3 Things To Consider When Setting Up Your Home Office Network

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Working from home has many advantages, such as having no commute or need to buy work attire. In some positions, working from home can offer some flexibility with scheduling as well. Whether you are a freelance writer, customer service agent, reseller, or small business owner, working from a home office will require an efficient and secure home network. If you are part of the 3.7 million people working from home at least half of the time, help is available with designing your home network. Here are a few things to consider for your home office network.

Finding a Internet Provider

Not all internet providers are available in your area. Therefore, you will need to focus on which providers offer service in your area before you can focus on modems and speed.

If you are new to the area, ask neighbors which internet providers are available, which they use, and how they feel about the service.

Talk to a few different providers so you can figure out what types of plans they offer. Ask for special promotions for being a new customer. Also, make sure they know you need the service for your work/business, since some internet service providers offer special plans and promotions for home offices.

The internet service provider you choose will also need to offer the speed and security you need to work from your home office. A faster speed and higher level of security may be more expensive, but it will be a worthwhile investment to ensure you conduct your business in the most efficient and effective manner.

Choosing Speed

Most people are surprised to learn just how many different speed options are available when setting up their home network.

Bandwidth is key when determining how fast your internet will run. The larger your bandwidth, the more data you can pull at one time. This higher bandwidth will allow you to stream videos or conference calls, download and upload files, and send emails with ease.

The amount of speed you need will depend on what you are hoping to achieve during your workday. It is also important to take other internet usage into consideration. For example, if another person in your home is using the internet for work, school, or gaming, this usage will take away from your home network's speed, affecting your internet speed and capability while working.

If you plan to use the internet for simple tasks, such as email and surfing the web, 1 Mbps of speed should be sufficient. Of course, working from home will usually mean you are using the computer and internet for a wide variety of tasks.

For email, web surfing, video conference, and uploading/downloading large files, make sure your internet offers a minimum of 50 Mbps.

Many employers have specific guidelines that are required for your home office. Consult with your employer about minimum speeds that are necessary for you to complete your work from your home office.

Renaming Network & Passwords

In most cases, your internet service provider will name your home network. You should change your network name and password immediately after installation, since hackers are able to steal the information, accessing your private home network.

Change the name of your network to something that does not contain any personal information. You should also change the password every few months to ensure your network is as secure as possible.

After changing the network name and password, your network will be more secure not only for home use, but also for business use.

With the right planning, your home network will be functional, fast, and secure. This guide will help you set up your home network when you are starting to work from home. Contact companies that offer options like HughesNet internet plans to learn more.

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9 November 2018