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LANIX
Business IT Troubleshooting Hub

Common IT issues and practical solutions for UK businesses

Recognise early warning signs across your network, cloud, security and day-to-day support — with clear guidance on safe first checks, curated LANIX video explainers and when to escalate to an engineer.

Speak to a LANIX EngineerCommon IT Issues Playlist
LANIX IT engineers reviewing business network and support diagnostics in London
Core Service Area

Managed IT Support & Remote Working

Day-to-day user faults, sluggish remote working and repeat helpdesk tickets affecting office and hybrid teams.

Managed IT Support Services

Slow remote working, VPN lag and dropped remote sessions

Common symptoms

  • Shared files, cloud apps or remote desktops open noticeably slower outside the office.
  • VPN sessions freeze, time out or require repeated sign-ins during the working day.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Commonly linked to VPN gateway bottlenecks, full-tunnel routing, endpoint memory strain or home Wi-Fi contention.
  • Safe first check: verify whether multiple remote staff see the slowdown simultaneously and reconnect the VPN client.

When to escalate

Escalate to LANIX when more than one remote user is affected, authentication errors persist or remote lag disrupts client calls and core systems.

Explore Managed IT Support Services

Recurring workstation faults and delayed starter setups

Common symptoms

  • Login, printer or profile errors reappear days after a temporary fix.
  • New starters wait days for configured laptops, permissions and Microsoft 365 access.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Usually caused by ad-hoc device configuration and reactive break-fix support without root-cause tracking.
  • Safe first check: note exact error messages and which user group is affected before restarting the machine.

When to escalate

Escalate when recurring faults interrupt billable hours or onboarding delays hold up new hires.

Review LANIX Helpdesk & Support Tiers
YouTube thumbnail for Remote Working Too Slow? Common Business IT Issues Explained | LANIX
1:00

Remote Working Too Slow? Common Business IT Issues Explained | LANIX

From the LANIX "Common IT Issues Explained" playlist, this video focuses on slow remote working performance for business teams and when recurring slowdowns point to wider remote access or day-to-day IT support bottlenecks.

Watch on YouTubeExplore LANIX IT Support Services
Supporting guides & related services:What a managed user helpdesk covers99% uptime and IT failure resolution
Core Service Area

Network Refresh & Connectivity

Office Wi-Fi dropouts, switching bottlenecks and firewall limits that throttle fast broadband connections.

Network Refresh & Connectivity

Fast broadband line, but slow office applications and Wi-Fi

Common symptoms

  • Router speed tests look fast, yet cloud apps, file uploads and video calls lag at desks.
  • Meeting rooms suffer Wi-Fi dead zones or drop connections when busy.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Often driven by ageing switches, poorly positioned access points, channel interference or firewall throughput caps.
  • Safe first check: compare performance on a wired ethernet cable versus office Wi-Fi to isolate wireless coverage from core switching.

When to escalate

Escalate to LANIX for a wireless survey and network assessment before paying for a larger ISP circuit unnecessarily.

Explore Network Refresh & Connectivity

Single-circuit internet outages halting office operations

Common symptoms

  • An ISP fault takes down phones, cloud apps and card or guest Wi-Fi across the whole site.
  • Failover lines exist on paper but do not switch over automatically during an outage.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Caused by unmonitored secondary circuits, manual router failover or single points of hardware failure.
  • Safe first check: check ISP status alerts and confirm power to comms room NTU, router and core switches.

When to escalate

Escalate to LANIX to configure tested automatic dual-circuit or 4G/5G failover and monitored firewall resilience.

Upgrade Office Network Resilience
YouTube thumbnail for Fast Broadband, Slow Business? Common IT Issues Explained | LANIX
0:54

Fast Broadband, Slow Business? Common IT Issues Explained | LANIX

From the LANIX "Common IT Issues Explained" series, this video looks at why businesses paying for fast broadband can still face sluggish day-to-day performance when internal office networking or Wi-Fi distribution holds traffic back.

Watch on YouTubeExplore Network Refresh & Connectivity
Supporting guides & related services:Essential power and network cabling for your officeGuide to setting up office broadband
Core Service Area

Cloud Migration & Hybrid Infrastructure

End-of-life on-premise servers, legacy software dependencies and rising costs from unplanned cloud workloads.

