 |
● Wi-Fi & Ethernet Networks - The Value of a Good Network
by Matt Parker-Guilbert, IT and Certified Crestron Programmer at
Goodwin's High End
Many of us have a home computer network that consists of whatever was
cheapest for our internet service provider to install. The rest of us
most likely have a home network that we purchased at a big box store or
website years ago. Over time we have increased the strain on our
networks by adding more smartphones, tablets, media servers, and
streaming devices for services like Hulu, among other things. Maybe you
are even trying to stream movies to multiple televisions on your network
at the same time. Having the equivalent of a garden hose for bandwidth
may have been enough in years past, but now you probably need something
more like a high pressure fire hose. Bandwidth isn't the only
factor though. Stability of your network infrastructure is very
important too. Security too
can be of the utmost importance!
Maybe you need to reboot your router occasionally, or Netflix quietly
streams standard def instead of HD, or maybe your Wi-Fi hasn't always
worked right since you added that wireless extender. This is actually to
be expected since most residential network hardware and even some wiring
was not designed to handle more than a few computers. This is why your
network simply struggles when trying to scale it up to a larger size. In
addition interference from adjacent networks can be problematic unless
the situation is properly addressed.
These are just some of the reasons that we recommend installing business
grade networks for the majority of our clients. These networks are
capable of better Wi-Fi, increased security, greater bandwidth, and
directing traffic to specific network segments to increase
efficiency. It is likely that the quality of your high resolution music
is being affected if you are attempting to stream it to your new stereo
using your old network. Installing one of our new systems on an old
network is often similar to building a brand new house on an old
crumbling foundation. If you are at least somewhat conversant with
network terminology and design click
here for some more technical
information. Otherwise just skip the technical mumbo jumbo and talk to us about upgrading your network to
make everything work the way you expect it to.
Tip: If you are building or renovating a new home, we would suggest that you involve us as early in the design process as possible.