Tag Archive for: internet

Upgrade Your Network And Quickly Experience These 4 Amazing Benefits

If you own or operate a business, you’ve probably adapted to a number of changes over the years. As you inch closer to year-end, it’s time to figure out what still needs to be done. One of those potential changes might be an upgrade to your network infrastructure.

When you look at making updates or adjustments to your business, you’re probably doing so in an effort to bring in a greater profit than the previous year. While updating your software or hardware might not provide an obvious benefit to your sales goals, it can help save your business quite a bit of money in the long run. It can even boost your sales and overall productivity when the right updates are put in place.

Here are four major benefits that come with updating your network infrastructure.

Faster Internet Connection

New technological advancements are made every day, and failing to keep up with them can hinder your business operations. This can be seen clearly with Internet connectivity. If your Internet speeds are slow, your employees will work at a slower pace. Client-facing applications will also lag and can be detrimental to your customers’ satisfaction with your business. Investing in a new network will allow you to utilize faster Internet speeds so you and your employees can work quicker with fewer interruptions; this will improve productivity and help more clients in a efficient manner.

Better Network Security

We talk about the importance of cyber security a lot, and it’s because one successful cyber-attack could bring irreparable harm to any business, regardless of reputation or size. Cyberthreats are more complicated than ever before, and cybercriminals can easily navigate old and outdated networks. Newer networks are built with more defenses to thwart would-be hackers. Even if you’ve recently upgraded your network, you need to continually update your software. New patches are continually released that help plug the holes cybercriminals are exploiting.

More Compatibility

An upgraded network provides business owners with more options than they could ever dream of. You’ll have access to countless applications that will benefit your business and give you a step ahead of your competitors, but your network needs to be as strong as possible to get the most out of them.

Less Time Maintaining Your Network

If you upgrade your network on old infrastructure, you will put more strain on your system, and your IT person or company will have to step in to help out. Investing in modern infrastructure will help fix many problems in your business and will give your employees more time to be productive, including your IT specialists.

Now that you’re aware of the benefits of upgrading your network infrastructure, when should you do it? As your business grows, your network needs to grow with it. You will also need to upgrade if you’re experiencing any issues with your current network. If you work in an industry that deals with sensitive client information, like a law firm, you may be legally required to keep your network up-to-date as much as possible.

Upgrading your network and keeping it up-to date-will come with many benefits and few drawbacks. If it’s been some time since your last upgrade or update, it’s time to reevaluate your needs.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory.org SOURCE

/by
, ,

Can your internet bandwidth handle remote work?

Even before COVID-19, remote working was already quickly becoming the new normal. It took a pandemic to tip the scale, and now most jobs are being done from home. But it’s not always a smooth ride. There are many things that can cause productivity dips, one of them being limited internet bandwidth. How much bandwidth do you need to be able to work from home without lags or interruptions?

What is bandwidth?

Bandwidth refers to the maximum data transfer rate possible in a network or internet connection. It indicates the amount of data that can be sent over a connection in a given amount of time, and is usually expressed in bits per second (bps) or bytes per second (Bps).

Imagine two computers with the same internet speed at 100 megabit per second (Mbps): the first computer only has a 50 Mbps bandwidth, while the second one has 100 Mbps. If they were to download the same 500 Megabit (Mb) file, the first computer would be able to do it in 10 seconds, while the second one could do it in just five.

This is because the first computer’s bandwidth is capped at 50 Mbps — even if the internet was fast, the limit of transfer would still be low. Therefore, the higher the bandwidth, the more data can be sent over a connection, contributing to faster uploads and downloads, and overall better internet experience.

How much bandwidth do you need for remote working?

The answer to this question isn’t clear cut. The biggest considerations are the type of work that you do and the apps that you use. If your job mostly consists of sending emails, editing and writing on Google Docs, and communicating on Slack, then you can do your job with ease even with a low bandwidth. On the other hand, if you frequently attend meetings through video calls, then you’d definitely need a plan with higher bandwidth.

Once you have a clear picture of how much data you send and receive on an average work day, you can start looking for plans that can support your needs. And while you definitely don’t need to conduct virtual meetings in 4K quality, you also won’t want your clients and colleagues to appear pixelated during a meeting. Neither would you want a session that gets choppy or cut off mid-conversation.

