To start, the main things to consider when deciding whether to implement a wireless network or a cable-fed one are as follows:
1. Security
On the security side of this decision, one must consider the type of information traversing the network. If, for example, if you are simply browsing the internet and reading email, security is most likely less a concern than if you are on a business network with sensitive information such as business plans, proposals and credit card or other personal information.
As far as physical connections, by choosing to have a wired connection that can only be accessed by tapping into the cable itself at either locations in the cable run (walls of the building, etc) or the router/switch that the computers plug into, provides a “hard wired” form of security. Conversely, if one is trying to gain access to a wireless network, this may be an easier “hack”, but this all depends on the setup of the network. Various grades and quality of wireless network equipment provide multiple levels of security. If a wireless network is set up without any security encryption protocol such as WEP or WPA, the only thing someone has to do in order to break into your network is be in physical range (+- 300 feet) of the Access Point (AP) or router. If the wireless network is secured, it is much harder to crack into, but can still be accessed by simply being in range of the network AP/router and having the security code or encryption key, or a software tool that helps break the key. WEP is the older of the two main security protocols and is no longer considered secure -- software to help break the key and connect to a WEP network without authorization is available, while breaking into a WPA-secured network has never been publicly demonstrated. If you have a wireless network that was set up when WEP was the best available option, you may want to consider having it checked to make sure it is still as secure as it should be. Important note: Wireless networks can be configured to not broadcast their presence – which is an excellent suggestion - which prevents “strangers” from even seeing the wireless network, but, unfortunately, not many businesses opt for this configuration as it does add more required knowledge on the end users part to connect to the network – they need the name of the wireless network to be able to join. Opinions vary on how effective this is in comparison to the additional work to configure it.
2. Reliability
Wireless network are not always reliable. There can be times where the network is unavailable due to inclement weather (not applicable to households – usually…), interfering signals and static electricity, or simply low signals due to the type of things in between the AP and the computer. Simple things such as cordless phones, microwaves ovens, and other electrical devices can cause glitches that result in dropped data. If network access is the lifeline of your business, usually a wired connected is your best bet. As the only things that can cause interruption in a cabled network are hardware related, including but not limited to bad Network Interface Cards, bad network equipment, under qualified cable technicians and degraded cable lines from lightning, rodent intrusion, and wear and tear.
3. Performance
If performance is your goal, go with a wired network. Simply put, wireless networking technology is limited in regards to performance. In an age where the hottest wireless tech out there (Wireless N – 802.11n) boasts a whopping 300 megabits per second (300 Mbps) throughput speed (the speed things can be passed through the line), a wireless network might seem like the way to go. That is only until one realizes that the technology for wired networks to go that fast (and faster) has been out for some time. Wired networks can achieve not only Gig-E (1 Gbps or 1000 Mbps) speeds, but even faster, with the best (though, for now, cost prohibitive) technologies pushing your information at speeds up to 10 Gigabits a second – that is 1.25 Gigabytes a second throughput!
4. Cost
The last factor to consider is the cost to benefits ratio of your network. What do you need? What do you want? And what is the balance? Sure, you can pay a bundle to get the biggest baddest network on the block, but it’ll all be for naught unless you use it to its potential. Wireless setup cost can be measured in the hardware necessary to deliver a good signal to needed locations while wired setup cost can be foreseen by counting the number of walls needing to be drilled through. Cost is not always monetary either. Remember, it costs MUCH more to go back and change your mind later, and is even more costly when your improper network choices give way to business downtime.
In a nutshell, wireless is an awesome solution for the average home user, wanting to access the web, Internet, and email. The key is that the network is properly configured for security and ease of use.
In an office environment where laptops and mobile devices aren’t in high demand, we recommend sticking with a wired network.
In an environment, such as a medical office, wireless has huge benefits – just be sure it’s installed and configured by a qualified technician with the proper testing equipment, such as DeBug Computer. We’ve spent thousands of dollars on testing and diagnostic equipment, to assure the utmost security in business environments.