How to choose the best hotspot for your next event

By administrator

Jun 20, 2022

A Wifi hotspot is an internet access point physically installed in the place where the event takes place. It’s the perfect way to ensure guests can connect to the internet in a controlled manner via short surveys or forms developed exclusively for the event. If your company doesn’t have its own equipment, you can always rent a hotspot as a better alternative to going through all the trouble of buying them and setting them up yourself.

When used correctly, the data collected from your customers (name, phone, email, and more) is an added benefit that can help you improve your business. This data can help you set the tone for the management and production of future events.

What do you need to rent a hotspot and set it up?

The place where the event takes place must have stable internet access. It is important to note that internet access speed goes hand in hand with the number of users that will be connected simultaneously. If the internet speed is slow, the equipment is not adequate, nor does it support the speed. If this is the case, the hotspot will become a terrible experience for guests. 

To decide on a hotspot rental, you need to consider that approximately 100 people require a minimum of 40 MB symmetrical. You also need to take into account the area each device covers. And don’t forget – the software that will perform all the access control must be fast and easy to use!

Always think about the guest’s experience

How many times have we as customers been annoyed with dysfunctional hotspots? With an increasingly connected world and contactless events, hotspots ensure your guests are happy and elevate your event to modern standards.

As previously mentioned, hotspots are a great way to collect data that can help you improve your events for years to come. You can measure how many people visited your booth, exhibition, or festival with a hotspot. You can also gather information on their tastes, interests, and more. This allows you to identify what you need to improve about your product or service to sell more, gain new customers, and create follow-up sales campaigns after the event.

What is a customized hotspot?

Before using the hotspot, you need to configure the software on the device to meet the needs and nature of the event. To set the configuration, you first need to answer a few questions:

• What data do you want to obtain from the guests?
• What data must be verified?
• How will the database be delivered so that the information obtained becomes a valuable tool for the event?
• How will the access process be designed?
• How much “online” time do you want to give the user so that the Internet service doesn’t become saturated?
• Which pages will be allowed access so that people don't start downloading content that isn’t allowed?

All the information must be defined before the event to review the whole presentation. There will always be things that need to be adjusted afterward, but some things are complicated to change at the event, so it’s better to think ahead. The quality and functionality of your hotspot rental will depend on the time to prepare the parameters of the information you want to collect.

What aspects should you consider when choosing between hotspots from multiple companies?

Among many factors, we must remember that each scenario is unique, so you’ll want to decide based on the installation requirements.

Nevertheless, there are some points to consider when renting a mobile hotspot.

Ease of use

Hotspots should be user-friendly, not just for the owner but for anyone operating the device. For example, consider that anyone from the receptionist to waiters and assistants at hotels and restaurants will be providing service to customers. However, there’s no guarantee that all of these people will be tech-savvy. 

Buying a complex device with advanced technology can be so confusing that it is useless and requires a double investment. When in doubt, opt for a reliable device with specific features that many people can easily use when in doubt. 

Requires little management

Uninterrupted access to the internet in 2022 is the standard. Imagine you’re running an event and attendees rely on an event-specific app to access their unique conference schedules, or your speakers need to access the hotspot to deliver a seamless presentation.

It’s not realistic to choose manually operated equipment or equipment that requires constant rebooting. Uninterrupted internet access is the standard, so you’ll want to select a system that can run on its own 24/7, without it getting saturated or becoming unstable. Not all manufacturers offer you this feature, so ask your provider before renting a mobile hotspot.

Multiple Features

Some hotspots offer infinite features, but when it comes down to it, the features may not work correctly or don’t work at all. Reviewing the features to fit your needs is critical instead of choosing a hotspot with endless capabilities.

One of the main features you’ll want to look for is authentication. Local and On-Demand accounts offer their internal databases. There is also POP3, LDAP, RADIUS, Windows Domain, and SIP authentication.

In addition, it’s possible to integrate a user authentication system with your current system. Customization of the portal, ability to manage several types of users (policies and user profiles), the ability to create different service zones (for example, Employee Network, another Network for guests), ability to save a Log with all network accesses, ability to centrally manage the network access points, in case of WiFi, or at least monitor all network nodes.

Depending on your hotspot rental, you can also get multiwan to have one or more internet outlets and guarantee the service doesn’t experience line failures.

Ensuring security in your network

One of the most important points in any system is to guarantee security in our network and prevent users from communicating with each other. You’ll want to choose a hotspot that has the Firewall feature in the device itself to ensure this. 

There are Firewall rules for each user policy so that you can restrict access depending on the type of user. For example, an employee needs to access a content server that you have on the network, while a guest user shouldn’t be able to access it.

How much does it cost to set up a hotspot at your event?

A Wifi hotspot then has three cost factors:

• Link Cost / Internet Service
• The number of computers expected to connect simultaneously (customers).
• The time of the event.

Before you decide, schedule a consultation with Choose 2 Rent. We are your partner in hotspots rentals and have an array of software and equipment to suit your needs!