Business notebooks are designed for longevity, productivity, and all-day use in mind. They are typically more durable than most consumer notebooks.
The differences between what you may purchase at a big box store versus a recommendation from your IT provider, based on your business needs, vary. Typically, a consumer-based notebook is less money. The quality of the products of the components within it are nowhere near that of a business notebook. Like anything you buy, there is always a consumer version of something specific for your task in mind. For instance, the consumer notebook will include Windows Home, not Windows Pro, as Windows 10 Home costs less money, has no built-in management, slower hard-drive, and less memory.
A consumer notebook does not connect to a business network (Active Directory). It is not as secure with online applications. Additionally, most consumer notebooks are going to have a one-year warranty and a commercial notebook typically has a three-year warranty. Overall, better components, Windows Pro to connect to the network and a better warranty with components that allow you to manage that device remotely set commercial notebooks apart from consumer ones.
Let’s look at the differences between residential and commercial wireless networks and some tips on how to secure your network with an emphasis on the risks of employee cell phones and remote workers.
A lot of people use wireless for their mobile devices and to connect to their computers and especially notebooks for accessibility to their workplace both remotely and even within the workplace.
How should a company determine what they need for wireless and the wireless network? The actual business needs dictate the necessity for wireless. You could be in manufacturing with a need for tablets on the floor to collect data. You could be an oil company and need wireless devices in your trucks. But in the office, the wireless trend continues to grow. People want more mobility, they want flexibility to get to the conference room, they want the ability to hit the road and work from home. Today, everyone wants everything now, so wireless is critical in every business.
Most PC’s are hard-wired. In today’s work environment, especially with the Pandemic and adaptation of the remote workforce, employees working remotely may not realize that when they come to work, they are not hard-wired into their on-premises network.
What are the differences between what we have at work and what we use at home for connectivity? Wireless routers that we have at home and in a small office, provide an easy installation without cabling. This wireless router connects your WiFi enabled devices like notebooks, tablets, and smartphones wirelessly. It also provides digital television service and can be used for VoiIP (Voice over IP) calls. Your home router also provides basic protection including a password to defend against threats outside of your local area (home) network.
JoAnn Hodgdon is vice president and co-founder of Portsmouth Computer Group (PCGiT) with her husband David. PCG provides comprehensive managed IT services, business continuity, security, cloud computing and Virtual CIO services to their clients. You may reach her at joann@pcgit.com or at www.pcgit.com.