Setting up a small office network properly: a practical guide

In many offices the network starts with the internet provider's router in a corner, then a signal booster is added, then a small switch under a desk, then cameras, until the network is a pile of devices nobody knows how they connect. The result: slowness, unexplained drop-outs and security risks.

Setting the network up properly from the start doesn't cost much more, and saves years of trouble. This guide is for an office of five to thirty people.

Start with a simple map

Before buying any equipment, draw a plan of the office and mark:

• Where the desks and fixed devices are (computers, printers, the camera recorder, any server).
• Where the internet line comes in.
• One quiet, well-ventilated place where the network equipment lives: a small rack or a dedicated shelf, not the kitchen floor.
• How many people and devices you have today, and what you expect in two years.

Cabling first

Wi-Fi is convenient, but a cable is faster and more stable. The practical rule: every device that doesn't move (desktop computer, printer, camera, Wi-Fi access point) gets a cable.

• Use good-quality Cat6 cable. The price difference is small compared with the cost of re-cabling.
• Run at least two points to each desk; needs always grow.
• Label both ends of every cable (at the desk and at the switch). It saves hours whenever something fails.
• Keep any single cable run under about 90 metres.

The router and firewall

The provider's router is designed to deliver internet, not to run a company network. For an office with more than a handful of staff, it's better to put a business router or firewall behind it (from makers such as MikroTik, Ubiquiti, Fortinet and others), which lets you:

• Separate the networks (staff, guests, cameras) from each other.
• Control and share bandwidth, so one download doesn't take the whole office's speed.
• Connect two internet lines and switch to the backup automatically when the main one fails.
• Offer a secure VPN connection for working from home.

In every case, change the default passwords and update the device's firmware. For that side in detail, read 12 practical steps to protect a small business.

The switch

The switch spreads the network over the cables. Choose a gigabit switch with about a third more ports than you need today. If you have IP cameras or ceiling access points, a switch that powers devices over the cable (PoE) saves a power adapter for each one. A managed switch supports separate networks (VLANs) if you need them.

Wi-Fi: access points, not boosters

Signal boosters (repeaters) appear to fix coverage and create a speed problem, because they re-broadcast a signal that's already weak. The proper fix:

• Cabled access points, one for each area of the office, mounted on the ceiling or high on a wall.
• One network name across all points, so phones move between them automatically.
• A separate guest network with a different name and a password that changes regularly, unable to see company devices.
• WPA2 or WPA3 encryption, with WPS turned off.

Keep cameras and guests apart

Cameras and smart devices are among the weakest devices for security. Put them on a separate network (VLAN) that can't reach staff computers, and don't open ports for them directly on the internet. Guests get internet only, without seeing the printer or shared files.

Power: half the problem here

In Syria, power cuts and unstable voltage cause more network failures than the equipment itself. Plan for them from the start:

• A UPS for the network cabinet (router, switch, camera recorder) rides through short cuts and source changes without the devices restarting.
• If the office runs on batteries, solar or a generator, put the network equipment on the line that never cuts out; it uses little power.
• A voltage stabiliser or a surge-protected power strip extends the equipment's life.
• Shut devices down properly during long outages, especially storage devices (NAS) and servers.

A backup internet connection

If work stops when the internet goes down, a backup line isn't a luxury. The options: a second line from a different provider, or a 4G router with a data SIM. A good router or firewall switches to it automatically and back to the main line when it returns.

Shared files and backups

Instead of company files living on staff computers, they can be gathered on a network storage device (NAS) with permissions for each department, or on a cloud service. Either way you need a second backup outside the office, because fire, theft or ransomware won't distinguish between the computer and the NAS.

Document everything

One page kept somewhere safe saves a lot whenever something fails or your IT person changes:

• The network map, where the devices are and the cable numbers.
• The addresses of key devices (router, printers, cameras).
• The internet provider's details, support number and contract number.
• Device passwords in a password manager, not on a note stuck to the router.

Signs your network needs a review

• The internet is slow at busy times even though your subscription is fast.
• Parts of the office the Wi-Fi doesn't reach.
• Devices that drop off the network now and then, or a router that needs restarting every day.
• Nobody knows the router password, or who is connected to the network.
• Guests, cameras and staff all on the same network.

We design and install office networks in our networking service, from cabling and equipment to Wi-Fi, cameras, security and documentation. Contact us and we'll visit the office and suggest the right setup.