NOTE: This article is for informational purposes only and is not an advertisement for any specific brands or models of equipment.
A problem familiar to every office worker
Is this a familiar situation? An important video conference with a client in 5 minutes. You open the presentation, connect to the call, and… the screen freezes, the sound stops, and the participants turn into blurred pixels. In a panic, you reboot the router, turn off all your colleagues’ devices (causing their just indignation), but nothing helps – Wi-Fi continues to painfully “crawl”.
Similar dramas are played out daily in offices around the world. Slow Wi-Fi turns into a source of constant stress, disrupts project deadlines and reduces the productivity of the entire team. And although there are many reasons for this behavior, in this article we will focus on one of the most common and often overlooked – the wrong choice of Wi-Fi equipment for office environments.
Other common reasons for slow Wi-Fi in the office include:
- Thick reinforced walls blocking the signal
- Congestion of Wi-Fi channels in office buildings
- Outdated Wi-Fi standards and suboptimal settings
- Problems on the Internet provider’s side
- Malware and unauthorized network usage
- Suboptimal location of access points
These factors require separate detailed consideration, and we will definitely return to them in future publications.
Your router is not coping: why the class of Wi-Fi equipment is critically important
Many business owners and office managers are unaware that Wi-Fi routers, like cars, are divided into classes, each of which is designed for specific tasks and workloads. Using an unsuitable class router in an office is akin to trying to transport construction materials in a sports convertible – technically possible, but extremely inefficient and even disruptive to business processes.
Why does a home router “suffocate” in an office environment?
Imagine a small cafe with one barista, which suddenly attracted a crowd of one hundred people. No matter how hard this employee tries, the queue will only grow, customers will get annoyed, and the quality of service will plummet. A home router works the same way in an office environment: it is simply not designed for such a large number of simultaneous connections and usage intensity.
Here are the main reasons why a home router can’t handle office workloads.:
1. Limited processor and memory
Home routers are usually equipped with weaker processors (usually single-core with a frequency of 700-900 MHz) and have a minimum amount of RAM (usually 64-256 MB). This is enough to handle home traffic, where there are rarely more than 5-10 simultaneously active devices.
In the office, each employee can use several devices simultaneously — a computer, smartphone, tablet, smartwatch — which constantly exchange data with the Internet. Common devices are added to this: printers, IP phones, video surveillance cameras, smart TVs in meeting rooms, and much more. With 15-20 employees, the number of devices connected at the same time easily exceeds 30-40, which creates a huge load on the processor and memory of the router.
What happens in practice: When the number of simultaneous connections and requests exceeds the processor’s capacity, delays in data processing occur. The router starts queuing requests, which leads to noticeable delays for all users. In particularly severe cases, this can cause periodic overloads of the device.
2. Limited bandwidth of the Wi-Fi module
Home routers are usually equipped with simpler Wi-Fi modules with fewer data streams and antennas. Most low-cost models support the 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4) standard or basic 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) variants with limited bandwidth.
At home, where it is rarely necessary to simultaneously transfer large amounts of data from many devices, this does not create problems. However, in an office where dozens of employees simultaneously work with cloud services, download files, hold video conferences, synchronize data, the available bandwidth of the Wi-Fi channel is quickly exhausted.
What happens in practice: Even if the speed of your Internet connection is high (for example, 100 or 300 Mbps), your home router may not be able to handle the distribution of this speed between multiple devices. As a result, all employees receive only a small fraction of the available speed, which is especially critical for demanding applications like video conferencing.
3. Lack of traffic Prioritization (QoS)
High—quality traffic management (Quality of Service or QoS) is a feature that allows a router to give priority to certain types of data or devices. For example, you can set priority for video conferencing and IP telephony over downloading files or watching YouTube.
In home routers, this feature is either completely absent or implemented in a very simplified form. As a result, when one employee starts downloading a large file or watching a high-resolution video, it can negatively affect the quality of communication for everyone else.
What happens in practice: Imagine that your colleague decided to download a multi-gigabyte software update. Without proper prioritization of traffic, its download can “eat up” the lion’s share of bandwidth, which is why your important video conference with a client will start to “hang up” and be interrupted at the most inopportune moment.
4. Limited ability to work with a large number of simultaneous connections
Each device on the network establishes multiple simultaneous connections to various servers and services. Even a simple smartphone in the background can support dozens of active connections to synchronize mail, messengers, social networks and other applications.
