Wi-Fi for Hotels, Cafés and Co-working Spaces

What matters in practice:

• Capacity, not coverage, is what guests judge — strong signal with 50 phones on one access point is still unusable.
• Plan roughly 20 to 30 active devices per access point, wire each one with Ethernet and power it with PoE where possible.
• Isolate the guest SSID and cap bandwidth per guest so one user cannot take everything.

In hospitality, guests judge you by your Wi-Fi. A single router stretched across a building is the most common reason for complaints.

Capacity, not just coverage

Coverage asks whether the signal reaches a room. Capacity asks whether the network can serve everyone connected at once. A café can have strong signal and still be unusable at lunchtime if 50 phones share one access point.

A useful rule of thumb is to plan roughly 20 to 30 active devices per access point for general use, fewer for heavy video use. Count each guest as one to three devices.

Access point placement

• Place access points in the ceiling or high on walls, not behind furniture.
• In hotels, put access points in corridors or in alternate rooms rather than one giant unit in the lobby, since walls block signal.
• Avoid placing units directly above each other without planning channels.
• Wire every access point with Ethernet cable, and power it with PoE where possible.

Network design

1. Fibre or a strong primary connection, with a backup 4G or 5G link if you can.
2. A managed router and switch.
3. Several Wi-Fi 6 access points with central management.
4. A separate guest SSID, isolated from staff and payment systems.
5. Bandwidth limits per guest so one user cannot take everything.

This is the layout we build most often for hospitality clients under our Networks & Infrastructure service.

Captive portals

A portal asks guests to accept terms or enter a voucher. It helps with access control, but make sure it does not become a barrier. Keep the login simple — see our guide to guest Wi-Fi captive portals for Ugandan businesses.

Handling complaints

• Keep a printed troubleshooting card for staff.
• Check peak hours before blaming the ISP.
• Log complaints by room or table to find weak spots.
• Review usage monthly and adjust bandwidth limits.

Co-working spaces

Members expect stable video calls. Prioritise low latency, wired ports at desks for heavy users, and a backup internet line.

Next Steps

Backspace Business Solutions designs guest Wi-Fi for hotels, cafés and co-working spaces across Uganda — capacity planning, access points, portals and support.

Request a Free Site Survey to find out how many access points your building and guest numbers really require.