When you plan a network for an office, a shop or a warehouse, the first decision is the transmission medium. Wired Ethernet, Wi-Fi and fibre each have strengths and limits. The right choice depends on the space, the distances, the devices and what you want to be doing in five years.
Wired network (Ethernet)
A wired network uses UTP or STP copper cables, Cat5e, Cat6 or Cat6a, that end at a switch in the rack. It is the most stable option for devices that do not move. Cat6a supports 10 Gbps over the full 100 metres, which is the limit for any copper run.
- Steady speed and low delay (latency).
- Very little interference compared with wireless.
- Power over PoE for cameras, access points and VoIP phones.
- Limit: every point needs a cable, and it is hard to change after the build.
It suits workstations, server rooms, point-of-sale (POS) systems, printers, cameras and any point where stability is critical.
Wireless network (Wi-Fi)
Wi-Fi sends data over radio waves in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands and, with Wi-Fi 6E and 7, in the 6 GHz band. It gives flexibility and mobility, with no cable to every desk. Its performance, however, depends on walls, distances, the number of users and neighbouring networks.
- Mobility for laptops, phones, tablets and handheld terminals.
- Easy to extend with more access points.
- Limit: speed is shared between users and drops with distance.
- Limit: it needs proper security settings (WPA3, a separate guest network).
In a business space, good Wi-Fi does not rely on one router in the corner. It relies on several ceiling access points, wired back, with central management and roaming between them.
Before you add access points, ask for a coverage study (site survey). One access point in the right place often performs better than two in the wrong places.
Fibre
Fibre carries data as light through thin strands of glass. It is not affected by electromagnetic interference and covers far greater distances than copper. Multimode fibre is usually used inside buildings, while single-mode fibre is used for distances of several kilometres.
- Speeds of 10, 40 or 100 Gbps, depending on the transceivers (SFP) used.
- Ideal for linking floors, buildings, or an office with a distant warehouse.
- A safe choice in industrial sites with machinery and electrical noise.
- Limit: higher material costs and specialist equipment for fusion splicing and testing.
Comparison at a glance
- Speed: fibre and Ethernet give steady high speed. Wi-Fi varies.
- Reliability: fibre first, Ethernet very close, Wi-Fi last because of interference.
- Distance: fibre reaches kilometres, copper 100 metres per run, Wi-Fi a few tens of metres per access point.
- Cost: Wi-Fi is the cheapest to extend, Ethernet is mid-range, fibre costs the most per point.
- Flexibility: Wi-Fi wins, because users move around without a cable.
Why we usually combine them
In practice, most business networks are hybrid. Fibre works as the backbone between floors or buildings. Copper reaches every workstation, camera and access point. Wi-Fi covers users on the move and devices without a network port.
- Small office: Cat6 cabling to every desk, one managed PoE switch and two or three ceiling access points.
- Multi-storey building: fibre from the main rack to a switch on each floor, copper and Wi-Fi within each floor.
- Warehouse or factory: fibre for long distances, industrial access points for handheld terminals and scanners.
Even if you do not need 10 Gbps today, run Cat6a or fibre in the backbone. Re-cabling later costs far more than the difference in materials.
Questions to ask before you choose
- How many workstations and devices will connect today and in three years?
- Which devices stay in one place and should be cabled?
- Are there distances over 100 metres or links between buildings?
- Do you need cameras or access points powered by PoE?
- Do you own or rent the space, and is work on walls and suspended ceilings allowed?
The right choice starts with a site survey
There is no one solution for everyone. The choice should be based on a technical survey of the space, the number and type of devices and the business's growth plans. CyberSpace Dynamics studies your space and proposes the combination that gives stable performance without unnecessary costs.