How To Get WiFi in a Café (Complete Guide)

Nowadays, many customers will favor cafés with WiFi over one with none, so it’s a good idea to install WiFi at your café. People need WiFi to look at maps, study, work, and browse the web. If you’re offering your customers free WiFi, they’ll have a better experience overall.

Here’s a basic guide on how to get WiFi in a café:

• Buy a new router that allows multiple access points.

• Set up a new router.

• Consider setting up a hotspot for authentication.
• Let your guests enjoy the new WiFi.

This article will go into more detail on how to get WiFi in a café. It’s crucial that you don’t miss anything, so be sure to keep reading to learn more.

1. Buy a New Router That Allows Multiple Access Points

The first thing you’ll want to do is buy a new router for your café. It’s best to go with a business router because it offers more functionality and security than a domestic router. However, business routers come at a higher price.

So, if you have a small café and aren’t willing to spend a lot of money on a router, you could stick with a domestic one. You want to make sure that the router you purchase can have multiple access points, making it easier for customers to access the WiFi from different building areas.

It’s also good to purchase a router that allows you to create more than one SSID; it means you can have more than one network, such as a guest network for customers and a private network for business-related dealings. 

Some other advantages of having multiple SSIDs include:

• Better connectivity
• Highly secure
• Good protection for guests, preventing sensitive information from getting compromised on the private network

2. Set Up Your New Router

Once you’ve received your router, you’re ready to set it up. The setup process is pretty simple and shouldn’t take longer than a few minutes.

Here’s a guide on how to set up your router:

Choose a Location for the Router

It would help if you considered where the best place is to leave your new router. You want it to be in an area of the café that’s central, but you also don’t want it to be in the way of anyone. However, If you’re going to be setting up multiple access points, the location won’t matter as much.

A good idea would be to leave your router on a shelf or counter. Once you’ve found an appropriate location, you can move on to the next step.

Plug In Your New Router

You can now plug your new router into a power source. The router should turn on automatically once you plug it in. But if it doesn’t, you’ll likely need to press a power button to turn it on.

You’ll know it’s on because all routers have lights that flash. If it’s turned off, it won’t have any lights on whatsoever. If you’ve tried pressing the power button after plugging it in, but it’s still not turning on, you may need to wait a few moments for it to power up.

Once it’s turned on, you can move to the next step.

Connect Your New Router to the Internet and Complete Setup

You’ll need to use the ethernet cable to connect your router to the internet. Once you’ve hooked them together successfully, you should notice the light on the router; this confirms that the setup was a success!

Next, you can set up the WiFi so that your customers can start using it. How you do this will depend on your router, but you’ll either need to plug in a laptop or computer, or you’ll need to use an app to finish setting everything up. Be sure to follow the instructions you got with your router.

3. Consider Setting Up a Hotspot for Authentication 

Hotspots are typical in public places such as cafés, but this step isn’t compulsory. However, you should do it if you have the money. Setting up a hotspot will make your network more secure because users must authenticate themselves before accessing the WiFi.

You can choose how you want to authenticate users. For example, you could ask users for their names and email addresses. Using authentication will also prevent you from getting into trouble if a user uses your WiFi for something illegal.

You may be able to get the hotspot for your router directly, or you may have to get it separately (as hardware). When purchasing your router, it’s a good idea to confirm whether hotspot software can be downloaded with it or not, as it makes the process easier.

Since setting up a hotspot for user authentication is costly, you may not want to set it up, especially if you only run a small café. If you begin making more money in the future or run into any issues due to a lack of authentication, you should consider setting it up.

4. Let Your Guests Enjoy the New WIFI

Once you’re all set up, your guests can browse the internet hassle-free in your café. For the best and easiest experience, be sure to set up WiFi names and passwords that are easy to remember.

Additionally, it’s good to maintain the guest’s WiFi by changing the password every few weeks or months; doing this will help keep your WiFi and network safe, meaning your customers can enjoy it safely and securely!

Now that you can offer customers this useful service, they’ll be more likely to return. So, be prepared for some extra traffic in your café and on your network!

Conclusion

Setting up WiFi in a café might seem daunting, but the process is relatively easy. Once your café WiFi is up and running, your guests can enjoy browsing the internet to their heart’s content! 

Here are the most important things to remember:

• Buy a router suitable for your business needs.
• A business router will offer more functionality.
• Place the router in a central location.
• Consider setting up a hotspot for authentication if you can afford it.

Looking for an easy solution to your WiFi up and running in your cafe? Groove Technology Solutions is here to make things easier! We offer a variety of technology-based services, including things like WiFi set up, video surveillance, and energy management, to name a few. Located in Midvale, we are happy to help Utah cafes get the tools they need for success. Contact us today to get more details!

Sources

• ITI College: Business Router Vs Home Router – What’s the Difference?
• Cisco: Configure Multiple SSIDs on a Network
• Wired: Where to Put Your Router For the Best Possible Home Wi-Fi
• Intel: What Is a Hotspot? – WiFi Hotspot Definitions and Details