We could go on and on about the benefits of using Voice over Internet Protocol (also known as VoIP) for your business telephone needs. However, it is important that you do everything you can to prepare your network for this kind of utilization. Let’s review a few tips to help make sure your network is properly optimized for VoIP. How to Prepare Your Network for a VoIP Implementation Ensure Your Network Connection is Stable As the name would suggest, Voice over Internet Protocol uses the Internet instead of a standalone infrastructure. For this reason, it is vital that your business’ Internet connection is ready to support this added demand. Otherwise, your vital communications will only create bottlenecks in your network. So, how do you make sure your Internet is up to the task? There are a few steps you need to take. First, you need to know how stable your network is, as a VoIP connection will take up a lot of resources. Therefore, running a speed test will help you establish whether or not your network can support VoIP at all in its current state. This speed test will give you a few important metrics: Latency – how long the data packets containing the VoIP data take to reach you Jitter – how consistent your latency is Speed – how much data can be sent Packet Loss – how many data packets are lost in transit If these results fall short of your expectations, it may be time to upgrade your connection. Equip Your Business Properly Similarly, you must ensure that your network infrastructure is up to snuff. Older pieces of equipment could likely stand for an upgrade, so consider switching to those using Wi-Fi 5 and 6 that are compatible with QoS (Quality of Service) features. If possible, consider using a hardwired ethernet connection for your VoIP needs. Of course, you also need to keep your business secure, and that includes your VoIP implementation. You may want to lean on your business’ trusted IT resource for assistance in securing your network against cyberattacks. Consider Additional Infrastructure Upgrades On a related note, you should turn to this resource for help with adapting your infrastructure to help facilitate the use of VoIP in your business. For instance, it’s totally possible to create a virtualized local area network in addition to your bog-standard local area network to give your VoIP data packets a prioritized place to travel. These Are Just a Few Ways to Help Improve Your Use of VoIP Turn to White Mountain IT Services for more! We help New Hampshire businesses with technology needs and challenges of all kinds, and we can help you with yours. Give us a call at (603) 889-0800 to find out how.
It’s easy to look at a power strip and a surge protector and question if there’s anything that actually makes them different. After all, they both give you extra plugs, right? Yes, but there’s more to it than just that. Let’s review some of the important differences between the two that make one a far better choice for your business’ power delivery needs.
Businesses will often go into the process of self-improvement with unrealistic expectations for how much they can significantly improve their functionality. This simply is not true, and sometimes business owners need to realize that real change—the kind that yields real results—takes time. Thankfully, there are some actionable steps you can take to ensure that your business is moving in the right direction.
The strain on people’s bodies isn’t always taken seriously when someone works at a computer. Still, many official studies suggest that desk jobs can have a radical and rather negative effect on the health of individuals. One common ailment is what is called “tech neck.” Tech neck is a term that describes neck pain and damage stemming from looking down at computers or mobile devices for prolonged periods. To avoid tech neck, you can follow these helpful tips.
Cost/Benefit is a term you hear a lot. It’s always used in conversations about potential investment and means something. Well, at least it should. One of the places that many people can gain benefits from their investments is by outsourcing some of their responsibilities to an outside vendor. This works especially well with IT management. Let’s take a look at why outsourcing your technology support and management is a good investment.
