Efficient use of modern information technology should make business faster and more agile. No matter how you set your business up, however, a slow Internet connection can be a real drag on business. Today, we wanted to go over some scenarios you should know about when your Internet connection is holding your business back; and, solid practices that you can use to get the Internet speeds you need to move business along efficiently.
The first thing you should understand is what level of Internet you pay for and what types of demands your organization has in regards to its network. For example, if you’ve started using cloud services, you will definitely need more bandwidth than businesses that don’t utilize utility computing in the cloud.
In addition to cloud-hosted solutions, the Internet obviously proves its utility in many other ways. That’s why it is important to maintain sufficient bandwidth for your business’ needs. Here, we’ve outlined a small list of the issues you could find yourself dealing with:
Not Enough Bandwidth
When your business has more demand for bandwidth than it is in possession of, tasks that would typically take a moment, take longer. Think of it like a PVC pipe. On one end water gets dumped through, the larger the pipe the more water can get through. It’s the same with your data, if you don’t have enough bandwidth, you will have problems with bottlenecking, which slows down your connections.
Outdated Equipment
Another issue could be that your networking resources could be antiquated or not designed for business use. If you have a router that was designed for home office, and you are using it for a bustling small business office, you may find that you will have problems, as it may not be capable of supporting the bandwidth requirements of your business. The same goes with computers and laptops used to access the Internet.
Misconfigured Equipment and Environmental Factors
If all of the physical and service requirements are met, but you are still dealing with slow Internet, there is likely either a configuration problem that you need to adjust in the modem or router settings; or, more likely if you’re dealing with wireless signals, it’s just how your infrastructure is set up. Wireless signals don’t always do well traveling through certain materials, such as concrete. There is also the matter of electronic interference which may be hindering your Wi-Fi’s effectiveness.
This isn’t a comprehensive list, but much of the time, these are the culprits if you aren’t seeing the speeds you are paying for. For more help with your company’s bandwidth and other IT-related issues, call the experts at Macatawa Technologies today at 616-394-4940.
