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Customer Wi-Fi network

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If you own a restaurant or café or have suppliers or customers visiting your premises, you have probably considered offering a customer Wi-Fi network.  Is it expensive? How hard is it to do?  This guide will explore why you should have a guest Wi-Fi network and how easy it is to offer and ensure you secure all your data from your guests.

A customer or guest Wi-Fi network is a separately named network (or SSID) from your Wi-Fi router. This guest network will provide access to the internet but not to allow connection to any other devises on your network.

WHY should you offer a guest network?

As the price of Mobile data (internet from your mobile phone carrier) continues to fall, you could conclude that your customers could just as easily use their own data.

Reasons to offer a guest network:

Limited smartphone coverage. Customers can still access the internet if there is poor mobile phone reception.
Encourage people to use their laptops.  It is potentially easier to connect to a permanent Wi-Fi network than to switch on a Wi-Fi hotspot from their phone. Thus, mobile workers may come to your café to work and spend money on a coffee or lunch.
Customer service. Having a supplier or customer regularly visit you is an advantage. Thus, making it easy for them to work from your premises will facilitate this.
More reliable internet connection. Many factors are at play when using a mobile data connection to the internet. Wi-Fi from a high speed fixed NBN connection can be more reliable.
Means to gather customer data. When logging onto a Guest Wi-Fi network, you can request customer contact data and ask permission to communicate with them.  This allows you to build a database of customers to which you can market too.
Customised splash page – When a customer connects to your network, it is possible to display a customised page. Here you can promote your brand, make offers and reassure customers they are on a secure network.
“Free Wi-Fi”. People still feel they are getting something for free.

WHAT do I need to understand about a customer Wi-Fi network?

Each Wi-Fi base station (or effectively an antenna) has a range of between 20 to 40m line of sight. This range will dimmish with each solid item the signal must pass through, like a wall, window, chair, table etc. There is a limit to how many devices Wi-Fi can connect at once based on the number of channels and antenna’s the base station offers. A standard router will support around 30 devices. A device is anything that connects, whether a customer’s smartphone, laptop or your POS cash register.

To add more coverage and more devices, you can add a 2nd or more base stations. Your first base station must be a Wi-Fi router that acts as a policeman. Each subsequent base station offers a new Wi-Fi signal extending the range and the number of devices supported.

These additional base stations are known as Wi-Fi Extenders. Suppose your guest network extends over more than one base station. In that case, you will have different network names for your customers to connect to the network. This can be overcome with a mesh network that seamlessly roams between base stations using the same network name (SSID). A mesh network will provide a more stable and faster internet speed for users.

A Guest Wi-Fi network is a way to offer your customers easy access to the internet without also giving them access to your LAN, computers, printers, cameras etc. You do not want anyone gaining access to your accounts or using your printer for free. This means your customers will be securely partitioned from your business or home network.

Let us assume you are running a restaurant and 30 of under 16 netball competition turn up for dinner. Your guest network suddenly becomes very popular.  Let us also believe that you have a POS ordering system running off Wi-Fi tablets, Wi-Fi printers in the kitchen, A Wi-Fi cloud-based cash register and your children out the back being entertained by a Netflix movie. If everyone can access bandwidth, chances are your staff will have trouble getting internet access to take the food orders.

This can be overcome by restricting the bandwidth on the guest network.  Better still, if you could set up different networks (SSID) such as one for customers (guests), one for the staff POS tablets, one for the back office and one for staff’s personal use, this would be ideal.  Then having the ability to adjust bandwidth between each network allows you to ensure your business is always running as it should.  A home-based Wi-Fi router is unlikely to have more than two SSID’s that you can set up.  A business-based router solution will enable you to have multiple SSID’s.

HOW do I choose and set up the right Wi-Fi router?

A simple guide on purchasing and setting up a router can be found here.

Your customers will want free, fast and easy-to-access Wi-Fi, so you should consider this when making your purchase decision and setting up.

Choosing a business Wi-Fi router solution:

When making your decision, you should take the following into account.

Look for an internet Wi-Fi router that is specifically designed for small businesses. This will generally mean it will have the capability to handle more devices than home and offer security features to protect your business.

