Small Office Network Setup Guide — File Sharing, Printers, and More

Overview

A properly set up office network should handle file sharing, printer access, and internet connectivity reliably without requiring ongoing troubleshooting. This guide covers the complete setup for a small office of 2–15 people.

Expected time: 2–4 hours for a complete new setup. Experienced users: 1–2 hours.

Part 1 — Network Hardware

1.1 — The Router

Your router is the central hub that connects all the office devices and provides internet access.

For small offices:

Budget option: TP-Link Archer AX55 or AX75 (~$80–$120) — WiFi 6, gigabit ports, adequate for 10–15 devices
Better performance: ASUS RT-AX88U or Netgear Nighthawk RAX80 (~$180–$250) — more processing power, better multi-device performance
Managed/prosumer: Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine (~$350) — cloud managed, detailed monitoring, appropriate for 15+ users

What to look for:

WiFi 6 (802.11ax) — future-proofed, better multi-device performance than WiFi 5
Gigabit LAN ports — at least 4 ports; more if you have many wired devices
USB port — useful for a basic connected storage or printer sharing directly from the router

1.2 — Network Switch (If More Than 4 Wired Devices)

Most routers have 4 LAN ports. If you have more wired devices (desktops, NAS, IP cameras, printers), a separate switch expands this.

8-port gigabit: TP-Link TL-SG108 (~$25) — unmanaged, plug-and-play
16-port gigabit: TP-Link TL-SG116 (~$40)
Managed (for VLAN support): TP-Link TL-SG108E (~$50) — allows creating separate VLANs for staff vs guest networks

Connect the switch to a router LAN port with a single cable. All devices connected to the switch share the router's internet connection at full gigabit speed.

1.3 — Patch Cables

Use Cat6 or Cat5e cables for all connections
Buy pre-made patch cables for desk connections — measuring and crimping your own is slower and error-prone for small offices
Cable maximum length: 100 metres per segment

Colour coding suggestion:

Blue: standard workstations
Grey: server/NAS connections
Yellow: printer connections
Red: critical infrastructure (router to switch)

Part 2 — Wiring the Office

For any machine that will regularly transfer large files, a wired connection is significantly more reliable and faster than WiFi.

Practical options if running cables is difficult:

Powerline adapters (TP-Link AV2000 Powerline Kit, ~$50): send gigabit Ethernet signal through existing electrical wiring. Performance varies by wiring quality; typically 100–300 Mbps effective.
MoCA adapters: similar concept using coaxial cable — typically higher performance than Powerline, useful if coax is already run in the building.

For WiFi-dependent machines: position access points centrally, prefer 5 GHz band for office machines, use a WiFi 6 access point for best multi-device performance.

Option A — Shared Folder on a Windows Machine

Best for: offices of 2–8 people without dedicated server hardware.

Refer to our full setup guide: "Setting Up a Shared Workspace Without IT Support — Step by Step" for the complete walkthrough.

Key steps:

Choose a host machine (the one that stays on)
Create folder structure at D:\TeamFiles\
Set network profile to Private
Enable File and Printer Sharing in Advanced Sharing Settings
Share the folder via Properties → Sharing
Create local user accounts for each staff member
Map as a drive letter on all other machines

Option B — NAS Device

Best for: offices of 4–20 people who need always-on file access independent of any staff machine.

Recommended entry-level: Synology DS223 (2-bay) with 2× 4TB drives (~$400 all-in) Recommended mid-range: Synology DS923+ (4-bay) with drives, for larger teams or video/CAD workflows.

Setup steps:

Connect NAS to switch via Ethernet (never WiFi)
Visit find.synology.com in a browser on any office computer
Follow DSM setup wizard: create admin account, configure storage pool and RAID
Enable SMB in Control Panel → File Services
Create user accounts for each staff member
Create shared folders with appropriate access permissions
Map as N:\ on each machine

Option C — Application-Level LAN Transfer

Best for: ad-hoc file handoffs between team members, used alongside Option A or B.

