Networking Equipment – What Should I Have

Networking Equipment – What Should I Have?

Ever wondered exactly what network equipment you should have? And how do you know if it is right for you without being overkill or not enough? Is Best Buy an option from where to purchase the network equipment for my office?

In this post, we’ll look at some basic network equipment information to help you decide how to move forward with the decision and let you know how PST can help with all things office IT equipment related.

The Router

The router is the main piece of networking equipment on your network. Every network has one regardless of how small the network is. It’s possible that your router is the Internet Service Provider’s device (a modem and a router as 2 devices or 1 combo modem/router device). The router handles the routing of the internet and local traffic on the network. The router gives each device an IP address so it can be connected to the network and communicate with other local devices (such as printers and scanners) as well as access the internet to surf, send and receive email, upload and download information/files, and utilize VPN’s and access remote offices and devices in other parts of the city, state, country and world. No router, not internet.

Now, which router should you get? This depends on several factors. How big is your network (aka how many devices are or will eventually be on the network)? How much internet speed do you currently have and will you have in the near future? Will you need a VPN into or out of your network and do you want the router to handle that? Will you be using a backup internet connection in case the primary one goes down? How many switches will you be using on the network? How many wireless access points (aka WAPs) will you have?

These questions and more are important to answer before you hop online or run over to Best Buy to pick up the $80 router. I’m not speaking ill of Best Buy but they are not targeting the business consumer.

Switches

Switches are network devices that allow you to plug in computers, printers, WAPs, scanners, etc on your network. If you need more than 4 devices plugged into your network then you are likely to need at least 1 switch (there are a few routers out there with 8 switch ports on them compared to the most common of 4 switch ports).

Switches come in various sizes (only the most common ones listed here) such as 5, 8, 16, 24 & 48. You always want to get a switch with more ports than you initially need so you don’t have to buy another one later for just 1-3 ports.

Wireless Access Points (WAPs)

Wireless Access Points (WAPs) are best used when connected via ethernet cables back to a switch or router on the network. These WAPs work better than wireless to wireless connected access points. Remember, the backbone of your network is critical for how well your devices will work on the network. Don’t go cheap here. These access points work on what is called Power over Ethernet or PoE for short. If you are going to use these WAPs be sure to get a router or switch with PoE ports. Not all switches have PoE ports so be sure to look specifically for that kind of switch. Also, make certain you look at the PoE output maximum of the router or switch so you know whether that router or switch can support the number of WAPs you are going to use on the network.

Other network equipment does exist but these are the basics for small-to-medium size businesses.

We can help you with the decision and help with the installation.

How PST Can Help

At PST, we help businesses like yours navigate technology transitions with little-to–zero downtime, full compliance, and total peace of mind. Our services include:

Network audits and hardware assessments
HIPAA compliance checks
Windows 11 upgrade support
Secure email, backup, and cloud solutions

And to make it easy to get started, we’re offering a FREE 1-hour consultation. No pressure, no strings—just expert guidance to help you plan smart and stay ahead of risk.