- Wireless networks are an ever-present yet unobtrusive aspect of most businesses today. This is why the lack of importance an organization gives to WiFi infrastructure results in operational risk and frustration.
- Networking hardware is rarely user-friendly to update or interact with beyond basic usage. However, upgrades remain vital when businesses rely on high functionality, security, and infrastructure optimization.
- This article discusses six key reasons your business should consider upgrading its WiFi setup.
According to a study by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 80% of all businesses globally have an internet connection, with nearly 70% having a presence on the net, including websites, online marketplace, social media networks, etc.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses worldwide have witnessed accelerated growth in digital transformation. According to the UNCTAD study, businesses without adequate information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities will struggle to implement digital tech policies.
Consequently, WiFi networks have become critical to holding business operations together, especially those with a large workforce or those that use collaboration, IoT, and HD video tech. However, WiFi tech is, in many cases, not a priority. Yet, infrastructure that is not current is more likely to be at risk.
WiFi 6 is a significant upgrade to its predecessor, with major improvements to performance and security. It can reduce latency by 75% and can handle more endpoints simultaneously. Upgrading to the latest version of WiFi 6 is key to keeping your organization at par with the frequently changing needs. Here are six reasons you should consider upgrading your business’s WiFi setup.
See More: What Is WiFi 6? Meaning, Speed, Features, and Benefits
6 Reasons Your Business Should Consider a WiFi Upgrade
1. Improving network capacity
WiFi is now ubiquitous technology, accounting for more than 50% of global internet transmissions. With the growing emphasis on digital transformation and the sheer variety of devices capable of connecting to WiFi, routers and other hardware have to manage data access to several endpoints. The problem is made worse with the use of video conferencing and cloud-based operations in an organization.
Upgrading to WiFi 6 gives users access to multi-user, multiple-input, multiple-output (MU-MIMO) technology, which allows multiple devices to connect to a single access point router. WiFi 6 also can use orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), which enables efficient channel sharing while minimizing latency during data transfers.
2. Reducing power consumption
Upgrading to WiFi 6 can not only improve performance but also reduce the use of power resources. This can be attributed to technologies such as ‘target wake time.’ This technology taps into each device on the network and can essentially control data transfer for inactive devices.
This change also minimizes the chances of network congestion by eliminating competition between devices demanding access to data. Such technologies will have a notable impact on organizations using IoT setups.
3. Improving data security and privacy
Unsecured networks have a high likelihood of being attacked and infiltrated. Keeping networks up to date and upgraded regularly will reduce the attractiveness of a network for malicious actors.
It is known that hackers will often prefer easy targets. As older routers are left out of firmware updates, organizations may not be as secure as they think. The latest standard, WPA3, has better encryption standards and has eliminated some of the key vulnerabilities in WPA2. Newer WiFi networks will also provide users with features such as virus scans, access control, filters for spam, and firewalls.
See More: WiFi 5 vs. WiFi 6: Understanding the 10 Key Differences
4. Achieving superlative performance
WiFi 6 helps organizations access up to 40% faster data transfer speeds than the best WiFi 5 alternatives. These performance improvements allow easier data access to workers, which in turn bolsters collaboration, faster response times, and higher productivity.
With upgraded WiFi setups, workers do not need to stick to their workstations. They can move throughout the premises without any concern about network accessibility, regardless of where they may be or what device they may be using.
5. Enhancing functionality and analytics
Most businesses are witnessing a strong increase in devices competing for WiFi network resources. Consequently, the traffic leads to sluggish internet speeds, latency, and inadvertent disconnections. Such issues can have a severely detrimental effect on the prospects of the organization.
Upgrading WiFi infrastructure, however, can alleviate the burden, generating faster responses to access requests, bolstering the range of WiFi networks, and reducing data packet drops and disconnections. Upgraded networks will also allow for easier integration of tech innovations, allowing significant opportunities for business expansion.
Even if your organization is unwilling to move onto the WiFi 6 standard, the latest WiFi 5 products have features such as triple-band connectivity and smart antennas, cutting congestion and making more precise connections.
See More: Top 5 WiFi Analyzer Apps to Drive Seamless and High-Speed Connectivity
6. Improving organizational productivity
Effective communications are key to the success of business operations. Unreliable networks often result in a loss of productivity due to downtime and poor employee focus. Businesses with aging infrastructure will have their IT teams and management dealing with problems more often than making improvements.
Strategic upgrades to WiFi systems bolster team efficiency, improve customer satisfaction, and protect organizations from sophisticated cyber-attacks while leaving substantial room for an organization to optimize itself in the future.
With the launch of WiFi 7 expected by the end of 2023, sticking to potentially outdated networking infrastructure can put businesses at risk in terms of data security and competitiveness in their fields.
What is your primary reason to upgrade your WifF setup? Share your thoughts with us on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window . We’d love to hear from you!