No shared folder required. Install on each machine. Machines discover each other automatically. Drag and drop to send files at full LAN speed.

Oxolan (Windows): purpose-built for office workflows
LocalSend (Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile): cross-platform, free

Get Oxolan for Windows

4.1 — Network Printer (Simplest)

A printer with a built-in network interface connects directly to your router or switch. All machines on the network can print to it using an IP address or hostname.

Setup: connect printer to LAN → install driver on each workstation → add printer using IP address (Settings → Bluetooth and Devices → Printers and Scanners → Add → The printer that I want isn't listed → Add a printer using a TCP/IP address).

4.2 — USB Printer Shared From a Windows Machine

A USB printer attached to one machine can be shared to the rest of the LAN.

On the host machine:

Ensure the printer is set up and working locally
Settings → Bluetooth and Devices → Printers and Scanners → click your printer → Printer Properties → Sharing → Share this Printer
Set a share name (e.g., OfficeHP)

On other machines: Win+R → \\HOSTNAME\OfficeHP → Windows finds the printer → completes installation automatically.

4.3 — Mac Printing to a Windows-Shared Printer

Finder → Go → Connect to Server → smb://HOSTNAME
Browse to the shared printer
Or: System Settings → Printers and Scanners → Add Printer → Windows tab → select the shared printer

Part 5 — Backup

Do not skip this section. Shared network files that exist only on one machine or NAS are at risk from hardware failure.

Minimum backup setup:

NAS: Enable Hyper Backup (Synology) or Hybrid Backup Sync (QNAP) to an external USB drive connected to the NAS, or to a cloud backup service (Backblaze B2 storage is ~$6/TB/month)
Shared Windows folder: Use Windows Backup (Settings → Windows Backup) to an external drive, or Backblaze Personal Backup ($10/month, unlimited)

Test your backup: Once a month, restore one file from the backup to confirm it works.

Part 6 — Maintenance

After initial setup, these tasks keep your network reliable:

Monthly:

Check router firmware for updates (router admin panel → Firmware Update)
Review connected devices list (router admin panel) — confirm no unexpected devices
Test backup with a file restore

After Windows Updates:

Confirm the four sharing services are still Running (see our Windows Networking Checklist)
Confirm network profile is still set to Private
Test a file transfer from one machine to another

Mac Users in a Windows-Primary Office

Macs connect to Windows shared folders via Finder → Go → Connect to Server → smb://HOSTNAME/ShareName. Once connected, they can be made persistent via Finder → drag the connected server to the Dock or sidebar.

For NAS devices: Macs connect to NAS SMB shares identically to Windows. Synology and QNAP both support AFP (Apple Filing Protocol) in addition to SMB, though SMB is now recommended for all platforms.

LocalSend (free, cross-platform) enables file transfers between Macs and Windows machines without SMB configuration.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a network like this last before needing an upgrade? The hardware (router, switch) lasts 5–8 years in typical use. NAS drives should be replaced after 4–5 years of continuous operation. Cables last indefinitely. Software setup remains current as long as Windows and NAS firmware are updated.

We have 15 people but only one small office. Do we need multiple access points? For a single contiguous office space up to approximately 100 square metres, one WiFi 6 access point handles 15 devices comfortably. For larger spaces or offices on multiple floors, additional access points (from the same manufacturer for seamless roaming) provide better coverage.

Should we hire an IT contractor to set this up? For a simple setup (2–8 people, shared folder or small NAS, no special requirements): this guide is sufficient. For larger offices, security-sensitive environments, or setups involving servers, Active Directory, or VPNs: a one-time IT contractor engagement for setup is worthwhile to ensure it is done correctly.

What is the difference between a router and a NAS? A router manages your internet connection and routes traffic between devices. A NAS is a dedicated storage device. You need both in an office with a NAS: the router handles networking, the NAS stores files.