Wifi provision

[a_c_macklin]

Hi guys,

I need some guidance. I've been asked to find a provider to sell me the ability to provide wifi on a regular basis - the hardware, I think - so that we don't have to rent it for exorbitant amounts of money each event. What should I actually be looking for, who should I talk to and what do I need to know?

Thanks!

Comments

[urasni]

How large an area are you looking to cover is probably the most important question?

This is not going to be cheap though. You'd need the various receivers on top of the routers and the like stored in a portable rack mount. Power then may also become an issue at this point.

[jakeriddoch]

I'm not clear on the requirements:
- What kind of uplink are you using? 3G, broadband, etc?
- Are you charging users for using the Wifi? If so, what charging model?
- What facilities are likely to be available at each site?
- What kind of budget are you aiming for?
- How reliable does it need to be?

At its most basic level, you need some kind of modem (3G or ADSL in most cases) and a wifi router (e.g. one you'd use on your home broadband network). If you're using charging models (particularly timed access), the requirements get more complex.