Cloud Migration Services

Ageing on-premise servers nearing end of support

Common symptoms

  • Windows Server or SQL hosts approach end-of-life dates, raising compliance and patching risks.
  • Server storage fills up while hardware warranty renewals climb sharply.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Legacy business applications accumulate database and network dependencies that make rushed replacements risky.
  • Safe first check: list every line-of-business application and user group relying on the server before buying replacement hardware.

When to escalate

Engage LANIX early to compare Azure, private cloud and hybrid architectures and deliver a phased migration.

Plan a Phased Cloud Migration

Unpredictable Azure or cloud hosting spend after a lift-and-shift move

Common symptoms

  • Monthly cloud invoices creep upward without matching headcount growth.
  • Virtual machines run 24/7 at oversized specifications with orphaned storage disks.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Moving on-premise server sizing straight to the cloud without right-sizing or reserved instances inflates running costs.
  • Safe first check: review monthly billing breakdowns before deleting any unfamiliar cloud resources.

When to escalate

Escalate to LANIX for a cloud architecture and cost-optimisation review that right-sizes workloads safely.

Speak to LANIX Cloud Consultants
Supporting guides & related services:How managed cloud services support business growth
Core Service Area

Microsoft 365, Copilot & AI Solutions

Sprawling SharePoint permissions, tenant sprawl and governance preparation for Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Microsoft 365 & AI Solutions

Overshared SharePoint data blocking safe Microsoft Copilot rollout

Common symptoms

  • Files sit across duplicate Teams channels and SharePoint sites with broad internal or guest links.
  • Leadership wants Microsoft 365 Copilot but worries prompts might surface sensitive HR, board or finance files.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Copilot surfaces any content a user already has permission to read, exposing historical oversharing.
  • Safe first check: hold back wide Copilot licence assignment until SharePoint permissions and sensitivity labels are audited.

When to escalate

Run the LANIX Copilot Readiness Check and Microsoft 365 permission review before deploying licences and staff training.

Take the Copilot Readiness Check

Low adoption of Microsoft 365 tools or Copilot licences

Common symptoms

  • Paid Microsoft 365 or Copilot licences sit underused while staff fall back to manual copy-paste workflows.
  • Teams use unapproved consumer AI tools without company data guardrails.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Without role-specific examples and clear AI usage rules, teams rarely adopt new tools consistently.
  • Safe first check: ask department leads which repetitive reporting or drafting tasks consume the most time.

When to escalate

Book practical LANIX Copilot Training or explore custom role-based Copilot Agents built inside your tenant.

Explore Microsoft Copilot Training
Supporting guides & related services:Microsoft Copilot Readiness CheckMicrosoft Copilot TrainingCopilot Agents & Copilot Studio
Core Service Area

Cybersecurity, Compliance & Resilience

Suspicious sign-in alerts, phishing exposure, Cyber Essentials gaps and regulatory data protection controls.

Security, Compliance & Resilience

Suspicious account sign-ins, unexpected MFA prompts or phishing clicks

Common symptoms

  • Staff receive unexpected multi-factor authentication prompts or spot unfamiliar inbox forwarding rules.
  • Clients or suppliers report suspicious emails appearing to come from a colleague.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Frequently caused by token-stealing phishing links, weak conditional access policies or unmanaged devices.
  • Safe first check: never approve an unexpected MFA prompt; disconnect suspected devices from Wi-Fi/ethernet and preserve logs rather than wiping the machine.

When to escalate

Escalate immediately to LANIX to revoke active sessions, investigate mailbox rules and harden endpoint and identity controls.

Explore Cybersecurity Enhancement

Cyber Essentials, GDPR or client security questionnaire gaps

Common symptoms

  • Enterprise prospects or insurers ask for Cyber Essentials, DLP, encryption or retention evidence you lack.
  • Former staff accounts, personal mobile access or unpatched apps remain undocumented.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Security policies drift quickly without automated device compliance, patch SLAs and data loss prevention.
  • Safe first check: list the specific certification or client questionnaire deadline so remediation is prioritised.

When to escalate

Work with LANIX to align technical controls, documentation and Cyber Essentials readiness across your estate.

Explore Compliance & Data Protection
Supporting guides & related services:Cybersecurity EnhancementCompliance & Data ProtectionEssential guide to Cyber Essentials certificationWhy SMEs are the new front line for cybercrime
Core Service Area

Data Backup & Disaster Recovery

Silent backup failures, untested restore times and gaps in Microsoft 365 or server continuity.

