Managed IT & Support
Cybersecurity
Cloud, Backup & Network
You get firewalls, segmented networks, secure Wi-Fi and safe remote access, set up and watched by one local team that can reach offices from the Loop to O’Hare.
Get a Free IT AssessmentYour network is the road every piece of business data travels on. Email, client files, phone calls, card payments and cloud apps all cross it. If someone gets onto that road without permission, they can reach almost everything. Network security solutions put locks, guards and cameras on that road so only the right people and devices get through.
In practice, that means a properly configured firewall, a network split into zones, secure Wi-Fi, safe remote access and constant monitoring for odd behavior. Most small and mid-size Chicago offices have some of this already. The trouble is that it was set up once, years ago, and nobody has looked at it since. Default passwords, open ports and old firmware are common, and attackers scan for exactly those gaps.
You do not need a big security department to fix this. You need the right settings, kept current, with someone watching. A managed approach gives you that for a predictable monthly cost. Your team keeps working, while your network is hardened, patched and checked in the background. When something looks wrong, a real person looks at it quickly.
Chicago businesses run on shared infrastructure. Many offices sit in older downtown towers or mixed-use buildings where tenants share risers and closets. Others are in River North lofts, West Loop creative spaces or suburban office parks in Schaumburg and Oak Brook. Each setup has different weak points, from shared building Wi-Fi to unlocked network closets. Staff also work from home or on the Metra, which adds more connections you cannot see.
Attackers do not pick on size. Automated tools scan any business with an exposed port or an unpatched firewall. Law firms, clinics, accountants and distributors all hold data worth stealing or locking. A single weak point can stop work for days. Good network security shrinks the number of ways in and limits the damage if something gets through, so one stolen password does not become a company-wide problem.
Everything below is part of one monthly plan. Pick a topic to see what is handled for you and how it works in a Chicago office.
The firewall is your front door. We select, configure and manage business-grade firewalls with current rules, intrusion prevention and web filtering. Firmware is patched on a schedule, and every change is logged so you can see who altered what and when.
Many offices run a firewall that was installed years ago and never touched again. Old rules pile up and firmware falls behind. A managed firewall is reviewed regularly, tuned to how your office works and replaced before it reaches end of life.
Segmentation splits your network into zones. Staff computers, servers, printers, phones, cameras and guest devices each get their own space with rules about what can talk to what. A problem in one zone stays there.
This matters most for shared spaces. A customer on guest Wi-Fi should never be able to see your accounting PC. A smart thermostat should not sit beside your file server. We design the zones, set the rules and test that they hold.
Security tools only help if someone reads what they say. Monitoring tracks device health, unusual traffic, repeated failed logins and new devices joining the network. Alerts go to technicians, not into an inbox nobody checks.
Small signs often come before a bigger problem: a firewall port that suddenly opens, a laptop sending large amounts of data at night, a switch that keeps rebooting. Catching these early turns an emergency into a routine fix.
Wireless networks are an easy target when they are set up loosely. We configure business Wi-Fi with strong encryption, separate staff and guest networks, and controls on which devices can join. Weak shared passwords are replaced with proper access.
Good coverage matters too. Dead spots push staff to use personal hotspots, which bypass your protection. We check signal in your actual space, from a Loop high-rise floor to a suburban warehouse office, and place access points to match.
Staff log in from home, client sites and hotel rooms. Each connection should be encrypted and require more than a password. We set up secure remote access with multi-factor sign-in and limit what each person can reach.
We also remove old accounts and open remote desktop ports, a common way attackers get in. When someone leaves your company, their access is shut off the same day. You get a short list of who can connect and from where.
Plenty of companies can fix a laptop. These are the three reasons clients mention most when they explain why they picked Ping Chicago.
Your technicians know how Loop high-rises handle building access, why basement server closets flood in summer storms and how long it really takes to reach Oak Brook at 4 p.m. That local knowledge turns into faster, calmer fixes.
Your network, devices and backups are watched around the clock. Most issues are caught and fixed before anyone in your office notices, and the rest are explained to you in plain English.
You get a written per-user quote after a free assessment, with every included service listed. No hourly surprises, no emergency rates and no fine print about what counts as extra.
Security needs differ between a Loop tower, a Fulton Market creative office and a suburban distribution site. We adjust firewall rules, Wi-Fi design and monitoring to the building and the people in it.
Most Loop offices share a building’s internet riser, wiring closets and security desk. Managed IT here means working with property management on access and cabling, keeping remote access stable for commuters and scheduling after-hours work around building rules.
Creative agencies need fast Wi-Fi for large files and constant video calls, while medical offices near Northwestern Memorial need HIPAA-ready systems. Both get the same help desk, with security matched to the data they store.
Teams here grow fast, so new hires need laptops, accounts and access on their first day. Managed IT keeps onboarding repeatable and the network ready for the next floor or the next office.
