Business Blog: Network Cable Alternatives
Business Blog: Network Cable Alternatives
Some locations are almost impossible to wire for modern network needs. Places like parking garages, old houses and hotels, or almost anywhere that concrete was used will require a lot of time and effort to make a traditional network setup a reality. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Recent advancements in networking and wireless technology have introduced options that were unthinkable even as little as 5 years ago.
The first and best option for wiring an old building is to use powerline adapters like the TP-Link AV600. Powerline adapters use your existing power lines and electrical outlets to send network signals. They basically turn your power lines into a local, secure network. We’ve used these to great effect in historical buildings and businesses. And they are even stable enough to work with something that typically requires a constant connection like our Indianapolis Business Phone Service. Plus, they don’t interfere with the normal functioning of your electrical system.
Another option is to go wireless. With the newer mesh WiFi systems on the market now, you can achieve great coverage with no dead zones for very reasonable costs. Our favorite system is the Mesh WiFi System provided by Google. It is easy to setup, very affordable, and the extra ethernet port on the units can even act as a LAN connection for your network. Because of these perks, we have almost completely phased out the older WiFi systems that rely on multiple access points wired to a central monitoring hub. Those systems cost a lot more to install and maintain.
Even if you don’t need to wire an old home or concrete building, we think you can save time and money with the technologies recommended above. And as always, feel free to contact us or call us at (317) 644-0075 if you have network cabling questions, or if you’d like to schedule a free networking consultation in Indianapolis, Indiana. We’re always happy to help.