Home > Ask the Networking Experts > Wireless networking with Lisa Phifer Questions & Answers > Wireless LAN setup for hotels
Ask The Networking Expert: Questions & Answers
EMAIL THIS

Wireless LAN setup for hotels

Lisa Phifer EXPERT RESPONSE FROM: Lisa Phifer

Pose a Question
Other Networking Categories
Meet all Networking Experts
Become an Expert for this site


Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us   


>
QUESTION POSED ON: 02 June 2006
I need help in setting up a Wireless LAN for a hotel, in order for guests to have Internet access when they enter the hotel premises, and even in their rooms. How many antennas and APs can I use for this one square mile piece of resort?

>
EXPERT RESPONSE

I wish there were a simple answer to this question, but unfortunately wireless propagation is heavily impacted by environment. Coverage of a given AP depends on where it is placed in the building, building materials, and other objects that absorb radio energy -- including human bodies! An AP's transmit power and antenna can alter coverage as well. You will also need to consider capacity: how many guests do you want to support concurrently, and how much bandwidth will each require on average?

In the hotel industry, it is not uncommon to find one or two APs providing WLAN service in the lobby, restaurant, or another relatively small area. This reflects how difficult it can be to blanket a large, distributed building with radio coverage. It also reflects economics: would covering all of those hotel rooms earn enough revenue (or add enough intangible value) to offset the cost of deploying all those APs, and the power and Ethernet cables to connect them to the hotel's core network and Internet access server?

I recommend using a wireless site survey to assess the physical characteristics of the property you want to cover. Once you have that baseline, wireless modeling tools can perform a "what if" analysis, where you provide input parameters (e.g., number of users, throughput per user) and the model suggests AP placement to meet your needs. Several example WLAN site survey and planning tools are listed here. You may also want to contact a wireless vendor who sells APs and gateways to the hospitality industry (e.g., , Nomadix ). They can provide case studies to show what other hotels do, and may even be willing to send someone to your site to do a mini survey to give you a rough idea of what you'd need.


Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us   


RELATED CONTENT
Wireless networking with Lisa Phifer
Differences between WLANs, Wi-Fi and WiMax
Which wireless client vendor will keep my network from disconnecting?
Which wireless network transmits business-sensitive data reliably?
What power supply problems do 802.11n wireless networks pose?
Problem connecting to virtual private network (VPN) through Linksys router
Wireless networking problems combining 802.11n and 802.11g APs cause
Why wireless network cards show activity when no one uses the computer
How to implement VLAN switches across wireless LAN (WLAN) links
Are there 802.11n wireless network range extenders to boost my signal?
How does WiMAX compare to other wireless broadband services?

Designing and planning your wireless architecture
Cisco WLAN design best practices
In-building wireless: Installation issues trump equipment costs
From the ground up: Creating a secure wireless infrastructure
Next generation WLAN design
Next generation WLAN planning
Wireless LAN deployment and federal regulations
Moving freely between WLAN access points
Wireless LAN planning -- 5 critical steps

Wireless Network Implementation
Wireless LAN investment chugs along during recession
Mastering 802.11n: Implementation tips and answers to frequently-asked WLAN questions
LANs vs. WLANs: Which network designs are used for each company size?
Will mixing 802.11g and n APs in the same network cause conflicts?
How each wireless technology differs: Wi-Fi, WiMax and WLANs
Voice over wireless LAN is on the rise: Prepare your networks
Wireless networking problems combining 802.11n and 802.11g APs cause
Wireless LAN tips from Iraq: Networking Joint Base Balad
Wireless LAN vulnerabilities
Are there 802.11n wireless network range extenders to boost my signal?

RELATED GLOSSARY TERMS
Terms from Whatis.com − the technology online dictionary
802.11a  (SearchNetworking.com)
Asynchronous Pulsed Radiated Incident Light  (SearchNetworking.com)
cognitive radio  (SearchNetworking.com)
direct sequence spread spectrum  (SearchNetworking.com)
frequency-hopping spread spectrum  (SearchNetworking.com)
phase-locked loop  (SearchNetworking.com)
radio frequency  (SearchNetworking.com)
wireless mesh network  (SearchNetworking.com)

RELATED RESOURCES
2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems
Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts
Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary



Search and Browse the Expert Answer Center
Search and browse more than 25,000 question and answer pairs from more than 250 TechTarget industry experts.
Browse our Expert Advice



Expert networking advice and tips for IT professionals
HomeNewsTopicsITKnowledge ExchangeTipsAsk the ExpertsMultimediaWhite PapersNetworking Product Trials
About Us  |  Contact Us  |  For Advertisers  |  For Business Partners  |  Site Index  |  RSS
SEARCH 
TechTarget provides enterprise IT professionals with the information they need to perform their jobs - from developing strategy, to making cost-effective IT purchase decisions and managing their organizations' IT projects - with its network of technology-specific Web sites, events and magazines.

TechTarget Corporate Web Site  |  Media Kits  |  Reprints  |  Site Map




All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2000 - 2008, TechTarget | Read our Privacy Policy
  TechTarget - The IT Media ROI Experts