? Instead of creating a unique signal, the Repeater relays an existing signal. These are easy to install and will not require any additional wiring or special connections. If your business has people working in various departments, across long distances, you may need multiple repeaters to create a business network with best connectivity. You can also set up multiple routers for each department. Your IT specialist can assess your needs and make recommendations.

Get An Antenna Booster

Antennas are not very expensive these days but they do work if installed properly. Some homeowners make their own antennas in order to improve their wireless signal. You can find templates and building instructions on many websites if you enjoy that sort of thing. This can be a fun DIY weekend project, but if you run a business, it’s best to check with your IT services provider to see what they think.

Tips and Tricks for Best Wireless Connectivity

Unlike wired networks that are secured inside your office, wireless networks transmit data over radio waves in open space. If not secured properly, unauthorized users and rogue devices can gain access to the data you transmit. This could result in data breaches or disruptions to your network.

That’s why security for your network is so important these days. There are new cyber threats being revealed almost on a daily basis.

Rogue wireless devices in the way of access points, the Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and computer-based threats can give hackers access to your network as well. Add to that employees using their own devices for work-related tasks, and you increase your chances of a data breach.

One thing that can help is allowing your IT guy to inspect the premises and recommend the right security protocols to make sure everything is protected. Some of the stuff is just common sense, and yet business owners simply get too busy to consider all the ways your network could be breached.

Get Pros On the Job

Centerpoint IT has security gurus on hand who will be happy to double check your network for potential security issues. We can fix any weaknesses in your IT infrastructure and we can train your employees.

Employee security awareness training is your best defense against security breaches. And it’s not expensive or time-consuming. Reach out to your strategic IT partners at Centerpoint today to get the peace of mind only seasoned professionals can provide! We serve all of Atlanta with a full suite of managed IT services.

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