Given that most home local area networks (LANs) are wirelessly operated today, it might seem an obvious choice to set up a new office network on the same basis. After all, Wi-Fi networks are reliable these days and reasonably fast to connect computers to the internet. Indeed, many small business owners operate quite happily using a wireless LAN. Having said that, wired networks offer a number of advantages for entrepreneurs especially when they are just starting out on an enterprise with a new team around them.

Server Considerations

When you have an entirely wireless network, it is usually the hub or router which handles all of the internet-bound traffic, in terms of data communications. However, they must also handle all of the packets of data that are being passed around internally. If everyone using the LAN is simply uploading information to and from the cloud, then this is hardly an issue, but when you use your own servers or need computers to talk to one another locally, it is a different matter. You might use a server in your office for storing database records, for running email services or for handling printer queues, for instance. No matter what your reason for using internal communications via servers, the network will become less clogged down if such data traffic is handled by internal switches, rather than a wireless hub which is also trying to simultaneously handle internet traffic.

Peripheral Connections

Another form of internal data which can be slowed down on a Wi-Fi LAN is that which is being sent to peripheral devices. Things like printers, copiers, audio conferencing devices and projectors can all be connected to networks these days - some wirelessly. Wired connections are preferable for these sorts of devices because they need good connections. They don't need to be mobile either in the way that laptops and tablets need to be. As such, data cabling is always a preferable method for peripherals to be connected to a network.

Data Sensitivity

Where your customers' accounts are shared on a network, it is always advisable to use a wired connection rather than a wireless one. Although most Wi-Fi networks are password protected, these can be broken by determined hackers. Equally, business owners should know that staff have these sensitive passwords held on their computers and smart devices. If they take equipment out of the office or leave the organisation, then security measures could be shared or stolen. If you hold information that needs to remain secure, then a wired Ethernet network is always a preferable choice over a wireless system.