How to Build a Computer Network for Small Business

Introduction

Are you struggling to set up an efficient network for your small business? Mini PCs are the perfect solution for all your needs. They are simple to set up, saving you space and reducing energy costs.

For a small business, your office is your base, and your computer network is the nerve. To build the best network configuration for small offices, you will need instructions and what is the best networking equipment for small businesses.

Necessities to Create a Computer Network for Small Businesses

To even start building your network, you need the right networking tools for your small business. After you’ve acquired those tools, you will need to know how to use them as well.

Identifying Your Network Requirements

Setting up your network will require devices that you and your employees will use to work and utilise your working space.

You’ll need:

• Computers
• Cameras
• Phones
• Printers
• Phone systems(VoIP equipment)
• Network storage devices

Now that you have all the devices you need for your small business network, you will have to connect them somehow. 

For this step, you’ll need:

• Cables
• Modem
• Router
• Switch
• Patch Panel

Having a network is great, but it is not done if you are not secure. To be protected, you must have a strong hardware firewall that will provide your small business network with the following:

• VPN (Virtual Private Network)
• Advanced Web Filtering
• Scalability

Why Mini PCs Are the Best Networking Equipment for Small Businesses

Starting a small business can be challenging, and you have many things to consider. The office space needs to be sufficiently used, costs need to be maintained, and you need to manage your team. For these reasons, you should strongly consider using mini PCs as your small business networking solution. They provide everything you need because they are:

• Compact and efficient for office spaces, they are game changers for small businesses
• Energy-efficient, you can read why Mini PCs are great for your home office
• Ideal for small teams and business owners

Key Components for Building a Small Business Network

Now that you have an idea of what you need, let’s get on with why you need these components and what their use is.

Router and Modem: The Network Foundation

A modem is a gateway that connects your business network to the internet. Cable modems allow internet services to run on the same cables that provide TV and digital phone lines to your office. However, if you have a fibre optic connection system, you may not need a modem as it can connect directly to your router.

A router is the centre of your network, and it directs traffic from your devices and the internet. Typically, the internet cable is connected to the router, which is then connected to your devices with an Ethernet switch. You must choose the right router for your business.

You should consider the following when making your choice:

• Number of devices
• Interference from surrounding Wi-Fi networks
• Secure access for visitors

Wired vs. Wireless Network

You want your network to run smoothly. You have to know when to use a wired connection and when to use a wireless one. You want most of your devices to run on a wired network as it is faster, more reliable and improves the performance of the devices themselves. 

Most devices can use a wired connection; the only reason to use wireless is if you have flexible devices like laptops and phones, but that congests the network, which is why we highly suggest you use Mini PCs instead of laptops as they give you the power of a desktop computer while giving you the flexibility of a laptop as they can support both wired and wireless networks because they have network cable interfaces. You can check out our article on the best mini PC laptop alternatives.

Network Switches and Patch Panels

Switches facilitate communication between your devices within your internal network. They are there to make sure your data can flow smoothly between every device connected to the network. Choosing the right type of switch for your network is essential. For a small business, the best networking tool would be an unmanaged switch with CAT6 cables.

Patch panels are used to organise cables of all network devices connected to your small business network, which is important for simplifying your connectivity, easier maintenance, and future expansion, because when everything is in one place and labelled, it’s easy to add new devices, fix problems, and expand from there.

Choosing the Right PC for Your Business Network

Depending on what your business is, you will need a PC with different specifications. GEEKOM offers a wide range of mini PCs that provide the best network configuration for small offices.

Key Features to Look for in PCs

A strong CPU is required if you intend to do intense tasks that require a lot of processing power; these are tied to architecture, video game development, animation and many more industries.  One such Mini PC is the Geekom A8 Max Mini PC, which uses an impressive AMD Ryzen™ 9 CPU.

RAM is needed if you intend to multitask and if you need more memory to run multiple apps at once. This is needed if you plan to work with a lot of data, be it for analytics, AI neural networks, or financial modelling and training. Geekom IT13 offers up to 64GB of RAM, which is more than enough for all your needs!

Lastly, if you work in entertainment, e-commerce, or law, you need a lot of storage space to have all of your data available for your work, be it high-resolution videos or client documents. Don’t worry, GEEKOM A7 is perfect for you with up to 2TB of storage space!

Setting Up Your Computer Network

You have your equipment, and you know what it is used for; now, here are the steps you need to take to use it to build the network.

Step-by-Step Network Setup Guide

This can be done in six easy steps

1. Choose your type of network and network design
2. Buy the equipment
3. Place your equipment and manage the cables with a patch panel
4. Connect the modem, router and firewall hardware and configure the network
5. Connect your devices
6. Set up security and maintenance

Testing the Network

A small business network shouldn’t have issues with testing and troubleshooting; after you are done setting everything up, test and troubleshoot everything twice, so everything runs once you start with the actual work.

Network Security and Maintenance for Small Businesses

We already touched on the importance of security, but we will give a brief explanation once again, as it is the last thing you need to finish building your small business network.

Securing Small Business Networks

Setting up your security is not as hard as it may sound; you need a few things, and your network becomes a fortress.

Here is a list:

• Firewall
• Access control
• Secure Wi-Fi
• Regular software update
• Employee training(most important)

Regular Updates and Backups

You have to keep your devices and network up to date. Just update your software every time it needs an update, and both you and your network will be just fine.

Scaling Your Network as Your Business Grows

As you keep working hard, your business will grow naturally, and you will need to expand it and your network with it. This is why you need to plan your network with that in mind.

Upgrading and Expanding Your Network

You will need to invest in scalable hardware and software.

You’ll need:

• Modular switches
• PoE-enabled devices
• Adaptive cloud-managed systems
• Infrastructure for more devices
• Centralized Management

When to Consider Professional IT Support

If you are having troubles you can’t resolve on your own or think your network is compromised, contact professional IT support; you should pay them rather than have to pay much more down the line because of delays, system collapses, or data breaches. 

Conclusion

By choosing Mini PCs for your small business network, you choose compact, energy-efficient devices that can easily scale as your business grows. Start building your small business network today with Mini PCs and boost your efficiency and productivity. All our Mini PCs come with Windows 11 Pro pre-installed, ensuring a seamless start. Explore our wide range of Mini PCs for small business success and find the perfect solution!