Today, convention center WiFi networks must support a multitude of wireless devices and technologies. Attendees connect to WiFi on several devices, also known as WiFi “clients” — smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, and tablets — as exhibitors live stream in conference rooms, utilizing new contactless technologies to enable seamless events. All of these devices and capabilities depend on an adaptable WiFi network.
High-density WiFi networks are an incredibly capable solution for areas with a high number of clients for a limited number of access points within a space. Let’s dive into how and why high-density WiFi networks are a valuable option for convention centers.
What is a High-Density WiFi Network, and Why Do Convention Centers Need Them?
This type of network strategy is essential for highly congested spaces such as convention centers, sports stadiums, and concert venues. When hundreds or thousands of users are accessing the network simultaneously, conventional wireless networks are quickly pushed beyond their limits, resulting in slow internet or none at all. High-density wireless networks are designed to prevent this and enable flawless wireless connectivity. Whether a crowd gathers in a conference room or hundreds of individuals check emails from their smartphones simultaneously, high-density networks guarantee fast, reliable WiFi.
The Best Practices for High-Density WiFi Design
For bustling venues like convention centers, a well-designed network is crucial to ensure all areas of the building have high-performing WiFi, no matter how many devices are connecting to the network. Here are four of the best design practices for high-density WiFi networks.
1. Identifying High-Density Areas and User Requirements
High-density areas are places in the convention center where many users connect to the network using one access point. These areas may include public spaces, exhibition spaces, and conference rooms. The high-density network design should always begin with identifying these areas to help inform future decisions in the design.
It’s also necessary to learn what kinds of activities will be taking place in high-density areas within the convention center. For example:
- Will attendees purchase food via contactless payment?
- Will attendees browse social media and check email?
- Are attendees live streaming during the event?
The high-density network design should take into account the activities users are conducting on their devices and how many devices they’re likely to use. This will later help determine the amount of bandwidth needed.
2. Implementing Overlapping Access Points (APs)
Once high-density areas have been identified, overlapping access points should be incorporated into the network design. Access points can easily become overloaded if only one is available to a client device in a given area. Every client should always see two to three access points. If one or two of the APs become overloaded, the client can be directed to another access point, which prevents a negative experience for the end user. Implementing multiple access points in busy areas will trigger client devices to automatically balance out.
3. Deploy Wireless Monitoring
While thorough design and implementation are necessary to the efficacy of the network, ongoing network management prevents potential WiFi problems. It’s beneficial to use a wireless network monitoring solution that helps administrators easily troubleshoot and respond to issues. Ongoing management also ensures the network is functioning and doesn’t need further upgrades or changes.
4. Upgrading Networks to Ensure Appropriate Bandwidth
Did you know different types of applications have different WiFi bandwidth requirements? While email or messenger apps require little bandwidth, other activities like video calls or live streaming utilize much more. It is also important to remember that some users will be running multiple apps on their devices simultaneously, so the WiFi network needs to be able to support multitasking on devices. Today’s modern convention centers need increased bandwidth and high-speed WiFi to support the amount of technology and users in their spaces.
How, then, can convention centers upgrade their networks to ensure appropriate bandwidth? An experienced convention center WiFi provider can help.
Upgrade Your Convention Center’s Network with a High-Density WiFi Solution
High-density WiFi Network design can be complicated, but Hospitality Network makes it simple. Hospitality Network specializes in the go-to solutions for designing, implementing, and maintaining high-density WiFi in convention centers. For 40 years we’ve been a leader in providing hospitality venues with the latest technology solutions.
Our team of professionals can help design, install, and manage your convention center’s network, so you can enhance your guest experience without worrying about technical infrastructure. Not only is high-density WiFi key to successful events, but it also positions your convention center as a high-tech designation for future customers. While free high-speed WiFi gives your space a competitive advantage, it’s quickly becoming the industry standard.
Contact us today and request a consultation to see what a high-density WiFi solution can look like for your center.