Home routers usually have a limited connection state table and can handle only a limited number of simultaneous sessions, usually from a few hundred to a couple thousand. In an office environment where dozens of devices are running simultaneously, this limit can be reached very quickly.
What happens in practice: When the connection table overflows, the router starts dropping existing connections or refusing to establish new connections. This manifests itself as sudden disconnections, unexplained problems with access to certain sites or services, and the need to restart the router frequently.
5. Insufficient radio module power and antenna quality
Home routers are equipped with antennas and transmitters designed to cover an apartment or small house. Their power and sensitivity are limited, which is quite logical for home conditions.
Office premises usually have a larger area, a more complex layout and more obstacles to the signal (walls, partitions, furniture, appliances). A home router simply cannot provide high-quality coverage in all corners of the office, which leads to areas with very weak or no signal.
What happens in practice: Employees whose workplaces are located far from the router or separated from it by walls constantly suffer from unstable connections. They are forced to move around the office in search of a better signal or use a wired connection, which limits mobility and creates additional inconvenience.
6. Limited security options
A corporate network requires a more serious approach to security than a home network. The ability to create separate network segments, guest access with isolation from corporate resources, support for corporate authentication protocols, advanced firewall settings — all this is usually absent in home routers.
What happens in practice: The risk of unauthorized access to corporate data increases, it is more difficult to control network usage, and it is almost impossible to ensure the proper level of protection of confidential information.
Classification of Wi-Fi routers: choosing the right class for the office
Now that we understand why a home router is not suitable for office environments, let’s look at the main classes of Wi-Fi equipment and their features.:
Class 1: Home Routers (Home/Consumer Grade)
Intended use: For use in an apartment or small private house with 3-5 users.
Typical features:
- Processor: single-core, 600-900 MHz
- RAM: 64-256 MB
- Wi-Fi standard: Usually 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4) or basic 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5)
- Number of simultaneous connections: up to 50-100 active devices, up to 2000-5000 simultaneous sessions
- Antennas: 2-3, usually fixed or with low gain
- Security features: Basic (WPA/WPA2-Personal, simple firewall)
- Management: primitive web interface, limited customization options
Suitable for: A family of 3-5 people, an apartment or a small house, a small number of devices, standard tasks (surfing the Web, social networks, watching videos, infrequent video calls).
Who is NOT suitable: It is absolutely not suitable for offices of any size, even for microbusiness with 3-5 employees, since the intensity of use and reliability requirements in a business environment are much higher.
A vivid example from practice: A small marketing agency of 7 people decided to save money and install a home router. On normal days, the Internet worked acceptably, but with regular “freezes”. The real nightmare began during client presentations: video conferences were regularly interrupted, the quality of communication was unpredictable, and the demonstration of work to clients turned into a real test. After three disrupted meetings and one lost client, the management finally decided to purchase a business router, which completely solved the problem. The lost revenue from a lost customer has greatly exceeded the cost difference between a home and business router.
Class 2: Routers for small businesses (SOHO/SMB Grade)
Purpose: Small and medium-sized businesses with up to 30-50 employees, small offices, coworking, mini-hotels, cafes.
Typical features:
- processor: dual- or quad-core, 1-1.5 GHz
- RAM: 256-512 MB
- Wi-Fi standard: Modern 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) or 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 6)
- Number of simultaneous connections: up to 100-200 active devices, up to 10000-200 simultaneous sessions
- Antennas: 3-4 high-gain, often removable for upgrade capability
- Security features: Advanced (WPA2/WPA 3-Enterprise, VPN server, advanced firewall, network segmentation)
- Management: full-featured web interface, advanced configuration and monitoring capabilities
Suitable for: Ideal solution for most small and medium-sized companies, offices with up to 30-50 employees, coworking spaces, small cafes with Wi-Fi for visitors, mini hotels and hostels.
Who is NOT suitable: Large offices with hundreds of employees, business centers, large hotels, educational institutions, situations requiring seamless roaming between multiple access points.
Case study: A web studio of 15 employees immediately chose a business router with support for the modern Wi-Fi 6 standard. Despite the fact that the office was located in an old building with thick walls, the router provided stable coverage throughout the entire area. The ability to prioritize traffic made it possible to ensure that video calls and remote work with client servers always get the necessary bandwidth, even when designers download heavy files. The presence of a VPN server also enabled remote employees to securely connect to the office network.
