One of the questions we hear most frequently here is “How much does it cost to install a business Wi-Fi 
network?” Of course, that's a terribly complex question and it's not something that has a single easy answer – depending on the size of the business and their needs, the costs could be anywhere from a few hundred dollars, to a few hundred thousand.
None the less, there are a number of standard costs associated with moving onto a modern wireless network, and some of them aren't immediately obvious. So, we've put together a list of the major expenses associated with WiFi networking, including ongoing costs.
Installing a Wi-Fi network is something that's likely going to come sooner or later for most businesses in the upcoming years. Here's what to expect, so you can start thinking about budgeting.
Expenses Associated With Installing And Maintaining A WiFi Network
1. Be prepared for more upgrades than you might expect.
Many tend to believe that moving to a wireless network is simply a matter of changing out the router. Today's modern WiFi systems, such as the ADTRAN BlueSocket standard, actually run on totally different architecture and software than the wired networks still found in offices today.
Moving to wireless means you're installing a new infrastructure, not just a new router.
Very often, a new server or wireless network controller is required as part of the process. This, unfortunately, is just a byproduct of the march of technological progress – hardware from more than a few years ago simply cannot support the infrastructures required for Enterprise-level wireless networking.
2. There are still physical installation costs.
Despite being “wireless,” the major pieces hardware still need to be physically wired together, which means running cable. When moving over from Ethernet to WiFi, qualified installation specialists will attempt to reuse the wiring that's in place, but it's still likely someone will have to drop cable.
That said, one of the best features of current wireless networking hardware is support for the 802.3 series of Power-over-Ethernet standards. In many cases, the Ethernet cable will literally be the only cable necessary to hook up your access points, further reducing your wiring expenses.
3. More bandwidth. MORE!
If you build it, they will leech. Installing a new Wi-Fi network guarantees you'll see a spike in your bandwidth usage, and it will probably continue going up at a constant rate as your business grows and applications more heavily rely on wireless. As you add Cloud-based services or move to VoIP telephony, you'll see more spikes.
So, you'll likely find yourself contacting your ISP to request higher data bandwidth. The good news here is that
costs plateau very quickly when widening your pipelines. It's practically free for ISPs, so business-level customers see only marginal increases to their bills when adding bandwidth.
And you'll always need more bandwidth. Always.
4. Network management costs.
Virtualized wireless networks are far easier to manage than systems of the past that required a Unix guru, but there will still be training and personnel costs involved in the changeover. Additionally, of course, there will always be the need for in-house tech support.
However, there is an alternative here. An increasing number of companies are offering Cloud-based offsite network management, that allows you to move virtually all your IT staffing out-of-house. If you lack anyone in-house with the necessary current expertise, that may be a more cost-effective option than the round of hiring that would otherwise be needed.
Wireless Doesn't Have To Break The Budget
The short version is, wireless has higher up-front installation costs than Ethernet, but the long-term TCO and ROI are going to be far better. If you're still on the fence, don't forget there's also a thriving market in pre-owned wireless hardware, which can often slash your upgrade costs.
Or, for personalized advice on what a wireless upgrade would cost your business, just contact us for a free consultation!
Read Why You Need Professional Support When Installing a New IT Network
Have an experience with installing Wi-Fi in your office, good or bad, we would love to hear about your experience! Tell us below.
