The SOHO environment has requirements that are similar to an enterprise network environment, except that they are less complex. One major difference when moving from an enterprise network toward a SOHO network is the types of devices used. The devices used have similar functionality but SOHO network devices offer less performance because they do not need to serve a large number of users. Some of the most commonly used network devices in a network include:
- Internet router
- Ethernet switch
- Printer/scanner/fax machine
The Internet connection in an enterprise network is achieved via a router or maybe a cluster of routers that aggregate multiple ISPs in a corporate environment. The same function can be achieved in a home office with a DSL or cable modem because the bandwidth is much lower. This equipment is sometimes offered or rented by the ISP as part of the contract and it usually offers multiple ports for home devices.
When connecting a SOHO network to the corporate office, you will need a secure tunnel. This might consist of a higher-end Internet router that has the capability of building IPSec tunnels from site to site. With IPSec tunnels, everything that is sent out to the main office is encrypted, so even if somebody tried to sniff the packets, he wouldn’t be able to understand any of the traffic going through the tunnel.
Modern Internet routers offer more functionality beyond ensuring a simple Internet connection. They also offer advanced features, including:
- VPN capability
- Wireless function
- Firewall features
- IPS/IDS
- Content filtering
| Note: All of the functionalities mentioned above are offered by dedicated appliances in an enterprise environment, but due to their limited scope they can be integrated into a single device in SOHO networks.
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SOHO networks don’t usually use the high-level modular switches that are used in an enterprise network. Because there are only a few devices that need to be connected to the network, the integrated switch ports the router/UTM offers is usually used or simply a dedicated Ethernet switch. The Ethernet switch can be either managed or unmanaged, depending on whether the corporate office needs to remotely access this device for maintenance purposes. Unmanaged devices usually cost a lot less than managed devices because they offer less features. Sometimes managed switches have additional features that can be configured, such as:
- Port speeds
- VLAN segmentation of the network
- Port security
- Uplink capabilities for future growth
A SOHO location might also need printing, scanning, and faxing devices to handle different document requirements related to the job. Because of the lack of room and because these services are used by a small number of employees, all of these functionalities are usually integrated into a single multifunctional device that offers printing, copying, scanning and faxing services. These multifunctional devices usually offer wired or wireless network connectivity so their services can be accessed on the same infrastructure from every station within the SOHO network.