LAN and Wi-Fi for a small office

An office network rarely fails all at once; it slows down as users grow: one more printer, one more phone, one more camera. Many root causes lie in how the cabling and devices were laid out at the start. Making the right decisions early saves you a lot of rework later.

Cable first, Wi-Fi second

Fixed devices (desktop PCs, printers, camera recorders, desk phones) should use LAN cable instead of Wi-Fi. Cable gives stable speed and leaves wireless bandwidth for phones and moving laptops.

Item	Recommendation	Reason
Network cable	Cat6 for new construction	Handles gigabit reliably, with only a small price difference from Cat5e
Network points	Reserve 1 point per 2 workstations	Adding machines later needs no wall drilling
Switch	Gigabit, with 30% spare ports	Expansion without replacement
Wi-Fi	Several medium-power access points, not one high-power point	Even signal, fewer dead zones

A tidy network cabinet and switches in an office — Labeling every cable end and keeping a switch port diagram makes troubleshooting much faster.

Split Wi-Fi into two networks: staff and guests

Letting guests share the internal network is a common security hole. Create a separate guest network isolated from computers, printers and cameras. Change the guest password periodically, and you can print a QR code to put at the counter.

Common cabling mistakes

Cable run right beside mains wiring causes interference; keep it at least a few tens of centimeters away, or cross at right angles.
Cable ends terminated to the wrong standard, so speed drops to 100 Mbps even with good cable.
Placing Wi-Fi equipment inside a closed cabinet or beside metal objects.
One router handling too many devices (cameras, phones, computers) beyond its capacity.
No diagram, so when staff change nobody knows which cable goes where.

Deployment process

Survey
Measure positions, count devices, test the current signal and the need for expansion.
Design and quote
A cabling diagram, device positions and a clear bill of materials.
Installation and testing
Run cable, terminate the ends and test each point with a tester.
Handover
Network diagram, admin passwords and basic troubleshooting guidance.

How many Wi-Fi access points does a 15-person office need?

It depends on the floor area and partitions, usually 2-3 points. We measure on site before recommending.

Do we need to upgrade the internet line?

Check the real bandwidth first. Many offices are slow because of internal equipment, not the internet line.

Need a network survey for your office?

ANTECH surveys on site anywhere in Ninh Binh province.

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ANTECH Computer

The ANTECH Computer technical team shares experience from real laptop, PC, network and camera jobs in Ninh Binh.

LAN and Wi-Fi for a Small Office: What to Decide Before Running Cables