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest version of the Wi-Fi standard that is available.  Although most devices do no support it yet, they will moving forward, so this helps to future proof your network.  Wi-Fi 6 brings several new smarts, including speed, stability and security enhancements.

Triband mesh is a technology that allows a third Wi-Fi channel to provide a dedicated backhaul for a router base station and its satellite base station to communicate.  This ensures there will be no interferes with the satellite extender getting the internet bandwidth it needs.  Mesh technology allows you to have a single network name across your base stations delivering Wi-Fi attached devices a more reliable and quicker connection.

The number of antennas will determine the maximum number of devices that can connect to your Wi-Fi router.  The more employees and the larger the number of devices you attach to a router starts to compete for resources.

Most routers will have an App for your smartphone that will allow some control. Most of you will want set and forget functionality. Still, it is useful to have an App that offers a user-friendly interface to assess current conditions. It is also handy to deny access to a device like an ex-employee’s smartphone from your network without resetting passwords.  Some routers also allow you to prioritise some devices and restrict others, which is especially useful when you prioritise your POS system for ordering or sales.

Having enough internet bandwidth is important for any business. Although not really a buying decision for your router, you should take it into account.  For those businesses with very high-speed requirements such as the transfer of video. You should also ensure your Wi-Fi router can support your internet connection speeds (speeds greater than 1Gbps).

On the rear of a router, you will find several Ethernet ports.  These allow cable connection to your modem (internet into your business) and devices only supporting a wired ethernet connection. Devises such a streaming TV, a fixed connection will deliver better results. Consider how many ethernet ports your router has.  An ethernet switch can always be purchased to add additional ethernet ports to your setup.

Look for a router that will allow a printer or hard drive to be directly plugged into a USB port.  This will give you the option to share a non-network printer and or turn a hard drive into a shared storage devise.

A Wi-Fi router designed for business is normally quite a complicated solution requiring professional setup and selection of components. However, some out-of-the-box solutions are available (we discuss one below) that are easy to set up administer and will meet most small business needs.

Ideally, you want a set and forget network that will not detract from you running your business. Look for a solution that does not require an IT expert to set it up, maintain it, and will send you alerts only when something has gone wrong. Thus you are already fixing an issue before your staff start complaining. E.g. notification that your router has lost internet connection or has been turned off.

The cost of a Wi-Fi router solution will be determined by the quality and the features. Remember that a few extra dollars spent on getting the right product the first time will save you many headaches down the track. A home network Wi-Fi router that supports a guest network can be bought for as little as $200. However, if you expect to professionally support an office or hospitality venue, you should spend $500 to $1500 the first time around.

How to set up a Guest/ customer Wi-Fi network?

Each router will have its specific setup instructions. Once you have connected the Wi-Fi router to the modem and powered up, it will set up a default network. We suggest you make the following adjustments for a business environment that can be completed through a smartphone app or an internet browser on the same network.

Separate employee and customer network names or SSID’s. This allows the quarantining of devices on different networks in your business so customers can never access your business devices, and priority can be given to network and internet resources. E.g. you might want your POS tablets to have unlimited resources but limit your customers to 1 Mbps download speeds.
An ideal situation would be to have a separate network for staff, business and customers.

Passwords. Set up unique passwords for each SSID, ensuring that your customer-facing ones are easy to remember and related to your business

Limit data or time. There is a fine balance between encouraging people into your café with free Wi-Fi and what is called Wi-Fi or Internet squatters.  If a customer orders a coffee, that’s great. Still, if that same customer occupies a table for 3 hours with no further purchases, that is not great. A good router should limit guests to a set time (e.g. 1hr) for free Wi-Fi and put a cap on how much data they can download.

Security. To protect your business and your customers, you should ensure that only secure logins are possible.  A minimum level of encryption called WPA-2 should be enabled. This will ensure customers will not be able to see other customers network traffic.

HINTS

To improve your internet, see this guide in our sister publication GadgetGuy.

A good quality router will allow you to set up a Virtual Private Network (VPN), enabling you to access resources on your network from a remote location.  E.g. access files saved on network-attached storage devise at your business from your home.

