Plan the network for your new office
Answer six quick questions about your team and space. See your office take shape, then get a network plan that fits, from the router your internet provider supplies to a fully managed network, with a shopping list, a place for your files and the setup steps in order.
- About three minutes
- No sign-up
- Saved in this browser
Three network levels, one that fits
You answer six questions: how many people, how big the space is, how many devices plug in with a cable, who provides the internet, how much speed headroom you want and where files will live. The planner sketches the office to scale, then recommends one of three levels. Most small offices start at level 1 and move up as they grow.
Level 1: Start with your provider's router
Up to 5 people, about 1,000 sq ft
The router and WiFi that AT&T, Comcast, Spectrum or another business provider supplies, plus their optional security add-on. Nothing new to buy.
Compare business internet providersLevel 2: Better WiFi, still simple
Up to 10 people, up to about 2,000 sq ft
Keep the provider's router and add eero mesh units or HPE Instant On access points, managed from a phone app. The usual next step as a team grows or the space gets larger.
Mesh WiFi vs access pointsLevel 3: A managed business network
More than 10 people, large spaces, many wired devices
Your own gateway, PoE switch and ceiling access points from UniFi or TP-Link Omada, on one dashboard with separate staff and guest networks.
UniFi vs Omada for business
What it covers, and what it leaves out
Included
- Which network level fits your team and space
- A to-scale sketch of the office with WiFi coverage
- A shopping list with equipment estimates
- Priced subscriptions, shown separately
- Where your files live, and off-site backup
- Setup steps in order, with guides
Left out on purpose
- Cabling and installation costs
- Internet service pricing and a UPS
- Security cameras and desk phones
- Offices over 15 people, over 3,000 sq ft or on several floors
- Cisco Meraki, Fortinet and SonicWall, which are priced by quote
Cisco Meraki, Fortinet (FortiGate with FortiSwitch and FortiAP) and SonicWall are established choices, and many offices already run one. They are usually installed and managed by an IT provider, with security services or licences that renew each year and pricing by quote. If your office already has one, keep it and use the planner for the rest of the setup: files, backup and the checklist. How they compare on costCloud-managed platforms
Office IT Planner FAQ
How the planner decides, what the numbers mean and what it leaves out
Frequently asked questions
What does the Office IT Planner cover?
The network (internet provider router, WiFi and switching), where your files live, off-site backup and the setup steps in order. It plans for one office on one floor, 1 to 15 people and up to 3,000 sq ft.
Which network level does a small office need?
Most offices of up to five people in about 1,000 sq ft are fine with the router and WiFi their internet provider supplies. More people or more space usually calls for better WiFi: eero mesh or HPE Instant On access points. Offices of more than ten people, around 3,000 sq ft or with more than eight wired devices are better served by a managed network from UniFi or TP-Link Omada. The planner applies these rules to your answers and marks the level that fits.
Mesh WiFi vs access pointsHow much does a small office network cost?
Using the planner’s catalog estimates for a five-person office, level 1 needs no new equipment because your provider supplies the router. Level 2 runs from about $300 to $1,200 depending on the brand and the size of the space. Level 3 runs from about $450 to $1,050 for one or two access points, and more with a larger switch. These figures exclude cabling, installation, subscriptions, tax and shipping.
Estimate the cabling costShould I choose UniFi or eero?
eero is the simpler route: mesh units connect to each other wirelessly, so there are no new cable runs, and the eero Business plan adds separate staff and guest networks. UniFi uses cabled WiFi 7 access points, its own gateway and a PoE switch on one dashboard, which suits larger teams, bigger spaces and many wired devices. The planner shows both with their totals side by side.
UniFi vs eero comparedDo I need a NAS?
Most small offices only need a cloud drive. A NAS helps with large shared files or slow internet. If you add one, it needs its own backup: a cloud backup of the computers does not cover it.
Best NAS for small businessHow accurate are the prices?
Equipment figures are list or catalog estimates, not live retailer prices, and they exclude cabling, installation, subscriptions, tax and shipping. Subscriptions are shown separately only where the provider publishes a price. Confirm current prices before ordering.
Is my plan saved?
Your answers are saved in this browser only. There is no account and nothing is sent to us. You can copy or download a text version of the plan at any time.
Why does the planner show several brands?
Offices arrive with different providers, budgets and equipment they already know. Each level lists well-known options side by side with their totals, and marks the level that fits your answers. Platforms such as Cisco Meraki, Fortinet and SonicWall are named too; they are priced by quote through IT providers, so the planner does not estimate them.
Small business firewalls comparedRelated tools and guides
- Network BlueprintCompare UniFi, Omada and Aruba builds side by side.
- Cabling cost calculatorPrice the cable runs for access points.
- Medium office network project planFor when you outgrow this planner.
- Cloud-managed networksHow UniFi, Omada, Meraki and others compare.
- The Business Owner's IT HandbookThe rest of the office: domain, email, passwords, backups and a plan for when you are out. Free sample.
More free checks live in our tools library.
Moving into a new office in Miami?
If you would rather have the network, WiFi and equipment set up for you, we can take it from here. No pressure: the plan you build here is yours to keep either way.
See office IT setup and relocation