| If you are considering setting up a wireless hotspot | | | | It takes to to tango, and also to make a good |
| (WIFI) system in a distributed environment (hotel, | | | | wireless connection. Your wireless main unit will |
| campground, even a small city), there are a number | | | | probably put out a fair amount of power (100 |
| of factors that can affect the performance of the | | | | milliwatts is typical), but the average laptop wireless |
| system. | | | | unit puts out about 30 milliwatts. What this means is |
| 1. Distance | | | | that you may have situations where the laptop can |
| In any wifi installation, The distance from the main | | | | hear your wireless system, but cannot talk back to it. |
| internet connection to the furthest customer in your | | | | Again this can be an opportunity, because higher |
| facility is critical. If the distance is greater than 500 | | | | power laptop units are available and are reasonably |
| feet, you will need repeaters spaced between your | | | | priced. You should stock them in your store. |
| main location and the furthest parts of the grounds. | | | | 6. Internet Connection |
| This is not a technical issue, but it can increase your | | | | All of your customer connections to the wireless |
| initial costs somewhat. | | | | system will be going out through your main internet |
| 2. Trees | | | | connection. You will need sufficient bandwidth, which |
| Trees are one of the biggest enemies of wireless | | | | is generally not an issue unless you are also providing |
| internet connections. Trees absorb the wireless | | | | telephone service to your customers. But you will |
| energy and prevent the signal from reaching its | | | | need to check with your internet provider (try |
| intended destination. Short of cutting them all down | | | | reading the terms and conditions) to see if they have |
| (probably not a desirable condition in a campground), | | | | any restrictions on how many people can be |
| you will need to work around them. This means | | | | connected to your system. The cable people are the |
| planning your installation carefully so that you have | | | | most fussy; we haven't heard of any issues with |
| line of sight connections between your main control | | | | DSL lines or satellite service. |
| unit and your repeaters, and between the repeaters | | | | 7. Length of Stay |
| and the customer units. | | | | Depending on whether your customers generally stay |
| 3. Customer units | | | | for a day or if they stay for weeks at a time, you |
| Metal siding is also a major enemy of wireless signals. | | | | will want to set up your wireless system to |
| If your customers are in RV's or trailers with metal | | | | accommodate this type of use. For short stay |
| sides, they are probably going to need some sort of | | | | customers, we generally recommend a pay as you |
| outside antenna on their unit. Saavy campers who | | | | go system, where the customer uses his credit card |
| are looking for wireless internet probably already | | | | to purchase access in units of an hour or a day. For |
| know this, but some may not. This is not so much a | | | | longer stay customers, you may choose to provide |
| problem as an opportunity. You can stock RV | | | | wireless access as a part of their service and include |
| outdoor units at your campground store, and either | | | | the cost in the rent. |
| rent or sell them to your customers. It can be | | | | 8. VOIP included |
| another source of revenue. | | | | Many hotspot installations are VOIP enabled, which |
| 4. Terrain | | | | means that you can add telephone service on top of |
| You will also need to consider the terrain when | | | | wireless internet service. You can use wireless |
| planning your installation. Just keep in mind that you | | | | telephones or Android phones to keep in touch with |
| are going to need line of sight for wireless to work | | | | your staff anywhere on the grounds, or you can |
| well. So you may have to install antennas on higher | | | | provide telephone service to your guests as well. The |
| masts in order to reach low lying parts of your | | | | only cost is per minute charges billed to the customer |
| facility. | | | | when they call out to regular phone numbers. Calls to |
| The simplest way to determine any problems that | | | | your staff on the grounds are free. |
| might exist in your facility is to request a site survey. | | | | 9. Cost |
| Most hotspot system providers use satellite maps to | | | | Above all, get a firm estimate of the costs before |
| determine the distances and the terrain issues that | | | | starting your installation. Other than the cost of the |
| you may have to deal with, and a survey will give | | | | usit and the authentication service, the only other |
| you a complete estimate of the costs of your | | | | expense you MAY have to make is to hire a local |
| installation. | | | | network installer to hook things up. That should not |
| 5. Customer Laptops | | | | cost more than $200-300. |