Here are the minimum requirements for the most common video chat apps used by remote workers today:

For 1:1 video calling:

    • 600 Kbps (up/down) for high-quality video
    • 1.2 Mbps (up/down) for 720p HD video
    • Receiving 1080p HD video requires 1.8 Mbps (up/down)
    • Sending 1080p HD video requires 1.8 Mbps (up/down)

For group video calling:

    • 800 Kbps/1.0 Mbps (up/down) for high-quality video
    • For 720p HD video: 1.5 Mbps (up/down)
    • Receiving 1080p HD video requires 2.5 Mbps (up/down)
    • Sending 1080p HD video requires 3.0 Mbps (up/down)

HD video quality  

    • Outbound signals must always meet a 3.2 Mbps bandwidth requirement.
    • Inbound signals: 2.6 Mbps with two participants; 3.2 Mbps with five participants; and 4.0 Mbps with 10 participants

Standard definition (SD) video quality

    • Outbound signals must always meet a 1 Mbps bandwidth requirement.
    • Inbound signals: 1 Mbps with two participants; 1.5 Mbps with five participants; and 2 Mbps with 10 participants

Video calling

    • HD: 1.2 Mbps (up/down)
    • SD: 400 Kbps (up/down)
    • The more participants, the higher the bandwidth requirement for downloads: 512 Kbps for three participants; 2 Mbps for five participants; and 4 Mbps for seven people. Upload requirements remain constant at 128 Kbps.

Teams requires the same upload and download internet bandwidth for the following scenarios:

    • 30 Kbps for peer-to-peer audio calling
    • 1.2 Mbps for peer-to-peer HD-quality video calling at 720p
    • 1.5 Mbps for peer-to-peer HD-quality video calling at 1080p
    • 500 Kbps/1 Mbps for group video calling

If you’re worried about your internet bandwidth, you can opt for audio calls instead of video calls. This considerably helps lower the information you need to upload and download. For more tips and solutions on how you can work from home without a hitch, call us. We’d be happy to help.

To learn more about how to safeguard your business, or if you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment.

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory.org SOURCE

/by

Easy fixes to your Wi-Fi issues

For most businesses, a reliable internet connection is no longer an option but a necessity. A fast and reliable internet connection makes for more efficient and productive operations. But what do you do when you’re faced with connectivity issues or slow speed? Below are some solutions to five of the most common Wi-Fi worries.

Range constraints
Wi-Fi works via radio waves that are broadcast from a central hub, usually from a piece of hardware known as a router. In order to avoid a weak signal in your office, make sure:

  • Your router is placed in a centralized location and not tucked away in the farthest corner of your facility.
  • Your Wi-Fi antennae are either in a fully horizontal or vertical position for optimal signal distribution.

Note that Wi-Fi range constraints can also occur from interference, so if your office is situated in a highly populated area, try changing your router’s channel.

Slow speed
Despite having high-speed or fiber optic internet, slow load times can still occur for a number of reasons. To eliminate this, try the following:

  • Make sure your router is located in the same room as your computers.
  • Have more routers to better accommodate a high number of connected devices.
  • Limit the use of bandwidth-intensive applications such as Skype, Dropbox, YouTube, and Facebook.
  • Disable your router’s power-saving mode.
  • Create a new router channel to avoid network bottlenecks.

Connection issues
It can be frustrating when the Wi-Fi network shows up on your device but you just can’t seem to connect to it. Before you give up, try these:

  • Determine whether your Wi-Fi connection is the problem or if your internet is down by plugging in your laptop directly into the router via an Ethernet cable. If you get a connection, then your Wi-Fi is the culprit.
  • Reset your router. Use a paperclip or a pen to hold down the reset button for about 30 seconds.
  • Reboot your device.

Unstable connection
Random drops in Wi-Fi connection can happen from time to time. If this has become a constant nuisance in your office, try the following quick fixes:

  • Move your router to a different spot or a different room.
  • Avoid having multiple routers in the same location as they can confuse your device.

Network not found
Glitches in the router can result in your Wi-Fi network not appearing at all. Two solutions that can resolve the problem are:

  • Disconnecting the router from the power source and waiting at least 30 seconds before reconnecting it.
  • Checking to see how old your router is; if it’s over three years old, you’re probably due for a replacement.

When you experience Wi-Fi issues, these tips will help you avoid serious downtime. But if you’d rather have a dedicated technology provider take care of your hardware needs, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

To learn more about how to safeguard your business, or if you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment.

Published with consideration from TechAdvisory.org SOURCE

/by