Latest insights on network security, IT solutions, and tech trends.
Milestone Achieved:TIES Communications Reaches CMMC Level 1 on the Path to Level 2 At TIES Communications, we believe that cybersecurity isn’t a destination—it’s a continuous process of improvement. Today, we are proud to share a major milestone in our 2026 security roadmap: TIES Communications has officially completed our self-assessment for
Stop Maintaining, Start Optimizing: The Q1 Mindset As you close the books on 2025, your focus should shift from simply maintaining a working network to strategically optimizing it for the growth and security challenges of 2026. Upgrading your network infrastructure is not just an expense; it’s an investment that directly
The Hidden Threat: Not Just Blackouts When business owners think of power problems, they often picture a blackout, but the truth is, the greatest damage is usually caused by events you can’t see. Power Surges (The Spikes): These are brief, invisible spikes in voltage that can last for only a
The Starting Line: Defining Your RTO and RPO Before implementing any backup system, a small business must define its tolerance for downtime and data loss. These are your recovery objectives: RTO (Recovery Time Objective): The maximum amount of time your business can be down following a failure. A higher RTO
Why the Home Office is the New Security Perimeter The days of a single, secure office network are gone. Every employee working from a laptop in a coffee shop, a home office, or a co-working space is now an access point to your business data. For small businesses, this dispersed
Why Your 2026 Budget Needs a Security Reset For too long, small and medium-sized businesses have treated the IT budget as a necessary evil—a reactive cost center only funded when something breaks. In 2026, that mindset is a liability. The shift from a reactive mindset to a proactive one is
What is CMMC 2.0? (The 30-Second Refresher) CMMC, or the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, is the Department of Defense (DoD)’s new security standard. Its purpose is to protect sensitive government information—known as CUI (Controlled Unclassified Information)—that is shared with its 300,000+ private contractors. Most of the CMMC discussion focuses on
Both hardware and software firewalls are designed to protect a network from unauthorized access, but they operate at different levels and provide distinct types of protection. Understanding these differences is key to building a secure network. Hardware Firewalls A hardware firewall is a physical appliance that sits between your internal
Introduction It’s a common question in any office setting: should that new printer be plugged into the network port, or is it okay to connect it via WiFi? This simple scenario highlights a broader strategic decision that every business faces when designing or upgrading its network infrastructure: when should you
Introduction Unexpected network problems are a major source of frustration for any business – sudden downtime, crawling internet speeds, and surprise repair bills can derail productivity and blow budgets. For years, the traditional “break/fix” model was the only option: wait for something to fail, then call for help. But this
In breaking news today (October 30, 2025), The Washington Post reported that the U.S. Commerce Department has proposed a ban on TP-Link, one of the world’s largest suppliers of networking equipment. (see the Washington Post article here) This is not a minor development. This is a massive, security-driven move by
Introduction Traditional network security, relying solely on firewalls and VPNs, often falls short of protecting against modern cyber threats, such as sophisticated ransomware attacks. As businesses adopt remote work and cloud applications, the traditional security perimeter has dissolved, necessitating a fundamentally different and more secure approach. This new approach is
Business owner choosing between cable, fiber, and 5G internet service
Diagram showing a secure, segmented business and guest WiFi network
Introduction In simple terms, a VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) is a technology that allows a single physical network to be split into multiple, separate, and isolated virtual networks. It’s one of the most fundamental tools for building a secure and efficient business network, yet it’s a concept that is
A secure guest WiFi network in a small business environment.
We are proud to announce that tiestech is now an official IT Select Partner with Schneider Electric’s APC division. As a global leader in uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), server racks, and critical infrastructure solutions, APC provides the foundational hardware that powers and protects modern business networks. This partnership allows us to
Phishing emails are becoming more sophisticated every day. They are no longer just poorly spelled messages from a foreign prince asking for money. Modern phishing attacks are highly convincing, often mimicking real emails from banks, vendors, or even your own employees. For a business, one wrong click on a
Abstract image representing the difference between a virus and malware
You have a router that brings the internet into your office, but is it smart enough and strong enough to protect your business? The small box that connects you to the web does much more than just provide WiFi. For a business, this device acts as a “network gateway,” and
We are thrilled to announce a major milestone for our company! TIES Communications, Inc. (dba tiestech) has officially earned its national certification as a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) from the U.S. Small Business Administration. This prestigious certification is a validation of our team’s hard work and opens up new opportunities
Small business owner calculating their IT support budget
Just when you’ve gotten used to hearing about Wi-Fi 6, the next generation of wireless technology is already here: Wi-Fi 7. It promises a massive leap forward in speed, capacity, and reliability, but it also brings a lot of technical jargon and questions. What exactly is Wi-Fi 7? Will your
For any small business, your data is one of your most valuable assets. Your customer lists, financial records, emails, and project files are the lifeblood of your company. Now, ask yourself a critical question: what would happen if it all vanished tomorrow? A hardware failure, a ransomware attack, or even
For a modern business, a fast and reliable WiFi connection is as essential as electricity. When it’s slow, it’s more than just an annoyance—it’s a major productivity killer that can frustrate employees and bring your operations to a halt. If you’re constantly battling dropped connections and slow speeds, you’re not
In our last article, we discussed how a poorly configured business network can be a ‘ticking time bomb’ of hidden risks. One of the most critical components for defusing that threat and protecting your business is a dedicated, business-grade firewall. Think of a firewall as an intelligent security guard that
For modern small business owners, slow internet speed and an unreliable wi fi network aren’t just annoyances—they’re barriers to growth. When every wireless device, from laptops to payment terminals, struggles with a poor connection, your team’s productivity and your business’s profits suffer. But a slow network is often a symptom