Every business, large or small, needs an IT infrastructure. Workers need a way to share files, printers and databases. They need to access email, communicate with customers, suppliers and each other. They need to do research on the Web and of course they need to visit GARA Systems Online regularly.

At the root of a small business’s IT infrastructure is the Network. In this article I will describe the basic anatomy of a typical small business network and provide you with some tips for setting one up the right way.

The Wiring “Closet”

Despite the proliferation of wireless technologies, most small business networks are - and will continue to be for some time - based on wired technologies.

The Wiring Closet - which may or may not be an actual closet - is the location where all of the network drops originate. A network drop is simply a jack on the wall where you plugin your PC, server, printer or other network enabled device. A wire is run from each wall jack back to the wiring closet. It’s an “All roads lead to Rome” kind of thing. Think of each of these drops as a branch of your nervous system.

A core piece of equipment in the wiring closet is the patch panel. The network drop cabling from each wall jack will connect to the back of the panel. On the front of the panel is a series of jacks. Each wall jack in the office will be linked to one of these panel jacks. It’s a good idea to create a chart that maps each panel jack to a physical location. It takes a few minutes to complete but will prove valuable when troubleshooting any network issues.

The wiring that runs between the closet and the physical drop usually needs to run inside of walls, through ceilings and beneath floors. If your facility is not already wired - or if you need to add drops - look for a contractor that has experience with this type of work. The best choices are electricians and telephone system installers. IT consultants usually do not do this type of work. The cost can vary greatly depending on your facility, the number of drops required and other factors. I’ve seen the price range from $50 per drop to almost $300 per drop. This will most likely be the largest expense in your network installation so it’s a good idea to get quotes and references from at least 2 or 3 contractors.

The Switch

If a network is like a nervous system then the switch is the backbone. Anything that you want to connect to the network will ultimately need to be connected to the switch. To do that, we place the switch in the wiring closet near the patch panel. Each port on the patch panel that’s in-use is then “patched” into the switch using a short - 2′ to 5′ - patch cable.

Switches come in a multitude of configurations. The first option you will see is the number of ports. You will normally choose between an 8, 16 or 24-port switch. The number of ports you need will be determined by the number of devices you will connect to the switch. Devices includes servers, PC’s, network based printers, network attached storage, routers, and wireless access points. It’s always good to give yourself room for growth so if you have 15 or 16 devices, for example, go with the 24-port switch. If you have more devices than one switch can handle then you can stack multiple switches. Another option is to connect the uplink port of a smaller switch to a wall jack in an office with multiple devices. Like a high tech splitter it allows you to connect multiple devices to a single wall jack.

The next option you will see when shopping for switches is the port speed. Most switches today support 10/100Mbs and are auto-sensing, meaning they automatically determine the speed of the connected device. This is the minimum that you want in a switch. Switches that also support 1000Mbs, known as Gigabit switches, are available, but can be very expensive. A good compromise for most small businesses is to get a switch that has only 1 or 2 Gigabit ports and use them for servers and other devices that may experience bottlenecks.

The third option is whether to choose a managed or an unmanaged switch. The best choice for a small business network is the unmanaged switch. It’s less expensive, easier to install and, as the name implies, requires no active management. Managed switches are used in more complex network installations that have full-time administrators.

A qualified computer consultant should be able to install your switch in about an hour. It should require very little maintenance after that.

The Router

The router provides a number of critical functions. The first and most obvious is to provide connectivity between your network and the Internet. Routers typically have two ports - sometimes more if they also have an integrated switch. The first port is the WAN port. It connects to the Internet via a device that is usually provided by your ISP, such as a DSL or cable modem. If you are using T1 access from a broadband provider, the device may be just another router. The second port (or series of ports) are used for your internal network. Connecting one of these ports to your main switch completes the connection between your internal network and the World Wide Web.

The second function provided by the router is a DHCP server. DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) is a method of assigning IP addresses to computers and other devices with in the network. It is possible to run a DHCP server on a computer such as the file server, however, I think it best to use the DHCP server provided by your router. Configure the router so you have a block of dynamic addresses for laptops, desktops and other mobile devices, and a block of static addresses for use by servers and other computers that may require them.

