Internet connectivity has become an essential part of the modern workplace, with critical business operations relying on it to function. There are many potential reasons for an internet connection to fail, including equipment failures, line faults, human error, natural disasters, and cyberattacks. As no internet connection is guaranteed, it is essential for businesses to be aware of the potential impact of an outage and take steps to minimise the risks.
How can loss of internet affect a business
The impact of an internet connection outage on a business can be significant. It can lead to reduced productivity as employees are unable to perform their duties as usual. Tasks such as responding to emails, transferring files, and accessing company and customer data become impossible. This situation can also have a negative effect on the morale of employees who may feel like they’re not meeting their job requirements. Additionally, customers expect fast and reliable service, and a slow or unavailable website can result in loss of revenue and harm to a business’s reputation.
Apart from missed sales, downtime can cause financial losses and reduced output from employees. To minimise the impact of an outage, businesses need to plan for network failovers and have backup solutions in place. It’s critical to have protection, resiliency, and redundancy measures to ensure your company is well-prepared for any potential disruptions.
How to prevent downtime
If you are having issues with internet speeds or connectivity issues, having an additional line installed may not be your best option. There are a few alternatives open to you that could be of more benefit. If you are struggling with the signal, you could look at multiple WiFi routers, WiFi boosters or even just where the router is located in your home.
If download speed is an issue you may need to look at upgrading your line but not necessarily adding another line, as this may also have the same speed issues unless you are upgrading to fast fibre from a DSL for example. If you live in a rural area, your choice in internet connection may be limited to certain lines as some options may not be available in your location.
At the WiFi Specialist we can carry out a detailed survey of your home to get to the route of your issue. Our team of engineers will know your area to be able to advise what is available for you and will be able to recommend the best solution based on your needs and budget.
Having a backup plan is crucial in preventing downtime. In the event of any issues, the ability to switch to a dependable backup or redundant system is essential.
SD WAN
Instead of relying on luck to avoid internet downtime, it is wise to explore more reliable options. One such option is setting up a backup line or secondary connection to ensure continuity of internet service. SD-WAN is a solution that can be utilised to enable multiple internet connections to work simultaneously, resulting in improved performance and greater resilience. This means that in the event of one connection experiencing a problem, the other connection can continue to provide internet service, minimising any disruptions to business operations. By taking proactive steps to ensure internet continuity, businesses can avoid the costs associated with internet downtime and maintain a competitive edge in today’s digital landscape.
Back up Equipment
In addition to setting up a backup line or secondary connection, it’s essential to identify critical equipment such as routers, switches and firewalls that play a significant role in ensuring internet connectivity. In case of equipment failure, it’s recommended to have a spare device available to minimise downtime. These spares can be pre-configured in high availability mode, which means that they will automatically take over the primary device’s responsibilities in the event of a drop or failure, ensuring that the network remains up and running. By having backup equipment and a well-planned redundancy strategy in place, businesses can ensure that they are always prepared for unforeseen disruptions to their internet connectivity, maximising their uptime and productivity.
UPS
An uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system is a crucial piece of hardware that offers multiple benefits, including providing backup power during utility power outages. It can allow for controlled shutdown of critical equipment, bridge the gap between mains failure and an emergency standby generator starting, or provide an additional element of business continuity through extra battery packs or cabinets. The UPS also conditions incoming utility mains supplies against common forms of power disturbances and fluctuations, removing the risk of damage to sensitive electronic equipment.
Some of the advantages of using a UPS system include eliminating the risk of power outages to critical services, ensuring business continuity and/or the ability to perform a controlled shutdown of essential loads. The system also protects against common power disturbances, such as power spikes, voltage dips, and fluctuations. This protection improves business efficiency by guarding against costly downtime to essential services and loss of critical data, ultimately increasing business productivity. Additionally, the UPS system can bridge the gap between a utility mains failure and a standby emergency generator set starting and transferring, ensuring uninterrupted power supply during critical moments.
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Professional Internet and WiFi Services
In addition to the above measures, it’s also important to regularly monitor and maintain your network infrastructure to prevent issues before they arise. This includes updating firmware and software, performing regular backups of important data, and ensuring that security measures are up to date to protect against potential cyber-attacks.
Moreover, having a reliable and responsive network support team like The WiFi Specialist can be invaluable in the event of any issues. We can quickly diagnose and resolve any problems that may arise, minimising downtime and ensuring that your business operations are not disrupted.
By taking a proactive approach to network management and implementing these strategies, businesses can significantly reduce the risk of internet downtime and ensure that they have a reliable and resilient internet connection.
Contact The Wifi Specialist today for a quote or to arrange a no obligation survey
Our Happy Clients
I was struggling to get a decent wifi signal down to the garden office until the Wifi Specialists recommended a Point to Point kit. Now the internet is faster in the office than it is in the house. The guys did a great job installing too, keeping all the cabling very neat and hidden wherever possible. Even sorted out the TV aerial cable while they were doing the P2P cabling! Great service, strongly recommend.
Richard G
Couldn't recommend Indy more highly. They helped us implement an effective corporate wifi solution at very short notice. Communication throughout was excellent and we look forward to working with them again.
Francesca M
Indy and Rakki are first class guys, they did a professional job in record time and I ended up with a better router indoors as well as the Access point outdoors which now covers the whole garden. Definitely recommend the Wifi specialists.
John M
I'm absolute delighted with the service provided by The WiFi Specialist in running an ethernet cable out to my garden office. Indy was extremely helpful in discussion the options available to me, and recommending the right approach, and the work was carried out efficiently and with minimum disruption. I'm thrilled to now have a secure connection, and would definitely recommend The WiFi Specialist to anyone looking to improve connectivity.
Simon M
Excellent, knowledgeable, seamless experience with Indy and team. Not to mention my now perfect wifi!
Sarah K
I had been struggling with my wifi signal around my house for a number of years and the situation only got worse as we moved to remote working. After many attempts to get the issue addressed through the local ISP, I (my wife and kids) decided that I needed a specialist to come in. Indy made the whole process very simple from the initial site visit, design guidance and installation. I had my house refurbished a few years ago so adding new cabling around the house needed knowledge and experience. Indy and Rak did a great job at concealing the cat6 cables and provided a professional finish. I now have full wifi signal all around the house, garden and garage. I would highly recommend The Wi-Fi Specialist. Thank you.
Amarjit K
The IT service from this company was exemplary and resulted in a very good WiFi signal throughout the house. Indy was generous with his time and explained the technology well, without trying to sell equipment that would have been unnecessary for a domestic installation. He is friendly, knowledgeable and very professional. It was a great pleasure to work with him.
Andy A
