This tip originally appeared on SearchSMB.com. For more IT articles and tips specific to small and midsized businesses, visit SearchSMB.com.
The majority of small and midsized businesses (SMBs) find the price performance trade-off that broadband Internet access delivers nearly irresistible. Recent statistics indicate that the majority of such organizations and offices prefer broadband -- which usually means cable or some form of DSL -- when and where it is available to them.
But a new class of access device has emerged to service the very kinds of applications and connections that small offices need most, and often at an extremely affordable price. Most major networking and equipment vendors with strong telecommunications or cable TV interests offer a variety of combination devices. The names vary, from router/gateways, Internet devices or broadband access devices, but nearly all of them offer a core of common connections and capabilities. Many also offer numerous value-adds that small business owners may find attractive or compelling as their needs dictate.
The common core features and connections include the following:
Less common, but still widely available features on some (but not all) such devices comprise a grab bag of capabilities (and seldom will any single device support all of these):
Reasonable costs
The good news is that many of these devices are surprisingly affordable.
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Several favorites cost less than $100. Here's a sampling:
Another notable item in this lineup is the Zultys Zip 4x5 IP phone/Internet gateway combo. Though it costs $400 (or $450 with a BlueTooth-based wireless headset), it includes all of the core features mentioned (plus a few others related to networking and telephony applications) and even some nice frills like an NTP time server and voice activated calling features. It also works with either cable or DSL links, and offers five switched 10/100 Ethernet ports. Considering that other devices plus a similarly equipped IP handset cost more or less the same when purchased separately, this, too, is a pretty potent combination.
Again, this is just a small sample of the many offerings available. If you are considering a switch to wireless networking or other network upgrades, or are installing a new network, research the many access devices that work with broadband connections. Find out if your cable or internet provider offers managed services. Here are more resources:
Cable Modem Info.com
SpeedGuide.net
Ed Tittel is a full-time freelance writer, trainer and consultant who specializes in matters related to information security, markup languages and networking technologies. He's a regular contributor to numerous TechTarget Web sites and technology editor for Certification Magazine, and he writes an e-mail newsletter for CramSession called "Must Know News."