The third function is a NAT based firewall. The firewall helps prevent external users from accessing any of your internal computers directly without proper authorization. It’s not the only security you’ll need on your network, but it is the first line of defense.

The fourth function is to direct requests from Internet users to the correct machine inside the network, also known as port forwarding. For example, if you host your website or a web-based application on an internal server, you can configure the router to direct web requests to that server. Another example is when we need to direct remote desktop requests to specific computers on the network.

And finally, some routers also offer VPN features. VPN’s (Virtual Private Networks) allow you to create secure network connections between various offices using each locations broadband connection. These connections provide work-at-home users and branch offices with a more seamless and secure connection to network resources such as file servers, database servers, printers and more.

Depending on your specific routing requirements, your IT consultant will take from an hour to a few hours or more to install, configure and test your router. All configuration options should be documented carefully. This will allow you to quickly reconfigure the router in the event a factory reset is necessary or is accidentally performed. Continuing maintenance will usually only include newly required routing configurations.

Wireless Access Point

The WAP (Wireless Access Point) allows devices to connect to your network without being hard wired to the switch. This is the ideal solution for visitors that may require an Internet connection, mobile workers who occasionally work in the conference room and similar situations. It’s also a way to increase the capacity of your network without adding more drops. The WAP can be connected directly to the switch or to any wall jack connected to the switch. Ideal locations include the places wireless workers and guests are most likely to be. Conference rooms and lobbies are usually good choices. If you need to broaden the coverage area, you can install multiple WAP’s or use a Range Expander.

IMPORTANT - Because a WAP creates an access point into your network that does not require a physical connection, it is important to implement the appropriate security features a good WAP device provides. Without them a user with just a little experience can gain access to your network while sitting in your parking lot.

When configuring WAP security you will typically be able to create more than one access key. Use one or more keys for internal trusted workers. These keys will be relatively permanent. Use additional keys for guests or contractors. Once the temporary wireless access is no longer needed, you can change the key.

Installation and configuration should take about an hour or so. Continuing work will usually only include the rotation of security keys and optimizing the placement and antenna configuration.

Other Considerations

A commonly overlooked feature of a small business network is power backup. We often remember this when it comes to our servers, but it’s also important to provide some power conditioning and backup to our network devices as well. It will protect them from surges as well as allow for more graceful shutdowns when the power is disrupted. A basic UPS in the wiring closet should be all you need for a switch, your router and the broadband modem.

You will also need patch cables that will connect your computers, printers and other devices to the wall jacks. It’s best to choose the longer ones (10′ to 25′) for this purpose.

Of course every situation is a bit different, but this plan for a small business network is one that I’ve used and worked with time after time. It’s simple, reliable and flexible. It’s also more affordable then you may think. The router, the 24-port switch and the wireless access point I currently recommend, along with a 25-pack of 3-ft patch cables, a 25-pack of 25-ft patch cables and a decent UPS, can be purchased for less than $700.

Click here to see my current Small Business Network Product Recommendations

Your IT consultant will need about a day to set it all up. Keep in mind this is just an estimate and includes only the installation and configuration of a switch, router and wireless access point. Other tasks - beyond the scope of this article - include installing servers, workstations and printers, implementing security, creating administration scripts and much more.

A common device found in a home-based network is the Wireless Router. It usually combines a basic switch (4 or 5 ports), a simple router and a wireless access point all in one device. These are the right choice for a small home office, however, using individual devices is the best choice for a multi-user business environment. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, most all-in-one devices don’t provide the full set of routing features that many small businesses need. Second, rarely will a router provide enough switching ports for all of your devices. Third, your wiring closet may not be the optimal place for the wireless access point.

Conclusion

This article describes the very basics of small business networking. As you can see it’s involved but not overly complicated. While it’s important for a small business owner to get the help of an IT professional, it’s also important for you to have a general understanding of the network’s major components and their function. Hopefully this article has helped you with that understanding.

Of course the network is only one part of your business’s IT infrastructure. Stay tuned to the GARA Systems Blog for more articles about Small Business IT infrastructure, like file and data servers, web services and more.

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