outdoor WiFi for guests and customers

Video chat on the campsite, quickly answer emails in the beer garden in the evening or simply continue watching your favorite series in the morning in a cozy café - preferably with WiFi provided and not using your own data volume. Indoor WiFi is now standard in restaurants, hotels, etc. But an outdoor Internet connection is also becoming increasingly attractive for customers and guests. More and more companies are upgrading to meet this wish. We will explain below how outdoor WiFi can be used outdoors and what advantages it brings.

Where does outdoor WiFi make sense?

WLAN access is already standard in public areas. Free Internet access is offered at every train station, in every library and in every location. Even in private spaces at home for their own garden or terrace, more and more people are taking advantage of the opportunity to move Internet access outdoors as well. But WLAN access is also required in industries such as catering or hotels. And not only indoors, but also over the entire outdoor area. However, this usually covers a much larger area than the local garden. However, in order to ensure stable Internet access throughout this outdoor area, a number of precautions must be taken. A suitable router, optimal placement and sufficient range are just a few factors that must be considered. But the basic expectation of restaurants, campsites and other leisure facilities is that WiFi is also available outdoors, which is why companies are required to offer it as well.

These devices are required

An outdoor WLAN router with Internet access is generally required for a continuous connection. This can be placed on a terrace, for example. If it is a small outdoor area, possibly from a small café, a single router is usually sufficient. This is not enough for an extensive campsite or a large outdoor area of a restaurant or hotel. In this case, additional devices are required to support the router. An outdoor WLAN repeater or an access point is ideal for this purpose. Both amplify the WLAN signal outdoors, although the use of the repeater with a low transmission rate must be expected. Access points are required when the actual power of the router is insufficient. A standard router has a range of approximately 100 meters. But only if there are no obstacles in this area. In addition, the signal is getting weaker from meter to meter. An access point or even a WLAN outdoor repeater is therefore ideal. This can be connected on the terrace of a restaurant, for example, so that the WLAN signal can also be used outside via the repeater. However, a WLAN repeater is usually only of limited use. Although it can be used to amplify the signal, the transmission rate drops by around 50%. In contrast, an access point combines a strong signal with a full bandwidth. Find out how an access point works and how it can be used effectively here.Another option is a WLAN mesh system. This consists of several routers, which are exclusively connected to each other wirelessly. A main router distributes the signal to all other devices, which is why this system is particularly suitable for outdoor areas with “obstacles.” Walls, hedges or trees represent an obstacle to the WLAN signal. This is often the case, particularly on campsites. Caravans can also be an obstacle to a perfect WLAN signal.

You should pay attention to this

First of all, it is important that all equipment used is suitable and approved for outdoor use. In addition, attention should be paid to the correct installation. Devices that are suitable for outdoor use must still be protected from wind and weather. Even though some suppliers advertise waterproof models, they are usually only resistant to small amounts of water. They should therefore not be exposed to a rain shower. There are special storage boxes for this purpose, which protect the routers and other devices. Another aspect is to ensure an adequate power supply. Electrical outlets are not necessarily available, especially outdoors, which is why the placement of the devices is particularly important. The power connection must also be protected from wind and rain. Under no circumstances should it come into contact with water. To ensure optimal use of outdoor WiFi, it is crucial that the signal is not restricted by any obstacles. Hedges, walls or larger trees often pose a challenge and can severely impair the signal. In particularly spacious outdoor areas, such as a large beer garden or a campsite, the signal from a single WLAN router is usually not enough. Therefore, the reception should be considered even before the first installation. It is particularly annoying for customers and visitors when a connection to the Internet is only possible in certain parts of the outdoor area.

Adequate protection and safety

Similar to indoor WiFi, this should also be adequately protected outdoors. Significantly higher safety measures must often be taken for outdoor use. This is done against the background of the large range, which also allows third parties access from a distance. In order to log into a WLAN network, it is not even necessary for strangers to be in the immediate vicinity. Socialwave offers an optimal solution to protect the WLAN from unauthorized persons. With the Socialwave login system, it is only possible to use the WLAN if the customer actively logs in. This is done using a telephone number or e-mail address, which is a prerequisite for logging in. If the offered WLAN is also used for private rooms, the so-called guest access can be used. This mode prevents third parties from logging into the home network. You can find out more about WLAN security here.

Benefits for WLAN providers

Functioning Internet access is also an advantage from the company's point of view. Not only does a free WiFi hotspot meet the wishes of visitors and guests — marketing also benefits enormously. When customers log in, companies receive important customer data such as email addresses or mobile phone numbers, which are relevant for further marketing measures. For example, individual newsletters about the latest offers can be sent via email campaigns. Special offers or similar promotions can also be communicated directly to the customer in this way. Do you run a catering business? In this way, you can inform your guests about the current menu or encourage them to visit again with a voucher campaign. For campsites or hotels, for example, email campaigns can be sent which invite you to another stay. Another decisive factor from a marketing strategy perspective is the ability to generate positive reviews on Google by logging in, which, among other things, strongly influence the ranking on Google. WLAN access for customers offers many other options. Socialwave offers optimal support for this. With the marketing package, you not only get the WiFi hotspot for guests, but also an automated marketing tool. With this, you have the opportunity to pursue an effective marketing strategy in addition to the desire for Internet access. More information about Socialwave's marketing package can be found here.

conclusion

Finally, unrestricted surfing outside too! That is the wish of many guests and customers. Many use WiFi to be able to be online on social media while staying in a restaurant or café, while others need Internet access to work locally. A free hotspot is already standard in many public areas. But WiFi access also has many other advantages. Customer satisfaction and optimal marketing are combined via Internet access. This is not only worthwhile for customers, but is also very useful from a business perspective. With our WLAN marketing package, your customers/patients/guests advertise for you, are happy and recommend you to others.