If everything discussed above is becoming a bit complicated and you feel that this is beyond you? There is a purpose-built out of the box solution that Small Business Answers has tested.  The orbi PRO AX6000 from Netgear RRP $1,499 is a simple business solution that will cover up to 550 square metre premises. This latest generation Wi-Fi 6 Mesh triband router can also be expanded with additional base station satellites, all with a dedicated Wi-Fi backhaul channel. The orbi Pro will support 90 concurrent devices across four SSID’s. This means you have four business-grade secure networks for the back office, staff, IoT devices (e.gPOS) and guests. The router and the satellite each have a 1 x 2.5Gbps internet port and 4 GbE ports allowing up to 8 devices connected by ethernet cable.  The Orbi Pro supports the latest security protocols, including WPA3, which means people will be safe on your network. As seen in this image, we especially like the ability to control the guest network with a splash entry page, guest SSID bandwidth control, and time limit.

The Orbi PRO uses the NETGEAR insight app to allow easy setup and management of your router. This app will alert you if the router goes offline or the internet is lost. If you are more technical and want further control and management. The orbi PRO comes with a 1-year insight subscription, which will help you manage other network devices if your network goes beyond the orbi.

Also, see our guide on IT support getting help with technology.

SUMMARY – Customer Wi-Fi network

A customer or guest Wi-Fi network is a great way to improve customer or supplier relations. If set up correctly, it will be an easy-to-use and secure internet access solution without impacting your business key network-attached business devices.

Networking a business can be a daunting proposition. Still, out of the box solutions mean the whole process can be painless. Understanding what is involved and how to make minor setting changes will ensure your business gets the most out of this technology.

Set up a Wi-Fi network

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Before you find someone to help you set up a Wi-Fi network, you will be pleased to know that the process is extremely easy.  In this guide, we will look at the possibilities and help you decide what to buy and how to set it up to ensure the best productivity.

Wi-Fi is a wireless sharing technology that allows devices such as computers (laptops and desktops), smartphones and other equipment (printers and video cameras) to connect to the Internet.

WHY should I have a Wi-Fi network?

Suppose you are transferring large amounts of data, or you need a mission-critical connection to the internet. In that case, you should not have a Wi-Fi connection, you should instead use a cable connection to your modem or Wi-Fi router. An ethernet cable will allow faster transfer speeds and a more reliable connection.

However, if you want to seamlessly move to different places in your home or office without being tied to cables, Wi-Fi is a must.  Wi-Fi encourages collaboration but, most importantly, simplicity rather than having to do expensive hardware and cabling installs.

If you run a business where your guest might benefit from Wi-Fi, it is also simple to provide them with access to the internet, but not access your private computer resources and files.

WHAT do I need to set up a Wi-Fi network?

Small Business Answers have a separate article on setting up a computer network covering all the higher-level information you need to understand.

Steps to set up a Wi-Fi network:
  1. You will need to sign up for an Internet plan where you should consider what speed and capacity will suit your needs
  2. Buy a wireless router. A wireless router is a device that does two key functions. The router function allows a single internet connection provided by a modem (device to connect you to the internet) to be distributed across many devices.  It is very simplistically like a single power point and adding a power board – you can now plug more things in. The wireless function allows a radio connection of devices without any cables, thus wireless. The connected device like a Notebook will, of course, need its own power source like a battery.
  3. Connect your wireless router to your modem with the supplied ethernet cable.
  4. Set up your wireless router. See the next section for more details.
  5. Connect your devices with a password to your router (more details below). Password protection does two things. First, it stops just anyone connecting to your network, like neighbours or some random person using your network to download movies. Secondly, it prevents others from getting unauthorised access to your network, which might allow them access to private information. More details on internet security can be found in this guide.
  6. Decide who else will have access and under any restrictions.

Which wireless router should I buy?

Our sister site www.Gadgetguy.com.au has reviews on various models to help you decide. Your friendly office supply or consumer electronics store will also have some good advice.

