Some of the most frustrating moments on the internet are made by a slow connection. Taking time from what you want or need to focus on to fix the internet can be very frustrating. One of the biggest things you can do is stay up to date and keep it simple. Ease of use, and using as little equipment as possible will prevent some of the issues you run into.
For a small office hard lines instead of Wi-Fi can be pricey but it will simplify the connection and make it faster at a greater distance from the router, unless you’re willing to pay for repeaters or hard wire an Access Point (AP). I know this sounds like a bit much but people are using the internet at home so much that this isn’t just for the office either.
Taking the time to read between the lines and see how tech is leaning can help you prevent connection issues. If you shop for a router or Wi-Fi router or switch and buy the cheapest one to save money without doing enough research, you’re probably going to have issues with speed and connections. With Wi-Fi you get what you pay for, and a good repeater will penetrate and cover a massive area.
A hard cable can cover a good distance and provide more security. With a hard connection you reduce latency and get much faster speeds. Some things aren’t simple and one answer doesn’t solve all, that puts us in a position to make informed decisions. Are you using wireless scanners in the office for inventory? Are you doing video editing and saving a lot on the server? Those would have two very different connection solutions, and yet speed and convenience plays a big role on how well they will perform.
Make sure that the equipment you’re going to use or purchase isn’t going to fall short of what you need it to do. Don’t ask I.T. to solve everything and then undercut what they ask for on price, make sure what you ask for and the budget you give is relevant. If not just lower your expectations of what your network will do. Ultimately make informed choices and take all things into account before spending money and not being able to redo it for some time, because once it’s yours, it’s yours.