Many businesses are exploring options to create a wireless office, hoping to free workstations from tangled cords and cables.
Workstations typically feature a computer, monitor, printer, telephone, webcam, lighting, phone charger, keyboard and mouse. The latter two – a keyboard and mouse – often are the only wireless devices. Everything else needs a power cord and cables to pair with other equipment. As a result, the average desk can be an eyesore with cords and cables of varying lengths, colors and purposes.
The concept of a wireless office is attractive to businesses and individuals that value a clutter-free workspace. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
“At the end of every wireless connection is just a wired connection… we’re just hiding it a little bit better,” John Joyce, co-owner and CEO of CRS Technology Consultants, said during a recent Tech Bytes segment on Gulf Coast News. “It may be wireless to you and your device… it’s getting to a wired device somehow.”
Although a fully wireless office is not realistic at this point, businesses do have options worth exploring.
Cords, cables and wires
Every business and every employee have different technological needs, so there is no standard workstation. However, some tech staples are universal across office environments: a computer, monitor, keyboard and mouse.
Desktop computers need a power cord that connects to a power outlet or a battery backup. Laptop computers can operate without cords or cables, but their internal battery might not last for the duration of a workday. Computers need a cable to connect to a monitor. For dual-monitor stations, you need cables to connect from the computer to each monitor, or to one monitor along with a monitor-to-monitor cable. Computers also can use cords and wires to connect to exterior webcams and printers. Additionally, lamps or selfie lighting for video calls need a power source, and thus, a cable.
Because keyboards and mice do not drain much power, those devices can operate using batteries. Typically, that means one or two double-A batteries.
Many printers are wireless, but they still need to connect to a power source.
“All those things kind of come together into this rat’s nest that we hope to hide behind our desks, but sometimes you just can’t run away any longer,” John says. “Untangling that web can be impossible sometimes.”
Wireless office solutions for businesses
Wires may be unsightly, but they are necessary for companies relying on technology to do business. However, there have been encouraging developments over the last decade that bring a wireless office closer to reality.
As noted above, keyboards and mice can operate on battery power. At one point, headphones needed a cord that plugged into a jack on the computer. Now, Bluetooth-compatible headphones can connect to computers. Today’s Wi-Fi connections are strong and fast, making it feasible for an entire office to connect to Wi-Fi instead of relying on ethernet cables. Additionally, wireless printers can operate without needing a cord to connect to the computer.
“Thinking about how our wired infrastructure worked is actually important in figuring out the best way to be wireless,” John notes.
Considerations for businesses
Businesses across all industries rely on technology to some degree. As such, they should consider and evaluate their technology options and policies on an annual basis.
Two considerations are worth examining this year:
Consideration 1: Wireless internet
The wireless office, for now, will be a distant technology. However, the framework is taking shape, and it begins with wireless internet. Today’s Wi-Fi is much faster, stronger and more reliable than previous generations.
One limitation of Wi-Fi, though, deals with a business’ physical design. Wi-Fi signals can travel through some walls, but businesses occupying larger office spaces or those with concrete or steel interior walls should consider a mesh network. A mesh network boosts a signal to other parts of a building. That allows employees to keep their laptops, tablets and smartphones connected to the same network when working anywhere within the building. The alternative – establishing separate wireless networks – is not advantageous because devices will continuously try to connect to or remain on a network, even if the signal is not strong.
“It doesn’t work infinitely and has its own drawbacks but compared to running very expensive cabling throughout your house or business, it’s a viable solution,” John says.
Consideration 2: Remote workers
A Pew Research Center survey released in 2025 noted 32% of U.S. workers who can work from home now do so all the time. Another 43% who can complete their jobs at home do so at least part of the time. That leaves just 25% who still report for work at the office even though they technically could get the job done at home.
What does this mean for employers? It means the home office should be treated the same – technologically speaking – as the actual office. That brings digital safety and security into play.
“A lot of businesses have people who work from home,” John acknowledges. “That’s where your IT company tends to get involved to make sure security is at the forefront and that we’re doing things the right way.”
In many cases, John recommends that a company’s IT partner also assist in setting up remote workers’ computer network at home.
“There are tons of great solutions out there. Just don’t go it alone because that’s how you can end up with poor performance, or worse yet, lesser security than you probably want.”
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