There are some different types you need to understand first:
  • 4G/5G router – different from others as it uses the mobile phone network to access the internet. No broadband connection required, and it will work anywhere there is mobile phone coverage.  Internet access will, however, be more expensive.
  • Standard Wireless router – most common and economical solution.
  • Wi-Fi mesh router – provides multiple units that enable a much greater coverage area in your place of work with a seamless transfer from one mesh unit to the next. This means a more reliable internet connection for the user.
  • Business access points and small business solutions – Specific products designed for larger offices or to give Wi-Fi access to customers.  There is a simple unit from Netgear called an Orbi Pro. Beyond this, we suggest you seek professional advice.

A wireless router may have been provided to you by your internet provider.  These routers are generally the most basic models and may not work as well as a product bought for the purpose.  It may lack coverage, capacity (number of connected devices) and speed of transfer.

HOW do I set up a wireless router?

Before you break into a sweat, a simple setup will require you to

Configure a Wi-Fi Router
  1. Select a central location for the router
  2. Connect the supplied ethernet cable from your router to the internet modem
  3. Connect to a power point and turn it on if it has a switch
  4. Look on the bottom/back of the unit for a network name (SSID) and password.  The preconfigured name and password will be unique to your router
  5. On your PC or phone, select WI-FI and look for a match to your new router’s network name. Select and add the password
  6. You are now connected
Advanced setup:

Your router will come with instructions that will allow you to make more customisation to your router settings. These will include more complicated setups like a mesh router and directions on downloading an app to your smartphone to assist with the installation and administration process. You will be able to change your network name and password, alter security restrictions or limitations to groups or individuals and the ability to set up a guest network.

A guest network is a key feature you should enable on your router.  This means any visitors to your business can benefit from access to the internet but not have access to your printers, shared file systems, POS units etc. Within the router setup menu, which can be reached by either the provided app or by entering a sequence of numbers (IP address) into your connected internet browser (instructions in the router box).  Once connected, select the Wi-Fi or wireless section and enable a guest network.  Here you can give the separate network a name and password, which you can then provide to your customers.

HINTS

If you do need additional support, see our guide to IT support.

A standard wireless routers coverage can be increased using a Wi-Fi extender which increases the distance covered from the router but by using a different Wi-Fi network name.  This is not as simple as a mesh solution but a cheaper way of extending coverage. See our guide on how to improve your Wi-Fi

SUMMARY – Set up a Wi-Fi network

A wireless router will enable you to wirelessly connect your devices to the internet like a PC.  This simple device removes the need for cabling and allows mobility within your business premise.  A router may be supplied by your internet provider. Still, a higher quality unity easily available from a local retailer is more likely to provide a more productive result.  Simple setup can be done in minutes by a novice with more advanced configurations allowing you greater security and control as well as allowing you to set up a 2nd network for visitors, excluding them any access to your private resources.

Computer Network for small offices

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Chances are you have a network at home but you don’t understand what you have. In this case we are referring to a computer network.  Let’s chat about the different types and factors you should consider in making your decisions.

A computer network or data network is a set of computer or network devices connected together to share resources. This is how we allow several devices to connect to the internet in our offices or at home. Other shared resources can include a printer or a file server. Devices we may find connected on a network might include PCs, notebooks, tablets, mobile phones, printers, surveillance cameras, smart devices, NAS shared storage, a backup device, POS terminals, and EFTPOS terminals.

WHY do I need a computer network?

It makes a lot of sense to be able to share resources.  Without a network you might need a printer on everyone’s desk. A network will enable everyone to have the internet and collaborate on shared documents or files.

WHAT are the components of a computer network?

Clients – devices we connect to the network that share the resources, for example, a PC or tablet connecting to a shared printer.

Wi-Fi Modem Router – This can be all in one box or separate devices.  If these are separate devices you would connect them to each other by an ethernet cable.

  • Modem – This is the device that connects to the Internet from the street. Most likely it is the box provided by the NBN to connect to the NBN internet network.
  • Router – you must have at least one router.  It is a cross between a traffic cop and a power board.  It takes one internet connection and turns it into many, directing the traffic around your internal network to make all the magic happen.
  • Wi-Fi access point – If you don’t want to run ethernet cables you can connect your devices by wi-fi. This makes everything wireless except for electricity.  A wi-fi point does have a limit on how many devices can connect, how far they can be from the access point, and the speed the data can be transferred.  Thus is convenient but maybe not as reliable.