Class 3: Enterprise Systems (Enterprise Grade)
Intended use: Large companies, business centers, hotels, educational institutions, any organization with hundreds of users and high requirements for reliability and security.
Typical features:
- architecture: It consists of a central controller and multiple access points (not a single device, as in previous classes)
- Processor and memory: Server-grade in the controller, optimized at access points
- Wi-Fi standard: Latest standards with support for all advanced features
- Number of simultaneous connections: Thousands of active devices, hundreds of thousands of simultaneous sessions
- Coverage: Seamless throughout, automatic optimization and load balancing
- Security features: Enterprise-level with centralized policy management, integration with corporate authentication systems
- Management: Professional management systems with detailed analytics, monitoring and automation
Suitable for: Large offices with hundreds of employees, entire business centers, large hotels, university campuses, hospitals, shopping malls – any facilities with a large number of users and high requirements for the quality of communication.
Who is NOT suitable: Small and medium-sized businesses with a limited budget, small offices where such systems will be unreasonably complex and expensive to maintain.
A practical example: The 50,000 m2 Class A business center with hundreds of tenant offices has implemented a corporate Wi-Fi system. The system includes a central controller and more than 100 access points evenly distributed throughout the building. This provides seamless Wi-Fi coverage for thousands of employees of rental companies with automatic switching between access points when moving. The system automatically identifies and neutralizes sources of interference, balances the load between access points, provides detailed usage analytics, and identifies potential problems before they affect users.
How can I tell if your office Wi-Fi is suffering from an unsuitable router class?
Here are a few characteristic signs that indicate exactly the problem with the class of equipment, and not other factors.:
1. Wi-Fi “slows down” with a large number of active users
How it manifests itself: At the beginning of the working day, when only a few employees came to the office, Wi-Fi works fine. As the rest of the colleagues arrive, the speed starts to drop. After lunch, when everyone is in place and actively working, the Internet becomes almost unusable.
Reason: The limit of the router’s processor and memory capacity to handle simultaneous connections has been reached. Every new active user makes the situation worse.
2. Frequent freezes and the need to reboot the router
How it manifests itself: The router periodically “freezes” and requires a reboot, especially during peak load periods. After the reboot, the situation temporarily improves, but soon the problems return.
The reason: Overflow of the connection status table, lack of RAM, overheating due to the constant high load on the processor.
3. Dramatic drop in speed during “heavy” tasks
How it manifests itself: When one of the employees starts downloading a large file, watching a video, or holding a video conference, the Internet slows down for everyone else.
The reason is the absence or incorrect operation of traffic prioritization (QoS) mechanisms, typical for home routers.
4. The inability to hold multiple video conferences at the same time
How it manifests itself: When trying to conduct several parallel video conferences, the quality of communication drops sharply for all participants, delays occur, image artifacts, and sound disappears.
The reason is the insufficient bandwidth of the router’s Wi-Fi module and limited options for prioritizing delay-sensitive traffic.
5. “Wi-Fi is coming in patches” all over the office
How it manifests itself: In some parts of the office, the signal is excellent, in others it is mediocre, and in some it is completely absent, with no apparent logic in this distribution.
The reason: Insufficient transmitter power and antenna quality, typical for home routers, which are not initially designed to cover large areas and overcome multiple obstacles.
A real-life story: how an unsuitable router almost ruined a business
A clear example of the consequences of choosing the wrong class of Wi-Fi equipment:
A small law firm of 12 employees rented an office in a modern business center. When arranging the premises, the office manager, wanting to save money, purchased a well-known brand home router for $70 at the nearest electronics store. For the first couple of weeks, everything worked acceptably, since the company was just getting settled in, and not all employees actively used the office network.
The problems started when the work returned to a normal rhythm. Lawyers constantly worked with voluminous documents in cloud storage, conducted video consultations with clients, and sent and received heavy attachments by email. Wi-Fi started to work worse and worse, which caused constant irritation of employees and negatively affected customer service.
A critical situation arose when the company was conducting an important court case with a large amount of claim. During the online meeting, which was held due to the pandemic, the Internet connection was repeatedly interrupted. As a result, the company’s representative missed a key moment of the hearing and was unable to provide important evidence in a timely manner. This seriously affected the course of the case, and the client eventually lost, losing several million rubles. The client accused the company of incompetence and terminated the contract, as well as distributed negative reviews among his business partners.
