Hotel Guest Wifi: How Mesh Networking Helps Large Hotel Properties Boost Connectivity

Hotels that utilize mesh networking solutions can extend robust coverage seamlessly across their entire property.
By Jesse Berger, co-founder and CEO of Routie - 2.28.2024

Hotels often face the complex challenge of providing reliable wifi for their guests across large premises. The good news is that, by utilizing a mesh network, hotels can improve connectivity, security and privacy. This can help ensure a seamless online experience for guests.

Common Connectivity Challenges in Hotels

Hotels often struggle to offer consistent wifi coverage due to their complex layouts and diverse structural configurations. This results in dead zones and unreliable service, which negatively impacts guest satisfaction.

Mesh Wifi Solutions

Hotels that utilize mesh networking solutions can extend robust coverage seamlessly across their entire property. Mesh networks help optimize the internet experience for guests as they move around the premises.

Implementation and Best Practices

Successfully implementing a mesh network on premises involves careful planning, such as selecting the right hardware, ongoing network monitoring to ensure performance and determining the locations for access points. For large installations, an IT specialist may be needed to oversee the configuration and maintain the network.

Overcoming Security Concerns

When setting up a mesh network, it is important to incorporate the latest security protocols to protect guest data. To further enhance data security, it is also recommended to segregate the hotel operations network from the guests network.

Cost Considerations

There are many things to consider when installing a mesh network. Initial costs can vary depending on the size of the property and target network speeds. A phased approach may be recommended so hotel property owners can effectively manage costs.

Why a Mesh Network Provides the Best Hotel Wifi Solution

A mesh network offers an optimal solution for hotels that want to enhance their guest wifi connectivity. Here are several key advantages:

  • Designed for Hospitality: Guest wifi that utilizes a mesh network is specifically built to meet the needs of hotels. This ensures the network configuration is aligned with the operational benchmarks of the hotel.
  • Maximum Coverage and Reliability: Guest wifi that utilizes a mesh network delivers expansive coverage for guest rooms and common areas. This ensures guests have access to reliable wifi throughout the hotel property.
  • Guest Experience: A mesh network allows hotels to personalize the captive portal with ease. This enhances branding and guest experience. When guests get online, they will login through a guest wifi splash page with integrated branding opportunities and customizable promotional messages.
  • Customer Database: With guest wifi that utilizes a mesh network, hotels can build a customer database when guests use the guest wifi. This database is extremely valuable for targeting people who have visited the hotel with marketing and promotions. Additionally, the dashboard provides foot-fall data to better understand customer patterns and preferences.
  • Enhances Security: Digital security is crucial. Guest wifi that utilizes a mesh network delivers state-of-the-art security features, ensuring that guest data is protected using encryption, secure authentication processes, and regular security updates.
  • Cost-Effective: Guest wifi that utilizes a mesh network offers hotels theability to scale their wifi coverage at an industry-low price point. This ensures hotels can adapt to their growing connectivity needs without over-investment or expensive upfront setup costs.

Based on modern guest expectations and connectivity demands, it’s crucial for hotels to offer guest wifi on premises. A solution that utilizes a mesh network simplifies this process with its turnkey hardware and software. By addressing common hotel connectivity challenges head-on and simplifying the installation and maintenance, it delivers a best-in-class product at an industry-low price point. Additionally, it enables hotels to brand their guest wifi login experience with ease and control the network through a user-friendly dashboard. The dashboard also offers detailed analytics and builds a customer database as people use the wifi.

With careful planning, attention to security, and a commitment to quality, hotels that offer guest wifi that utilizes a mesh network can now exceed their guest’s expectations, foster loyalty and secure a competitive edge in the hospitality industry.

Incorporating guest wifi like Routie into a hotel’s connectivity strategy is a comprehensive solution that meets both guests and the hospitality industry’s evolving demands.

Jesse Berger is a media and technology entrepreneur. He founded the filmed entertainment company Radical Studios, which has produced movies that have generated over $1B in global revenue. Jesse has produced films for Universal Pictures, Paramount, MGM and Netflix, starring actors Tom Cruise and Dawyne “The Rock” Johnson with budgets of more than $300M. Jesse is a founding community member of PKT, an open source blockchain project that is expanding internet connectivity worldwide with mesh networks. Jesse is also co-founder and CEO of Routie, focused on providing guest wifi solutions to hospitality businesses. Jesse received his B.A. degree in film and video production, with a minor in business from Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California.

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