Key points
- A single router can't cover a hotel, campsite or warehouse: you need several well-placed access points.
- Guests, staff, payments and cameras must be on separate networks.
- A guest portal can carry your branding while respecting GDPR.
- An on-site survey comes before any installation.
- Monitoring sends an alert when an access point goes down.
What's at stake
- guest satisfaction, since guests judge the connection too;
- staff work: tablets, WiFi calling, online software;
- payments, which must stay isolated from public WiFi;
- security: a poorly separated guest network exposes computers and cameras.
A professional architecture
A reliable network starts with an on-site survey, business access points placed according to materials and areas (rooms, terraces, mobile homes), switches powering access points over the cable (PoE) and radio links between distant buildings. Coverage is measured after installation, room by room.
The guest access portal
The access portal shows a branded page with a code, ticket or form, and terms of use. Session length and per-user bandwidth can be limited. Any data collected is subject to GDPR: information, consent where needed and retention periods.
One network per use
Guests, staff, tills, cameras and connected devices are separated into virtual networks (VLANs). An issue on guest WiFi affects neither payments nor reception computers.
Monitoring
Access points are monitored: an alert is raised when one goes down, updates are applied and the configuration evolves with the season or building work.
Why hotel or campsite WiFi drops
Complaints rarely come from internet speed alone. The most common causes: too few or badly placed access points, thick walls or metal structures (mobile homes, shelving), channels interfering between neighbouring access points, and a single network shared by guests, staff and payment terminals. On-site measurement tells apart coverage, capacity and the internet connection itself.
What a proper WiFi survey includes
- Site survey: plans, materials, outdoor areas, uses and expected number of devices.
- Measurement of existing signal and neighbouring networks.
- Access point placement, channel plan, cabling and power (PoE), validated on a plan.
- Installation, then new room-by-room measurements to check real coverage.
On large grounds, radio links between buildings avoid running cables over long distances.
Typical cases
Typical cases to illustrate the approach: these are not client references.
- Hotel whose guests complain on upper floors: access points in corridors or rooms depending on walls, guest network separated from staff.
- Campsite with no signal at the far end: outdoor access points and radio links to distant areas, pool and facilities included.
- Warehouse whose scanners drop between shelves: access points aligned with aisles and settings tuned for mobile terminals.
Obligations and good practice
In France, a business that provides internet access to the public must retain certain connection data; the portal and architecture are designed to meet this without collecting more than necessary. The guest network must never reach computers, tills, cameras or printers. AroData designs and monitors WiFi for hotels, campsites, residences and businesses on the French Riviera: see the business WiFi page.
Frequently asked questions
How many access points are needed?
It depends on area, materials and number of devices: the on-site survey sets it.
Can a campsite's outdoor pitches be covered?
Yes, with outdoor access points and radio links between buildings, after field measurements.
Do we need to replace the operator's router?
Not necessarily: it can stay for the internet connection while professional access points and a firewall handle WiFi and network separation.
Is WiFi 6 necessary?
It improves capacity when many devices connect in the same place. The survey shows whether it brings a real gain in your premises.
Can we limit each guest's bandwidth?
Yes, the guest network can cap bandwidth and session time so everyone keeps a comfortable experience.