Introduction
Providing WiFi and Internet services at large events has become a vital consideration when planning an event. So much so that the success of an event can rest on the planner's ability to deliver a reliable Internet service. While being determined to be of vital importance, it also means not any slapped-together solution will meet the brief. Here are five tips to help planners when choosing how to provide a faultless service.
Speed
When providing wifi for events the download and upload speeds needed to provide all attendees with a good experience that caters to their needs can be a balancing act. Event organizers need to be able to provide adequate Internet speeds for tasks needing to be done by both organizers and attendees. If conference calls during meetings will be happening, for e a higher download and upload speed will be needed when compared to if only email and Internet need to be provided for. Again a higher speed will be needed for large file sharing when compared to the previous two examples.
Bandwidth
Often confused with speed, bandwidth is the amount of data that can pass through the network at any given time. Practically, this dictates how many devices can be connected at one time. If the total amount of connected devices is under catered for this can affect speed in a drastically negative way. The accepted average per 10 people is 10 Megabits per second (Mbps), however, given the need for a variety of Internet services at events often this requirement can jump to the need for providing 100 Mbps.
Both bandwidth and speed are also reliant on the infrastructure provided. A comprehensive understanding of the venue and the infrastructure they currently have will also influence decisions. Often these decisions will amount to whether more equipment is needed and how to best distribute hardware to provide seamless connectivity.
Security
With all that is on event organizers plates often cybersecurity is overlooked. Law enforcement authorities often emphasize the importance of secure Internet services for events as well as large corporations paying closer attention to event security means that smaller enterprises should heed the warning. Connections can be placed behind firewalls for added security.
Often providing tight security may exclude some attendees from using the provided WiFi, so this can be a balancing act. It is recommended that a security consultant be brought on board to strike a good balance between security and convenience.
Control WiFi Access
This tip is closely related to security but does have other benefits beyond cybersecurity. Providing open WiFi for guests can be a great way to increase their participation in the event, however, this does open guests, exhibitors, and planners to a whole host of issues. How to prominently display login credentials? How to stop hackers from abusing the connection? These are just some of the questions needing answers. Here again knowledge of your exact requirements and the requirements of participants is vital.
Private Network Options
A major question to ask oneself is whether a private network or an open one would be more appropriate to meet the brief. In certain circumstances, a private network situated behind a firewall will certainly meet demand better for important meetings than an open WiFi intended for the general public. In many instances, a hybrid of the two would be needed. A private network for delegates and exhibitors could be set up, while an open network for guests could be provided. Both would meet specific demands ensuring the best possible outcome.
Conclusion
It is near impossible to give definitive answers to all the problems that may crop up when providing WiFi for events. It is for that reason that it is advisable that experts be brought on board to assist from setup to tech support. This inevitably will increase costs, however, the continued success of companies and organizers is heavily dependent on successful events been hosted.