Data Backup & Recovery

Untested backups or assuming Microsoft 365 backs up everything permanently

Common symptoms

  • Nobody can confirm when a full server, SharePoint or mailbox restore was last tested.
  • Accidental deletions or ransomware-encrypted cloud files pass standard recycle-bin retention windows.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Standard cloud retention is not an independent, immutable off-site backup with guaranteed recovery times.
  • Safe first check: check the date of your most recent documented test restore and verify backup alert monitoring.

When to escalate

Escalate to LANIX to deploy monitored, immutable cloud and hybrid backups with regularly tested recovery objectives.

Explore Data Backup & Recovery
Supporting guides & related services:Data backup and disaster recovery for business continuity
Core Service Area

Unified Communications & Voice

Ageing PBX phone systems, UK PSTN switch-off readiness, call routing friction and Teams Phone quality.

Unified Communications & Voice

Inflexible desk phones, poor call audio or fragmented hybrid calling

Common symptoms

  • Incoming business calls cannot follow staff seamlessly across laptops, mobiles and meeting rooms.
  • Callers report jitter, robotic voice quality or dropped transfers during peak office hours.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Often linked to legacy ISDN/PSTN hardware or missing voice Quality of Service (QoS) prioritisation on the LAN.
  • Safe first check: note whether poor call quality happens only on office Wi-Fi, wired desks or mobile data.

When to escalate

Escalate to LANIX to migrate cleanly to Microsoft Teams Phone or cloud VoIP with full number porting and QoS tuning.

Explore Unified Communications & Voice
Core Service Area

Hardware Lifecycle & IT Sourcing

Slow out-of-warranty laptops, scattered vendor renewals and unused software licences.

Hardware Lifecycle Refresh

Ageing device fleet and fragmented supplier or licence renewals

Common symptoms

  • Staff lose time daily to slow boot times, battery failures and out-of-warranty hardware faults.
  • Hardware purchases and software renewals sit across multiple vendors with duplicate or unused licences.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Reactive one-off buying creates inconsistent device standards, OS patching gaps and wasted renewal spend.
  • Safe first check: review device ages, Windows 11 compatibility and upcoming vendor contract renewal dates.

When to escalate

Engage LANIX to build a rolling hardware lifecycle plan and consolidate hardware, licensing and vendor procurement.

Explore IT Sourcing & Procurement
Supporting guides & related services:IT Sourcing & ProcurementGuide to compliant IT equipment disposal
Core Service Area

Office IT Relocation Services

Fibre wayleave delays, comms room build-outs and moving-day downtime risks for London and UK office moves.

Office IT Relocation Services

Fibre lead-time surprises and day-one downtime during an office move

Common symptoms

  • A lease completion date approaches before broadband wayleaves, floorbox cabling or rack cooling are confirmed.
  • Internal teams worry servers, Wi-Fi, meeting rooms and desk setups will not work on Monday morning.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • UK leased lines and building wayleaves frequently require 30 to 90 days; late IT involvement forces costly workarounds.
  • Safe first check: gather target move dates, new floorplans and headcount as soon as heads of terms are discussed.

When to escalate

Involve LANIX early for pre-move site surveys, circuit ordering, cabling, physical recommissioning and day-one floorwalking.

Plan an Office IT Relocation
Supporting guides & related services:Essential IT relocation roadmap for London office movesWhy an IT site survey is crucial before moving
Core Service Area

IT Audit & Infrastructure Health

Inherited black-box IT estates, undocumented risks and overlapping symptoms with unclear root causes.

IT Audit Services

Multiple recurring IT frustrations with no clear visibility of root causes

Common symptoms

  • Management inherits undocumented systems, unclear admin access or rising monthly IT invoices.
  • Fixing one symptom seems to trigger another issue across networks, cloud apps or security.

Likely causes & safe first checks

  • Years of incremental changes without an independent architectural review leave hidden single points of failure.
  • Safe first check: list current IT suppliers, contract end dates and the top operational pain points reported by staff.

When to escalate

Commission a structured LANIX IT Audit for a plain-English risk assessment and prioritised remediation roadmap.

Book a LANIX IT Audit
Supporting guides & related services:Strategic IT spending for SMEs

Dealing with a recurring IT issue that keeps coming back?

Speak directly with LANIX in London. Whether you need responsive day-to-day helpdesk cover, an independent IT audit or specialist project delivery across the UK, we will help you resolve the root cause.

Contact LANIXBook an IT Audit
LANIX IT specialist meeting a UK business team