Moving to a new office or setting up a second location? Here is everything you need to consider for IT infrastructure, networking, communications, and security.
Setting up a new office involves dozens of IT decisions that interact with each other — and getting the sequence wrong creates expensive problems. Internet provisioning that takes 6 weeks cannot be rushed. Cabling that is not done before furniture arrives requires moving desks. A phone system migration that has not been planned weeks in advance causes phone number outages on day one.
This checklist is organised by timeline to prevent the most common mistakes.
12 Weeks Before Opening: Strategic Decisions
Confirm Internet Connectivity Options
This is the first thing to investigate — before signing the lease if possible. Check:
- What NBN connection type is at the premises? FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) is best. FTTN (Fibre to the Node) uses copper for the last leg and is slower and less reliable. HFC is variable.
- Is dedicated fibre (Enterprise Ethernet) available? In the Melbourne CBD and inner suburbs, multiple providers offer fibre products. Worth pricing for larger teams.
- What is the provisioning lead time? Business NBN: 20-40 business days typical. Enterprise Ethernet: 30-90 business days. Do not assume you can get internet connected in a week.
Submit your internet service application immediately after signing the lease.
Plan the Network Architecture
Before any cabling is installed, design the network:
- How many workstations, and where?
- Where will the comms room / server room be?
- Access point placement for Wi-Fi coverage (ceiling is ideal)
- VLAN design: staff, guest, VoIP, printers/IoT, server
- Server room power requirements (UPS sizing, dedicated circuits)
Get your IT provider involved here — network design decisions made now are expensive to change after cabling.
Select Your Phone System
Phone systems require provisioning lead time, especially if porting existing numbers. Decisions:
- Microsoft Teams Phone: Best choice for M365 businesses. Requires Teams Phone Standard licence + Operator Connect provider.
- Dedicated hosted VoIP (3CX, RingCentral): If not on M365 or preferring a dedicated system.
- Number porting: Submit porting request 4 weeks before go-live.
8 Weeks Before Opening: Procurement
Order Networking Hardware
Long lead times apply to networking hardware from quality vendors. Order:
- Firewall/router (Fortinet FortiGate, Cisco Meraki)
- Core managed switch
- Distribution switches (if multi-floor or large floorplate)
- Business-grade access points
- UPS units for server room and core network equipment
- Patch panels and rack equipment
Order or Confirm End-User Hardware
If purchasing new devices for the new location, allow 2-4 weeks for delivery and configuration. For a cloud-first business (no servers), procurement is primarily:
- Workstations or laptops
- Monitors and docking stations
- Printers/MFDs
- Meeting room equipment (displays, speakerphones)
Order Cabling Materials (or Book Contractor)
Structured cabling must be installed by a registered cabler. Book your contractor and confirm:
- Cable runs from comms room to each desk position
- Cable runs to access point mounting locations (ceiling)
- Patch panel installation in the comms room
- Cabling testing and certification (required for warranty)
4 Weeks Before Opening: Pre-Installation
Comms Room / Server Room Preparation
The comms room needs to be ready before any other IT installation:
- Equipment rack installed and anchored
- Adequate power (dedicated circuits for UPS if required — this needs an electrician)
- Air conditioning or adequate ventilation (networking equipment generates heat)
- Physical security (lockable door, access log)
- Cable management hardware
Pre-Configure Networking Equipment
Quality IT providers stage and pre-configure networking hardware before installation day. The firewall, switches, and access points arrive at the site already configured — dramatically reducing installation time and the risk of day-one errors.
Pre-configuration includes:
- Firewall rules and security policies
- VLAN configuration on switches
- Wi-Fi SSID and VLAN assignments on access points
- VPN configuration for remote access
2 Weeks Before Opening: Installation Phase
Cabling Installation
Cabling should be the first trade in, before furniture arrives:
- All cable runs to desk positions
- Access point cable drops from ceiling
- Patch panel termination in comms room
- Testing and labelling of all runs
Network Equipment Installation
After cabling:
- Rack mounting and cable management in comms room
- UPS installation and testing
- Core switch installation
- Firewall installation and internet connection testing
- Access point mounting and testing
Workstation Setup
After network is confirmed operational:
- Workstations deployed to desk positions
- Monitors and peripherals connected
- MDM enrolment confirmed on all devices
- Applications installed and tested
- User accounts and permissions verified
Opening Week: Final Checks
Network:
- All desk positions tested for wired and wireless connectivity
- Guest Wi-Fi confirmed isolated from staff network
- Internet failover tested (if 4G/5G backup configured)
- VPN remote access tested from an external location
Communications:
- Phone numbers confirmed ported and operational
- Auto attendant routing tested (correct menu options, correct destinations)
- Voicemail configured for all users
- Video conferencing in meeting rooms tested
Security:
- All devices MDM enrolled and compliant
- EDR deployed on all endpoints
- BitLocker encryption verified on all Windows devices
- MFA confirmed active for all user accounts
- Backup jobs running and verified
User Experience:
- Walk through each workstation with the assigned user
- Confirm all required applications accessible
- Helpdesk contact details distributed to all staff
- Emergency IT contact details posted in visible location
The Most Common New Office IT Mistakes
- Not engaging IT early enough — internet provisioning and cabling cannot be rushed at the last minute
- Under-specifying access points — one access point in the server room is not adequate for a 30-person office
- Forgetting comms room cooling — networking equipment in a sealed room without airflow overheats and fails
- No UPS on network core equipment — a 30-second power fluctuation takes out the entire network if the switch and firewall are on mains power only
- Phone system migration left too late — number porting requires weeks of lead time
CX IT Services manages new office IT setups for Melbourne businesses end-to-end — from connectivity assessment through to opening day. Book a Right Fit Call to discuss your new office project.