Only after that, the company’s management turned to professionals, who quickly diagnosed the problem: the home router categorically could not cope with the load created by 12 active users performing “heavy” tasks. In addition, the thick concrete walls of the office greatly weakened the signal in some rooms. The solution was to install a $350 business router and an additional access point in an area with poor coverage.
This case clearly demonstrates how the wrong choice of network equipment class can lead to disastrous consequences for a business, many times exceeding the savings on the right equipment.
How to choose the right router for the office: key parameters
If you decide to purchase a new router for the office or replace an unsuitable home model, pay attention to the following key features:
1. Processor and RAM
What to look at: For an office with 10-20 employees, we recommend a router with at least a dual-core processor with a frequency of 1 GHz and 256-512 MB of RAM. For larger offices, the requirements are correspondingly higher.
Why is this important?: These parameters determine the router’s ability to handle multiple simultaneous connections without delay. The more powerful the processor and the more memory, the more “responsive” the Internet will be with a large number of users.
2. The Wi-Fi standard and the number of streams
What to look at: For a modern office, at least the 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) standard is recommended, and preferably 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6). Pay attention to the designations like “AC1750”, “AX3000”, etc. — the higher the number, the greater the total theoretical bandwidth. The number of data streams is also important: “2×2”, “3×3” or “4×4” MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technologies — where the first digit indicates the number of transmitting antennas, and the second — the receiving ones.
Why this is important: More modern standards and more streams ensure higher throughput and better performance with a large number of simultaneous connections. Wi-Fi 6 is especially effective in conditions of a large number of devices thanks to OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) technology, which allows the router to serve several devices simultaneously within a single channel.
3. Dual band support: 2.4GHz and 5 GHz
What to watch for: Make sure that the router supports both frequency ranges: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
Why this is important: The 2.4GHz band provides better signal penetration through walls, but is more susceptible to interference and usually has lower bandwidth. The 5 GHz band provides much higher speeds and is less prone to interference, but penetrates obstacles worse. The presence of both bands allows for optimal device allocation: for example, desktop computers in the main room can operate at 5 GHz for maximum speed, and devices in remote rooms can operate at 2.4 GHz for better reception.
4. Traffic Prioritization (QoS) capabilities
What to look at: The availability of advanced QoS (Quality of Service) functions with the ability to flexibly adjust priorities for different types of traffic or individual devices.
Why this is important: In the office, it is critically important to ensure stable operation of business applications, even at times of high network load. QoS allows, for example, to ensure that video conferencing and IP telephony always receive the necessary bandwidth, even if one of the employees downloads large files or watches videos.
5. Security features
What to look at: Support for modern encryption protocols (WPA2/WPA 3-Enterprise), the ability to create separate network segments (VLANs), guest access with isolation, the presence of a built-in firewall with advanced settings, the ability to configure a VPN server.
Why this is important: The office network often processes confidential information, so security is critically important. The ability to create a separate guest network allows visitors to access the Internet without risking corporate data. The VPN server provides secure remote access to the office network for employees working from home or on business trips.
6. The possibility of expanding coverage
What to watch for: The ability to work in Mesh network mode or expand coverage using additional access points controlled from a single interface.
Why this is important: If the office has a complex layout or a large area, one router may not be enough to ensure uniform coverage. The ability to easily add additional access points with centralized management allows you to solve this problem without having to configure each device separately.
7. Manufacturer and Software
What to look for: The manufacturer’s reputation in the segment of business solutions, the availability of local technical support, the regularity of firmware updates, the convenience and functionality of the management interface.
Why this is important: A business network requires increased reliability and stability. Manufacturers specializing in enterprise solutions usually pay more attention to firmware quality, security, and long-term support for their devices, unlike manufacturers focused on the consumer segment.
Specific steps to solve the problem of unsuitable Wi-Fi equipment in the office
If you have determined that your office Wi-Fi is “slowing down” precisely because of the unsuitable class of equipment, here is a step-by-step action plan:
Step 1: Audit the current situation
Collect the following information:
- The model and characteristics of the current router
- Number of employees and devices using Wi-Fi
- Office area and layout, location of workplaces
- Typical tasks performed by employees (video conferencing, working with cloud services, etc.)
