Choosing between deploying a wired or wireless network in a small business environment is not always easy. There are benefits and drawbacks to both approaches. Some of the advantages of using a wired network include:
Security - current Wi-Fi security protocols are notoriously weak and their vulnerabilities have been well documented. A persistent hacker can obtain most Wi-Fi passwords in matter of minutes to hours using freely available hacking tools, and may not need physical access to your building in order to join the network. If your business is regularly transmitting sensitive data over a network (such as credit card transactions, private customer information, etc.), a wired solution would help to keep your data significantly more secure as a hacker would generally need to obtain physical network access. You can also slow down hackers by using best practices for creating and keeping secure passwords.
Speed - while the speed of Wi-Fi keeps getting faster (especially in higher end hardware and modern Mesh networks, which have made network speed differences largely trivial), an average low cost wireless network is not as fast as a wired one.
That being said, many businesses will choose Wi-Fi for its many benefits, including but not limited to:
Cost - entry-level wireless routers cost as little as $30 and do not require massive cable runs behind walls in order to connect devices spread across an office.
Modern convenience - all smartphones, tablets, and laptops have Wi-Fi adapters built in, and Wi-Fi technology allows users to roam while connected to the network.
Configuration - setting up and securing routers from major brands is a relatively painless process.
This is offset by some Wi-Fi disadvantages:
Range / Coverage - the range of your wired network is as long as your network cable runs (and budget) allow, whereas Wi-Fi networks often need to utilize inefficient repeaters/extenders that practically cut your available bandwidth in half, or use an advanced Mesh network which eliminates the problem of cutting bandwidth in order to provide optimal signal strength throughout a building without any dead spots.
Interference - interference can happen at any time from any number of devices or barriers in your building. There are things you can do to fix a slow network connection caused by interference, but centrally re-locating your wireless router / access point is generally the best and easiest fix.
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