Nowadays, people attending an event expect that event to offer Wi-Fi. Whether people want to network, check up on attendees, download relevant materials, or simply stay in touch with people online, Wi-Fi is essential. Unfortunately, there are several common mistakes that people make when organising their event network.
- Thinking in Terms of Attendees Instead of Devices
One of the most common errors people make when arranging Wi-Fi for their event is thinking about the number of people coming rather than the number of devices coming. The number of attendees is obviously an important factor, but you need to keep in mind that plenty of people will be bringing more than one device. It isn’t uncommon for someone to connect a smartphone, laptop, and tablet to the Wi-Fi – if you only accounted for one device each, your network probably won’t cope with the strain.
- Not Considering Peak Periods
Wi-Fi usage isn’t going to be the same across the entire event. Sure, you might have an average of 10% of attendees online at the same time, but you could also have times when more people choose to connect. For example, one of your speakers may ask everyone to connect and download something. This is why the volume of Wi-Fi traffic is such a key consideration.
- Not Going Fast
If you’re organising Wi-Fi for your event, you must go for a superfast connection. When you run a speed test, it should show a ping speed of less than 30ms and an internet speed of 2Mb per 100 users. If you don’t hit those benchmarks, you’ll almost certainly suffer from slow internet connections throughout your event.
- Relying on the Venue
Maybe the venue you’re using has Wi-Fi. The problem is, you can’t depend on that network working for you. Some venues have network equipment that isn’t meant for high density events. Others stipulate a set bandwidth, while others may use unexpected billing tactics. Most importantly, many venue Wi-Fi networks lack up to date security.
