Wired security networks are the two dominating
network infrastructure that many businesses use to get connected. Wired
technology has many edges over wireless technology. That is why many large
enterprises prefer wired over wireless networks. While wired networks tend to
be super fast and efficient, they also have their drawbacks.
Mobility
This is probably the biggest disadvantage of a wired
network. With all the cable clutter, employee mobility is greatly reduced.
While with the wireless network, you have the freedom to move around. With
wired networks, you are essentially confined to one space. You can only go so
far as the cable does. Moving your workstation can then be a pain because cables
are generally mounted. You can’t just stretch them out most of the time.
When you have a wired security network, your employees are
restricted to limited space. If you require having a meeting in one office,
there may not be enough ports to connect to each station. In this case, you may
use hubs. But that is another cost incurring thing. If you don’t have enough
ports then your employees may also have to take turns which slows down the
work. In such cases, wireless technology is preferred.
Cost
Wired technology is old but it is very expensive. The real
cost shows when they are used in large buildings. The costs also increase when
you have to manage them. Running them through building requires you to hire
people which will incur more costs. If you compare that to wireless technology,
you can cut all the cost that is required on wired technology. Wired technology
also requires some physical infrastructure changes like drilling holes for the
wires to go through. This requires additional labor.
Maintenance
It is extremely difficult to manage and expand a wired
network. Troubleshooting a wired network can be a nightmare especially when you
encounter an issue in a large building. The pain points are not easy to
diagnose that easily. Your staff has to first troubleshoot routers, and then
look for any possible hub failures and then finally the wires.
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Damage
Another biggest drawback on wired technology is that the
wires can be damaged pretty easily. It is just a matter of time when it goes
under the table and pop goes the connection. They can be easily broken during
cleaning and are very susceptible to breaking because of rough use. You can buy from the best alarm suppliers to get alerted if such a hazard occurs. Not only that, they pose
a safety risk as well. Anyone can trip over. When you have a damaged wire you
will have to replace it completely.
Safety
As LAN wires are on most of the time, they carry signal
through them. They are also prone to electrical surges and can cause fire. They
can also be mishandled by the cleaning crew and have a higher chance of being a
tripping hazard. During lightning, they are also more prone to surges where
wireless networks can be just switched off.
Final Word
The wired network has its advantages when it comes to speed
and high power efficiency. But they are not suited to enterprises and can be a
pain to manage if anything goes wrong. However, wireless still hasn’t taken
over completely and wired networks remain the thing of the day.