Coronavirus: Remote Working Preparation

Technology Box plans to maintain full remote support services even if the whole team is working from home due to coronavirus quarantine measures.

Here are our recommendations for minimising business disruption over the coming weeks. Please let us know if you’d like to discuss any of the below.

Check your home Internet speeds

Make sure you have a decent Wi-Fi signal at home and that your Internet connection is good. 

4G Tethering

Check that you know how to use your phone's 4G data for your laptop and make sure you have enough data on your contract.

Make a plan for landline calls

If you have a software phone system like Swyx or Horizon, you can make and receive calls normally using your laptop and headset.  

With traditional hardware phone systems you will likely have to forward calls to a mobile phone, or series of mobile phones.  This will require some planning and testing.

Install and test your conferencing software

Working remotely will mean using tools like Microsoft Teams, Zoom conferencing and Google Hangouts. If you already have these, run a quick test.

Headset?

A good headset makes conferencing better and reduces the need to travel. 

Laptop working OK? 

Make sure you have a usable laptop (and power supply) at home. Power it up and make sure it's up to date. If you work on a laptop, it’s worth getting into the habit of taking it home with you.

Cloud based file access

If you have your files in Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive then this will make home working much easier. Make sure everyone has access to files and folders they need.

VPN access

If your files are on a server at your office, you will need to set up VPN software on your laptop. Once installed, this should be tested (4G tethering is good for testing)

Custom software

If your job relies on custom software like CAD or an accounts package, we will need to set up remote access to allow  you to continue to work.

Screens, Keyboards, Cables

Make sure you have all of the equipment you need to work comfortably from home for an extended period. Buy any display cables, keyboards, network cables and mice that you need. 

Fixed IP Addresses

Some tech-focussed businesses like ours rely on having fixed IP addresses for securing access to backend systems.  Plan for this by ordering static IP addresses from your home ISP or setting up a VPN.

Technology Box Support

Technology Box will be available to help with any of the above. Ideally we’d like to start helping you get things in place asap to avoid a last minute rush.