Whether you’re running a coffee shop, a small store, or focus mostly on B2B, having a reliable and easy-to-maintain network can be critical to making money. While you can go overboard with multi-gig switches and Wi-Fi 7 APs, many small businesses simply don’t need that kind of speed. Luckily, there are some affordable and practical business solutions from brands like Netgear, TP-Link, Ubiquiti, and more that make it possible to stay in control of your network without needing to waste hours digging through a convoluted user interface, or waiting for your tech guy to return your call.

Pick the right hardware

Don’t go overboard with high-end equipment

A lot of small businesses aren’t exactly rolling in cash, so it’s important not to go overboard with high-end equipment, or put together a system with way more capacity than will ever be needed. To get started, you’ll need a router and some wireless access points (WAP). With a standard residential router, the router and access points (AP) are all in the same box. But with business solutions, it’s more common to use ceiling-mounted AP to provide strong Wi-Fi where needed, like a lobby or waiting room, with wired capacity for the rest of your devices.

PoE switches can make getting set up easier since they deliver data and power over a single wire. That means you won’t need to worry about running power to your APs, making installation simpler. PoE switches can also power things like IP speaker systems and security cameras. While a lot of consumer solutions use Wi-Fi for their connections, in a business setup, PoE can provide a more reliable solution.

Small businesses can come in all shapes and sizes, and so do their solutions. A farm, for example, could need long-range outdoor APs, while a coffee shop may only need a single access point to run the register and provide guest Wi-Fi to customers. Before you start buying equipment, figure out just how many devices you will need to support to avoid guesswork and costly downtime if you need to upgrade later on.

If your company deals with large files, such as source files for video editing, you should consider a multi-gig switch. Gigabit speeds are common these days, and for most applications, more than fast enough. As file sizes continue to grow, however, you could see some benefits with a faster connection, especially as you add employees. Even if your ISP doesn’t provide multi-gig speeds, a fast network could still be a benefit for local networking, such as storing files on a NAS.

For your APs, Wi-Fi 6 likely offers more than enough capacity for most small businesses. Wi-Fi 7 APs are available, but unless you need multi-gig Wi-Fi speeds, there’s not too much of a point. The nice thing about having a system with the router and APs separate is that you can update them individually, so when it comes time to upgrade you don’t have to rebuild the whole system.

Maybe you just need a router

Off-the-shelf solutions are powerful enough for some

As consumer Wi-Fi routers have gotten more powerful, they’ve also added features commonly associated with business Wi-Fi, like support for multiple VLANs (virtual local area network), VPN support, and even guest Wi-Fi with sign-on pages and fine controls. If your business only has a handful of employees and a small area to cover, like a beauty salon or a repair shop, you could get by with a single router. But you should make sure it's got the features you need.

Some routers, like the Asus RT-AX88U Pro and the TP-Link Archer BE800, support guest networks with splash screens, as you would expect from public Wi-Fi at a business. With these solutions, you can add a customer header image and require guests to accept your terms and conditions before getting connected. These networks also keep the guest connections on a VLAN, so they’re not connected to the same local network as business machines. You can also set speed limits and automatically revoke access after a certain amount of time to make sure your devices are first in line for bandwidth.

There are also routers designed specifically for small business usage, like the Asus ExpertWiFi EBR63 or the 4G-enabled TP-Link Omada ER706W. While the hardware isn't all that spectacular, these routers have the software needed to keep your network secure. These even support mesh expansion so you can expand your coverage without running wires. Even Wi-Fi 6 and newer Eero routers support business features with Eero's business subscription.

Run wires while it's cheap and easy

Set up Ethernet if you are making upgrades to your space

If you’re about to move into a new office or constructing one, the time to think about wiring is now. Ethernet isn’t that expensive, but the cost of moving your entire office around to install it in a few months is. Even if you don’t need it right now, having Ethernet ready to go means you’ll be ready to add more employees and computers whenever they’re needed. Sure, you can put everyone on Wi-Fi, but you’ll quickly discover that even very fast Wi-Fi can start to buckle under the load of dozens of workers all using it at once.

While modern computers are reliable, it’s not a good idea to have all of your data saved in just one place. Depending on the files you work with, a fast NAS with redundancy can prevent data loss and make it easier to access information from multiple computers. Ethernet can give you faster and more reliable speeds when you’re primarily working off of files saved on a NAS. Even running Ethernet at home instead of relying on Wi-Fi can give you a better network experience.

High-quality Ethernet, like Cat 6 or newer, can also support multi-gigabit speeds over long distance runs. If you're going to use PoE equipment, it's also a good time to make sure you're prepared with the best cables for the job. If you only need gigabit speeds for now, it will also work with that, although it may be far more capable than you need today. But if you find the need to upgrade to faster speeds down the line, you probably won't need to upgrade your Ethernet at all.

Set up multiple VLANs

Get guests online without sharing your network

Whether they’re waiting for their turn at a barbershop, finishing a term paper at a coffee shop, or just need to download a few movies before hopping on a plane, many customers have come to expect Wi-Fi at businesses, and luckily, it’s not that hard to give it to them. Even the best budget Wi-Fi routers support guest networks that keep guest devices separate from your main network.

If you’ve got a bunch of security cameras on your network, or a NAS, you don’t want every guest to be able to see those devices. While being on the same network doesn’t necessarily give them access to your devices, it’s still a good idea to keep them as separate as possible. Guest networks and separate VLANs can also offer customization, such as only using the 2.4GHz band or limiting download speeds. You can also quickly turn a guest network on or off, so you don’t need to leave it running all night with people sitting outside your building for free Wi-Fi.

What about VPNs?

Work computers are for work

For most people, a VPN is a service you use for improved privacy while using public networks. Many businesses also have their own VPN, so employees working from home or on the road can connect to the network as if they were at the office. That means they’ll have access to the files they need as well as a secure connection on their Wi-Fi connection.

Many business routers are designed with VPN connections in mind, whether you need to connect a different building to your main network, or if you have people working from home that need secure VPN access. These routers are also designed to be easily managed remotely with an app, or at least a GUI.

Pay attention to software

If you have a small business, you likely don’t have a dedicated person to handle your network and will need to manage your network on your own. Luckily, most routers, even business routers, have easy-to-use apps or GUIs that make it easy to see which devices are connected and set up your network smoothly. Many also offer remote management so that you can manage your network when you’re not directly connected to it.