Ethernet Cable – this is a physical cable that will connect your various devices so they can talk to one another.  An ethernet cable could run to your PC then to the router then the router to a printer thus allowing you to print. An electrician may run cables in ducts or behind walls so your office does not have visible wires running everywhere.  An ethernet cable has the advantage of being a more reliable and faster connection.

Switch – Your router is likely to have a small switch in the back allowing multiple ethernet cables to be attached.  Also, you may have additional switches to give you additional ports to connect more devices via ethernet cables (think of it like how a power board gives you more sockets)

Transfer speed on your network is shown as Mbps (mega bits per second). The bigger the number the better. As with any system the speed is governed by the weakest link which can be your internet plan speed, your method of transfer being wi-fi or ethernet cable, or the devices such as the router which the data transfers through. Most modern products are designed to support up to 1Gbps (1000 Mbps). In summary, speed is how fast you can transfer a file from A to B.

HOW to make your own network – Which Wi-Fi (wireless) Modem Router?

Without a doubt, the easiest, most economical, and fastest way to get up and running is to buy a wireless router. It will enable you to have a connection with both wi-fi and ethernet cable.  Before you go out and buy one you need to understand the options and features:

  • Mesh Network – This is a recent wireless networking architecture that allows you to gain greater coverage by offering the main router and a satellite unit.  The wi-fi network name remains the same and as you walk around your premises with your device connected wirelessly the connection will be seamlessly handed between the satellite and the main unit dependant which has better signal strength.  This is a more reliable way of offering greater coverage in a larger area.  Some units also use a dedicated wi-fi channel to ensure the best possible speed to the satellite.
  • Wireless extender – This is an optional extra device. As the wireless signal has a limited range you can use an extender box to increase the distance away from the original wi-fi router.  Note that an extender will require you to connect to a different wi-fi network name and enter a password.
  • 2.4Ghz vs 5Ghz –Ghz (gigahertz) refers to the radio frequency.  A 2.4Ghz connection will travel further and better through walls but at a slower speed. 5Ghz will be faster but not have a good range (distance between PC and wi-fi router) and cannot support as many connections per channel.  A dual-band router would normally mean 1 x 2.4GHz and 1 x 5Ghz channels available to connect to.
  • Processor and Ram – Remember we talked about a router being like a traffic cop.  Well the stronger and more intelligent the router is the better it will handle moving all the traffic around. You should choose a device with a multi-core processor and a quantity of RAM for example, 128MB
  • Wi-Fi router speed – Be aware the top speed quoted on the carton is theoretical and you are unlikely to duplicate it in real life.  If speed is a primary concern you should use an Ethernet cable to connect to your wireless router.
  • Smartphone App – Networking has traditionally been the domain of experts.  However most modern units are easy to be set up and can easily be monitored and controlled from a smartphone app.
  • USB port – allows direct connection of a hard drive, printer or back up modem
  • VPN – a feature on high-end routers that allow you to set up a secure connection remotely (from home) back into your office environment.
  • Security – common on all routers that by default ensures only those with the appropriate passwords and permissions can connect to your network or devices on your network.  You don’t want your competitor stealing all your ideas by simply parking their car out the front.

HINTS – 3 Tips to help with your setup

  1. Some form of mobile phone modem is a great backup to keep your business running if the fixed service goes down (some internet providers offer this as standard in their package).
  2. Be sure to read our essential guide on Backing up your Data.  Always back up your data and store it at a secure external location.
  3. Be forward-thinking – Buy quality hardware that will last for many years and allow for expansion in your business when you implement your network. For example, if you get an electrician in to do some ethernet cabling, maybe get some extra points installed.

SUMMARY – Visit Gadget Guy for the latest products

A good quality mesh wi-fi router will meet most small business needs and give you a simple and reliable way to share.

If you require something more complicated or you simply need help be sure to read our essential guide on IT Support.

Our sister publication Gadget Guy has reviews of the latest products to suit your small business. They also have more information on the technology https://www.gadgetguy.com.au/mesh-wifi-need-know-tutorial/