The beginner's guide to Wi-Fi jargon

The Wi-Fi terms every venue owner meets, in plain English.

Internet access is essential for nearly every successful business. Customers and clients love fast, reliable guest Wi-Fi. But if you are just starting out, or upgrading your Wi-Fi, getting your head around the jargon takes time better spent running your business. Here is an explanation of the terms you may come across, to help you provide the best Wi-Fi for your business and your customers.

ISP (internet service provider)

An internet service provider (ISP) is a company that supplies the internet connection into a venue. The router provides the gateway between the internet and all your devices via this connection. The ISP is often just called the provider. Every organisation or home with internet access has one.

Broadband

Broadband is a type of high-speed internet connection, and now the standard way to connect. Broadband packages come in different forms, including cable, ADSL and mobile.

Cable broadband is provided through fibre-optic cables, which deliver faster speeds than ADSL. Landline and digital television services can also come through the cable. Your ideal speed depends on your business: if you provide guest Wi-Fi in a cafe or bar, consider fast fibre-optic cable with a package that includes unlimited downloads.

In the UK, ADSL broadband runs over existing phone lines. The speed depends on your distance from the local telephone exchange: the closer you are, the faster the broadband.

Mobile broadband is transmitted via mobile phone networks, so users need a mobile signal to access it.

LAN (local area network)

A local area network (LAN) is two or more computers connected together in a building, using software or hardware. A LAN can be wired or wireless. The administrator of the LAN decides what can and cannot be shared on the network.

You can set up multiple networks on the same broadband connection, with different bandwidths for each. For example, you might have one network for staff and one for customers. Your customers will need plenty of bandwidth. You set these up through the router.

Your router sends data from the internet cable to a device, and acts as a wireless access point so the data can be shared through radio signals instead of another cable. It plugs into your landline or cable line. When you run a business with guest Wi-Fi, you need a router that allows multiple networks. Routers may come with various security tools, such as firewall management and intrusion detection.

IP address

IP means internet protocol, and there are two types of IP address: internal and external.

An internal IP address is a series of numbers that identifies your router connection. 192.168.1.1 is a common one used for routers. To change your router settings, you need to know your IP address. The easiest way to find it is to look at the back of the router: most have a sticker or card with everything you need to log into its settings, including the IP address.

An external or public IP address is used across the entire internet to locate computer systems and devices. Your internet service provider assigns you an external IP address when you connect to the internet, and your web browser sends that address along with every page it requests. Providers use external IP addresses to work out which customer is using which website.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the volume of information per unit of time that an internet connection can handle. It is expressed in bits per second: 50 Mbps is 50 million bits per second. It can be expressed in other ways, though, so it is important to check which unit is being used.

Businesses vary in how much bandwidth they need, and if you provide guest Wi-Fi you must get this right. Customers will not tolerate a poor connection, and your reputation will suffer. Monitoring usage is essential to understanding how much bandwidth is being used, and when.

WAP and hotspot

A wireless access point (WAP) is a hardware device on a local area network that allows Wi-Fi devices to connect to a wired network. The WAP usually connects to a router, although it may be built into the router itself. WAPs contain radio transmitters and antennae.

The hotspot is the physical location where Wi-Fi access is available. Putting up signs with a Wi-Fi symbol is a helpful way of letting customers know how and where they can log on.

Cloud controller

Your WAP can come with a hosted cloud controller service. Cloud computing simply means you store and access data over the internet rather than on your hard drive. A cloud controller lets you manage your Wi-Fi system from anywhere, and manage multiple sites with a single login.

Mesh network

Wi-Fi mesh networking kits are sold to businesses and consumers to address Wi-Fi dead zones, because they blanket a building with coverage. A mesh network means you do not need range extenders or extra access points.

The kit, which normally replaces your existing router, includes nodes. One node or router connects to the internet through your modem, and that node and each satellite node then communicate with each other. Coverage expands with each new node. Mesh networks are easy to set up, and you manage the system, for example to create a guest network, through an app.

Captive portal

If you want to set up guest Wi-Fi, you need a captive portal. A captive portal is a webpage that a user must view and interact with before being given access to a public Wi-Fi network. It is mainly used for authentication, and is usually in place at free or paid hotspots such as business centres, cafes, bars and hotels.

The captive portal may feature a branded login page, conditions of access, surveys and payment options. The page with the login details is sometimes called the splash screen, and the landing page is where the guest arrives after they log in.

The trick to a great captive portal is making it easy for the user while getting benefits for your business. Stampede turns your guest Wi-Fi into a marketing channel: you can grow customer loyalty, stay compliant with the law, increase your social media presence and build your brand, all from the moment a guest logs on.

Wireless security

Wireless security, sometimes called wireless network security, protects a wireless network from unauthorised access. Understanding the common acronyms will help you choose the best security for your network.

WPA2, WPA and WEP are the three encryption protocols you will probably come across. WPA2 is the most secure of the three. Enabled with its strongest encryption option, data traffic is scrambled with up-to-date encryption standards. This is the one to use, and if you provide guest Wi-Fi through a captive portal, you have to use it.

WEP, introduced in the late 1990s, is easily hacked and should not be used. WPA replaced WEP, and is an option only if a device does not support the more recent WPA2.

WPA3 is the newer standard, and is gradually replacing WPA2. It brings significant security improvements and matters most for open public Wi-Fi networks. A WPA3-enabled router still needs WPA3-compatible devices, such as newer laptops and phones, to take full advantage of those features.

MAC address (media access control address)

A media access control address (MAC address) is a unique code assigned by a manufacturer to every piece of hardware that connects to the internet. It ensures each device is unique and allows data to be passed between hardware devices.

Many people never need their MAC address to use a device. Some providers, however, require registration of the address, so only paying users can connect. If you do need it, you can normally find it on a sticker on the device, and on portable devices it may be printed inside the battery compartment. The address is composed of six pairs of numbers and letters separated by colons.

Making guest Wi-Fi work for you

Whether you are a major business or just starting out, guest Wi-Fi can do more than connect people to the internet. Stampede is smart guest Wi-Fi for any venue, from independent coffee shops to large multi-site brands, and it gives you the customer insight to grow your business and build brand loyalty from every login.