Lots of small businesses run on one Wi-Fi network – staff, the register, the cameras, and every customer who asks for the password. It works, until it doesn’t.
The risks of one shared network
- Anyone with the password is on the same network as your point-of-sale, computers and cameras
- An infected phone or laptop can reach devices it should never see
- The password gets shared and never changes, so former staff and customers keep access
- Heavy guest use (video, updates) slows down the devices you actually rely on
The fix: separate networks
A properly set-up business network keeps groups apart:
- Staff / business network – registers, office computers, printers
- Guest Wi-Fi – internet only, isolated from everything else, ideally with a speed limit
- Cameras and smart devices – on their own segment where possible
Card payments come with security requirements (the PCI rules your processor mentions), and keeping card devices away from guest traffic is part of good practice. Ask your payment processor what applies to your setup.
A few more quick wins
- Change the default admin password on your router
- Keep the router’s firmware updated
- Change the guest password from time to time (a sign by the register makes this easy)
- Back up the computers your business can’t run without
We set this up for local shops, offices and restaurants – business network setup from $299, with monthly IT care plans available. See small business IT.
