3 Common Pitfalls of DIY Home Network Installations

Enjoy Greater Speeds, Reliability and Security with a Professional Installation

Once upon a time, DIY home networking installations were the norm. For networks tasked with connecting just a couple of computers, that made sense. However, modern homes throughout Baton Rouge, LA, rely on a strong network connection. Even the slightest performance hiccup could ruin your day and even put your family or livelihood at risk.

Your network is more critical than ever before, allowing you to work, learn, connect, and entertain from home. Recently, the network has taken a different responsibility: supporting all your smart home devices. Smart TVs, speakers, cameras and thermostats all rely on a strong connection to function at their best.

Here we outline some common issues that DIY installations face and how a professional can help you avoid them from the start.

SEE MORE: 2 Simple Ways to Improve Your Home Network

Choosing the Wrong Equipment

Many people think setting up a network is as easy as hooking up a router to the wall. Before buying a router, you need to figure out which model is the right choice for your family. Even the most informed techies can get overwhelmed with the different options. A professional will find routers with the right bandwidth capabilities and the correct number of ports to match your networking needs.

The software also plays a significant role in your network performance. Through software settings on your router, we prioritize certain traffic types and boost your network security. With our service plans, we'll also install all firmware updates, which often include not only new features but essential security patches as well.

You may also need some additional hardware in larger homes or those with many connected devices. Access points will help extend wireless signals' reach, while network switches will serve to manage traffic to the devices throughout your home.

Not Getting Network Coverage Everywhere

Even if you incorporate access points, it may not be enough to eliminate dead spots on your property. DIY installations usually take a trial-and-error approach to these dead spots, shuffling settings and equipment around trying to fill holes in coverage.

Network professionals create heat maps that identify these dead spots ahead of time based on your property's size and likely causes of interference---concrete walls, microwaves, etc.  Once that heat map is ready, they’ll use it to proactively design a system covering every corner of your home.

Devices Keep Disappearing From Your Network

There is nothing more frustrating than those ghost devices that disappear from your network at the most inopportune times. A few variations of this usually exist in DIY installs. Some refuse to materialize from the start, making initial installation a hassle. Others dip in and out from day to day.

Since we use enterprise-grade networking components, finding and installing connected devices is a breeze from day one. Here is where our service plans—specifically our remote monitoring services— have their biggest impact. Each time a network-connected device goes offline, our technicians receive a notification. Before you even notice any downtime, they’ll troubleshoot the problem and get everything back up and running.

Let us design a networking solution that meets your home’s growing demands. For a one-on-one consultation with our team, give us a call, fill out our contact form or chat with us below.