Technology: Wifi and Public Computer Terminals for your Hotel

Trent Blizzard | 28 November 2005 |

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Two questions I regularly get from innkeepers and hoteliers: "How should I setup WiFi?" and "How should I setup a community computer in my lobby."

I spent some time a few weeks ago at the Oxford Hotel in downtown Denver. The Oxford Hotel is in a fun part of downtown known as LoDo that has lots of activities and shopping. The Oxford HOtel had a strong and free WiFi signal provided using SuiteSpeed’s system (below). The WiFi was appreciated. One recommendation to all hotels: Give your own free WiFi a friendly SSID (or name) like "Oxford Hotel Wifi" instead of something typical like "Netgear" or "SuiteSpeed." I also used the Oxford’s business center, which was free. They had a couple of computers and a printer, which was available for free and was quick and easy. All in all, the hotel was very friendly to my communication needs and I was grateful. Contrast this with the Rennaissance Hotel, in dowtown Seattle, where I just spent a few days for a conference: no free WiFi (argh, had to plug in… but some stray signals creeped in) and a business center that forced me to swipe my credit card and go throught the entire authorization and login process just to print up a piece of paper.

A) How should I setup Wifi?
If you have to ask, you should definitely considering hiring a company that specializes in WiFi for Hotels. Our clients have had good luck with Wandering Wifi and SuiteSpeed. That said, John Dvorak in December’s PCMag touted the Bountiful Router which has a full 1 watt radio. This might be the piece of hardware if you need additional coverage — that is a lot of power to your hotel’s free wifi signal - and you are a DIY inn or hotel.

B) How can I create a computer station in my lobby?
Again, if you have to ask, this is perhaps something you sould leave to a pro…like UniGuest. PCMag had a nice two page article about how to configure your PC to go in a public place and "lock it down." It recommends you use Microsoft’s free Shared Computer Toolkit to configure your PC.

If you want this article go PC Magagine December 27, 2005, pages 78-79; It should be available at http://go.pcmag.com/solutions in January or February, search for the Author Neil J. Rubenking or Article "Creat an Indesctructible Shared PC"

Trent Blizzard - Blizzard Internet Marketing