- Building features that may affect signal propagation (thick reinforced concrete walls, metal structures, etc.)
Step 2: Determine the equipment class that you need
Based on the information collected:
- For a small office with up to 15-20 employees with standard tasks: a high-quality business class router
- For an office of 20-50 people or with high reliability requirements: SMB router (small and medium business) with possible additional access points
- For large offices with more than 50 people: consider a full-fledged corporate system with a controller and multiple access points
Step 3: Select the appropriate models, taking into account the specifics of your office
Pay attention to:
- The maximum number of simultaneous connections that the device supports
- The power of the Wi-Fi module and the characteristics of the antennas (especially important in the presence of thick walls)
- Support for modern standards and technologies (Wi-Fi 6, Mesh, MU-MIMO, etc.)
- Traffic prioritization and network management functions
Step 4: Develop an optimal layout for the equipment
- For a small office with one router: choose a central location with minimal obstacles to the signal
- For an office with a complex layout: place the main router in the center of the most active area, and additional access points in remote parts of the office.
- Consider the location of workplaces, meeting rooms, and other areas where stable Wi-Fi is required.
Step 5: Install and configure new hardware
- Optimize your settings based on the specifics of your office
- Set up traffic prioritization for mission-critical business applications
- Create a separate guest network for visitors
- Implement security policies that meet your business’ requirements.
Step 6: Perform testing and optimization
After installing the new hardware:
- Take Wi-Fi speed measurements in different parts of the office
- Collect feedback from employees about the stability of the connection
- Adjust the hardware location or settings if necessary.
- Periodically re-audit when the number of employees or tasks changes.
Economic rationale: why saving on a router is expensive
Many small business leaders are hesitant about investing in more expensive Wi-Fi equipment. Let’s look at a simple calculation that shows why savings on a router often result in significant losses.:
scenario: An office with 15 employees
Option 1: Home Router
- Due to regular Wi-Fi “brakes”, each employee loses an average of 20 minutes of working time daily (waiting for files to download, interruptions in video calls, restarting the router, etc.)
- Daily time loss of the entire team: 15 employees × 20 minutes = 300 minutes = 5 hours
- Monthly loss of working time: 5 hours × 21 working days = 105 hours
- Annual loss of working time: 105 hours × 12 months = 1,260 hours
Option 2: Business Router
- Stable operation of Wi-Fi virtually eliminates time loss due to technical problems.
- Efficient work of employees without unnecessary downtime and disruptions of video conferences
- Improving employee productivity and satisfaction with working conditions
If you convert the lost 1,260 hours of working time per year into money, based on the average salary of employees, you will get a significant amount that will many times exceed the price difference between a home and business router. And if you take into account other factors, such as reducing the risk of disrupting important meetings and improving the company’s image in the eyes of customers and partners, the benefits become even more obvious.
conclusion: Choosing the right Wi-Fi equipment is an investment in efficiency
We looked at one of the most common reasons for slow Wi-Fi in the office — the use of unsuitable equipment. As we found out, trying to save money on a router by installing a home model in the office is almost guaranteed to lead to performance problems that negatively affect the work of the entire team.
It is important to understand that routers, like many other tools, are divided into classes, each of which is designed for specific use conditions. Using a home router in an office is like trying to use a passenger car to transport construction materials or an amateur camera for a professional photo shoot. Technically possible, but the result will be far from optimal.
Investing in the right network equipment for an office is not just a waste of money, but an investment in the stability and efficiency of work processes. Calculations show that the additional cost of a business router pays off by reducing the loss of working time in just a few days.
Of course, an unsuitable router class is just one of the possible causes of problems with Wi-Fi in the office. In future articles, we will look at other common factors, such as the influence of architectural features of the building, congestion of Wi-Fi channels, suboptimal settings, and more. But it’s worth starting with providing an adequate “base” — a router that meets the needs of your business.
DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational purposes only and is not an advertisement for any specific brands or models of equipment. When choosing equipment, it is recommended to refer to the official specifications of the manufacturers and consult with specialists. These recommendations are general and may not take into account the specifics of a particular situation. In addition to the unsuitable class of equipment, other factors can affect the quality of Wi-Fi, such as physical obstacles, congestion of frequency channels, problems on the part of the Internet provider, and many others.
