Tag Archives: network repair

Reliable Internet

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Are you getting the internet connection you are paying for? How do you know? Speed tests are simply snap shots of how your internet connection is performing at that very moment. They don’t prove that you are receiving reliable internet.

Reliable internet is critical to the operation of your VoIP phone service and email communications. Without it, your phone calls could sound choppy or drop altogether. Emails will arrive late or not at all. Employees have grown increasingly frustrated when they can’t complete their work because of internet failures. Here’s an example of an internet issue we recently diagnosed:

Internet Connectivity Issue

The client called us because they kept dropping phone calls. We responded and ran our diagnostic test on their network. Our test simulates multiple phone calls running through their network at one time. Even we were shocked at the results:

Every black mark in the above picture is a loss of connection. Every red mark is data loss. Since we ran this directly from the router, it was immediately clear that the issue was with the ISP’s equipment. When we provided the ISP this graph, they replaced their equipment without argument. Then we ran the test again, and here were the results:

This is a healthy network. Minimal data loss is acceptable.

Working with Internet Service Providers

Internet Service Providers aren’t always to blame when problems arise. Sometimes the issue is with the connection between the router and the device. In that case, it is often resolved by replacing the cable that runs to your device. If you get poor results with your connection while connected to wifi, we can boost your wifi signal or run a cable to the device. Regardless of the cause of your internet issues, we can fix them.

We will troubleshoot, diagnose and repair your network so that you and your employees can count on reliable internet. It’s one more thing that makes us A Better Choice for your business IT needs. Call us at 813-605-7251 ext 3.

A network room repair before and after photo

Put Your Network Room on a Diet

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“I hate my internet service provider.”  Conversations that start with this sentence often have nothing to do with your ISP.  When someone complains about their computer network, one of the first things we look at is the network room.  The above picture is an actual before and after picture of a network repair. In a collaborative effort with Mike Murphy of U Click We Fix, we were able to update this network room in a few hours.

Before you judge, let me be clear…this wasn’t the fault of our client.  The client had moved into the building and inherited this mess.  After multiple issues with internet connectivity, we received the repair call.

Networking 101:

Before you nod off and think that I am going to bombard you with technical jargon, rest assured that I am not.  If your network room is a mess, I would bet it isn’t your fault.  If I were to guess, it goes something like this.  It’s a busy day at the office, and your internet is in and out.  You call your internet service provider.  They tell you it is going to be days or weeks before they can get a technician out.  You then call an IT repairman. A switch is replaced, maybe a few cables, then you are back up and running.  They never remove anything.  They get you connected again, and off they go. Your internet is working again, so you don’t worry much about what the room looks like.  A few weeks or months later, internet issues start again and the cycle repeats itself.

A clean network room that is logically designed isn’t just aesthetically pleasing.  Technicians can troubleshoot problems easier.  As a result, repairs take less time and are less costly.  If you are having internet connection issues, resist the urge to say “Just fix it!” Consider putting your network on a diet.  In the long run, it’ll help you save money on downtime, costly repairs and headaches that are detrimental to your productivity and cost you time and money.

If you are in the Tampa Bay area, we are happy to assist you. Taking the extra time to redesign your network room is just one more reason we are A Better Choice for your business!