Dental and medical practices, therapists and small firms run on a few critical systems: scheduling, imaging and billing. Managed IT keeps them patched, backed up and running before the first appointment of the day.
Point-of-sale systems, guest Wi-Fi and a handful of laptops can still take a shop offline. Managed IT separates guest and business networks and keeps payment systems updated and monitored.
Event, hospitality and professional offices near McCormick Place deal with seasonal rushes. Managed IT scales support around busy weeks and keeps shared and public spaces secure.
Practices and offices in Evanston and Skokie get the same remote help desk as downtown clients, with on-site visits scheduled for hardware, cabling and network work.
Logistics and distribution businesses near O’Hare run warehouses, scanners and shipping systems around the clock. Managed IT monitors those networks 24/7 and plans updates outside shift changes.
Many companies in Oak Brook, Naperville and Schaumburg run a suburban headquarters with a city branch. Managed IT connects both sites securely and supports staff at either location.
Most offices choose between a managed service, a hired employee or a one-time install. Here is how they compare on the points that matter day to day.
| Topic | Ping Chicago | In-House IT Hire | One-Time Setup Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Predictable fee per user or site | Salary, benefits & tools | Large upfront, then nothing |
| Firmware & rule updates | Scheduled and done for you | Depends on one person’s time | Not included after install |
| Monitoring hours | Around the clock | Business hours, often one person | None |
| Coverage when someone is away | A full team covers | Gap during vacation or illness | No coverage |
| Segmentation & Wi-Fi design | Included and tested | Possible, if skilled | Usually basic setup only |
| Reports to owners | Plain-English monthly summary | Varies by person | Setup notes at handoff |
| Speed of response to an alert | Technicians review quickly | Slow after hours | You call and wait |
You move from hoping your network is safe to knowing it is checked and maintained.
Unused ports, old accounts and default settings are closed off.
A bad laptop or guest device cannot reach your servers or files.
Odd traffic and failed logins are spotted and reviewed quickly.
You get plain reports showing what is protected and what changed.
Different industries guard different data, so the same network needs different protections.
Patient systems kept on protected network zones with monitored access and tested backups.
Law FirmsClient files separated from guest and staff devices, with secure remote access for attorneys.
Financial ServicesLocked-down networks and logged access for accounts, records and client communication.
Logistics CompaniesWarehouse scanners, shipping systems and office PCs kept on separate, watched networks.
Our old provider took a day to answer. Now a typical ticket is closed in about 12 minutes, and password resets happen while I’m still on the phone. Our staff stopped complaining about IT within the first month, which never happened before.
We were nervous about changing providers with deadlines ahead. The whole move took three weeks, email and files kept working throughout, and every login and device was documented. Not one person missed a day of work because of it.
We used to get surprise invoices every time something broke. Now it’s one predictable monthly bill, and problems get flagged before we notice them. Planning our IT budget takes five minutes instead of an argument with the owner.
After a free assessment, you get a written quote that lists what we found, what we would fix and what it costs each month.
They are the tools and settings that protect how your business computers, phones and devices connect. That includes managed firewalls, network segmentation, secure Wi-Fi, remote access controls and monitoring. Together they stop unauthorized people getting in and limit damage if something goes wrong.
Cost depends on staff count, locations and equipment. Most small businesses typically pay a monthly fee per user or site, plus a one-time charge if new firewalls or switches are needed. A free assessment lets us give you a written quote.
Often we can manage your existing firewall if it is business-grade and still supported. If it is end of life, unsupported or a home-style router, we will recommend a replacement and explain why. You see the reasoning before you decide.
Segmentation splits your network into separate zones, such as staff, guests, servers and devices. If one zone has a problem, it cannot spread easily to the others. It also keeps visitors off the systems that hold your files and records.
Yes, if it shares a network with your business systems. Guest devices can carry malware and you cannot control them. A separate guest network keeps visitors online without giving them any path to your staff computers or servers.
Yes. We set up encrypted remote access with multi-factor sign-in and limit what each person can reach. We also remove old accounts and exposed remote desktop ports, which are a common way attackers break in.
Firmware and rules should be reviewed on a regular schedule, and urgent security patches applied quickly. Many offices go years without updates. A managed service handles this routinely so you are not relying on someone to remember.
A properly sized firewall should not noticeably slow normal work. Problems usually come from an undersized or outdated device. We check your connection speed and traffic needs so protection does not get in the way.
Yes. Many downtown and neighborhood buildings share risers, old wiring and unlocked closets. We work with property management on access, check cabling and plan any after-hours work around building rules.
A small office can often be assessed in a day and hardened over a few weeks, depending on equipment. Larger or multi-site setups take longer. We schedule changes outside busy hours so your team keeps working.
Need something slightly different? These services cover the same ground from another angle.
A free assessment shows your gaps, what to fix first and what it would cost.