While the COVID pandemic has certainly been tragic, it has helped to prove that a huge number of jobs can be effectively done from home. Most employees and many employers love either the full work from home system or a hybrid system where people sometimes work from home and sometimes go to the office. If you or your employees will be doing any type of remote work, you want to make sure that your home setup is optimized to be as productive (and safe) as possible.
Making some or all of the updates and improvements listed below will have a huge impact on the way you work. Once you have finished upgrading your setup, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without these simple optimizations.
Set Up a Segmented Access Point
One of the simplest things you can do to optimize your work-from-home setup is to use an instant-on wireless access point (AP) that allows segmented networks. Access points provide blanked Wi-Fi coverage for uninterrupted, powerful connectivity that reaches all areas of your home and home office. One such AP is the Aruba AP22. This simple device will provide you with a variety of great benefits, including the following:
• Up to Eight Unique Networks – You can set up a separate WiFi network for your business devices, home devices, guest network, and more. This allows you to have precision control over permissions and added protections.
• Enhanced Security – This access point harnesses the power of WP3 encryption, and also allows you to require a two-factor authentication (2FA) to prevent people from unauthorized access.
• Remote Management – Connect to your network while away so that you can remotely disable the network if needed. This feature is great for setting time limits for Internet access for children, managing work hours, and more.
We have lots of Wireless AP options to choose from
Consider a Device Level VPN
While ISPs generally do a pretty good job at securing your connection, there is a lot of information that is transmitted that really should be better encrypted and your IP hidden. Signing up for a VPN solution that allows device level configuration will help you to keep all your personal and business information private at all times. This should really be seen as an essential option for any work from home setup where any type of sensitive data is being accessed.
Cloud-Based Backup & Restoration
How much of a hassle would it be if the computer you use to do your work died, or you were infected with some type of virus or malware that caused you to lose your documents? When you have a good cloud-based backup and restoration service you can be confident that you can always get your information back instantly. These types of services can also make it easy to access your data from any location, which is great for people who work a hybrid schedule.
We offer Backup Devices and Media as well
Optimize Your Internet Service
One of the most important things for a successful remote work experience is having a fast and reliable Internet connection. While most people have broadband Internet today, there are things that you can do to help make it even faster and more reliable than ever before. In some cases, you can also cut your monthly costs for the service at the same time!
• Contact Your ISP – Call your Internet service provider and see what levels of service they provide. These companies are always upgrading what they have to offer and in many cases you can call and get a faster speed at a lower price because they want to keep you as a customer.
• Upgrade Your Router – Almost all ISPs use a modem and router combination. They typically rent you this equipment for a monthly charge. If they haven’t provided a new one in a while, ask them for an upgrade. Or, better yet, purchase a new WiFi-6 router that will give you better performance. By buying a router you just pay the one up front price and save money each month on your Internet bill.
• Look at Internal Connection – In many cases, the thing that reducing the quality of an Internet connection is the connectivity inside your home. Check your WiFi signal in the areas where you work. If you aren’t getting a perfect connection, consider moving your router or adding a WiFi extender to boost your signal. If you are using a PC, consider running a wired connection for the most reliable option.
• Configure QoS – Set up your network’s quality of service (QoS) abilities to prioritize your work connection. QoS allows you to give priority speeds to specific types of traffic such as voice over IP (VOIP) or your work-related connections. This will help ensure your work connection is never slowed down because your family is streaming Netflix in the other room.
Upgrade Your Screen Real Estate
People of a certain age will remember looking at their old CRT style monitors and being amazed at just how clear the picture was. If even the best of these types of old school monitors was used today, the quality would be laughably poor. If you haven’t upgraded your monitors in a while, you will find that this is one of the best investments you can make. You can either upgrade to one large HD monitor or consider setting up two (or more) HD monitors to get the most room possible.
Computer monitors are shockingly inexpensive today and having your screen real estate optimized will make a huge difference to your work. Once you upgrade your monitors, you will wonder how you ever got by on the outdated system you have now (even if you are using a monitor that was great just a couple years ago).
You can find even more value with a Refurbished Monitor
How Can You Optimize Your Work Setup?
These are just a few of the simplest and most affordable ways that you can significantly improve your work from home setup. With just a small investment in time and money you will be able to not only make your work from home environment more pleasant, but also become far more productive than you were before. This is why a growing number of businesses are not only encouraging people to work from home, but actually offering to help upgrade their home systems so that their employees can be as productive as possible.
Wherever your office is we’ve got everything it needs at Newegg Business
