Airbnb Wifi Superhost

Enhancing Airbnb Wifi Guest Experience: Tips and Tricks for Reliable Airbnb Wi-Fi

In today's digital age, having a reliable Wi-Fi connection is essential for an enjoyable Airbnb experience. As a host, providing a strong and stable internet connection can significantly enhance your guests' satisfaction and overall stay. In this article, we will share some valuable tips and tricks to help you optimize your Airbnb property's Wi-Fi signals.







  1. Upgrade your Airbnb Wi-Fi equipment to support MU-MIMO technology:

    For Airbnb wifi, getting a MU-MIMO capable wifi gateway is the most important criteria for improving wifi.

    MIMO is an amazing technology that dramatically increases capacity, and at the same time dramatically reduces phase interference.

    Unless one works in the cellular of wifi industry, most people have not heard of MIMO, yet it is the most important feature to look for in Airbnb wifi. MIMO is an acronym for Multi In Multi Out.

    A simple explanation for MIMO is this using a vehicle freeway concept:

    • You have a single lane bridge, and its speed limit is 65 mph.
    • You add a second single lane bridge, next to the first single lane bridge. The speed limit is still 65 mph; however, you have doubled the capacity of traffic.
    • You add a third single lane bridge, next to the first & second single lane bridges. The speed limit is still 65 mph; however, you have tripled the capacity of traffic.
    • You add a fourth single lane bridge, next to the first, second, and third single lane bridges. The speed limit is still 65 mph; however, you have quadrupled the capacity of traffic.

    In the MIMO world,

    • A one lane bridge would not have MIMO.
    • A two-lane bridge would be called 2X2 MIMO.
    • A three-lane bridge would be called 3X3 MIMO.
    • A four-lane bridge would be called 4X4 MIMO.

    MIMO can be SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO.

    • SU-MIMO means Single User MIMO. This means only one user can use cross the bridges at a time.
    • MU-MIMO means Multi User MIMO, which means multiple users can use the bridges (or Airbnb wifi network) at the same time.

    An example of what can happen in an Airbnb Wifi network:

    • You install a 4X4 SU-MIMO Single User wifi gateway.
    • A guest has a laptop with a 2X2 MIMO capability.
    • The same guest has an Apple iPhone, which has a 2X2 MIMO wifi capability.
    • The 4X4 wifi gateway communicates at only 2X2 capacity to the laptop, and the unused remaining 2X2 capability of the gateway is unused. The iPhone has to wait for the laptop traffic to complete, before the iPhone can use the wifi network.

    You install a 4X4 MU-MIMO Multi User MIMO wifi gateway.

    • A guest has a laptop with a 2X2 MIMO capability.
    • The same guest has an Apple iPhone, which has a 2X2 MIMO wifi capability.
    • The 4X4 wifi gateway communicates at 2X2 capacity to the laptop, and at the same time, communicates at 2X2 capability to the iPhone.
    • The iPhone does not have to wait for the laptop traffic to complete.
    • MU-MIMO allow more airtime for devices.

    If the product specification sheet for a Wifi device does not list MIMO anywhere in the specifications, the device does not have MIMO capability.

    Business Wifi Solutions recommend you purchase only MU-MIMO capable wifi gateways for your Airbnb wifi service.

    End user guest devices need only be MIMO capable, however, your Airbnb wifi equipment should be MU-MIMO.

    MU-MIMO equipment is typically only slightly more expense than non-MIMO equipment.

  2. Position your Airbnb Wifi gateway strategically:

    Place your Airbnb wifi router in a central location within your property to ensure maximum coverage. Avoid placing the wifi gateway along an outside wall.

    Elevate the router to table top height, or higher. Do not place the Wifi gateway near the floor, below table top height.

    Avoid positioning the Wifi gateway near metal objects, such a large mirror, or metal objects. Be aware of where large mirrors are located, such as bathrooms. If the Wifi AP has on the other side of a wall a bathroom mirror, the mirror can block the wifi signal to the room.

    Do not place the Wifi gateway next to a microwave oven.

  3. Set a unique network name and password that encourages Airbnb guest to use the faster wifi band:

    Create for your Airbnb guest two separate network names (SSID), one for the slower 2.4 GHz wifi band, and one for the faster 5 GHz wifi band.

    If you want a private network for yourself, create a third SSID.

    Example:

    • On 2.4 GHz band, create a SSID “Property name-Slow”
    • On 5 GHz band, create a SSID “Property name-Fast”

    My Airbnb property is nicknamed “The Oasis”.

    My SSIDs are:

    • TheOasisFast, and
    • TheOasisSlow

    People want to join a fast wifi network, so these SSIDs will encourage them to join the faster 5 GHz band, which also has typically less interference.

    Set a long, easy wifi password of at least 16 characters. The longer the password, the more secure. Example: “Welcometotheairbnb”

  4. Enable your private wifi network:

    To separate your personal network from the one provided to guests, consider enabling a third SSID. This way, your guests can enjoy Wi-Fi connectivity without accessing your private files or devices.

  5. Perform a Wi-Fi signal analysis:

    Conduct a Wi-Fi signal analysis using apps or software tools to identify dead zones or areas with weak wifi signal strength. This analysis will help you determine the best placement for wifi gateways.

  6. Avoid Wi-Fi repeaters or wifi range extenders:

    Wifi repeaters, if not properly placed in a property, can cause more problems than they solve. Wifi repeaters are not a free lunch; the tradeoff for the range extension is a loss in what is called airtime. If you add too many wifi repeaters (that are not MIMO capable), they will compete for airtime from the main wifi AP, and your network can run out of airtime.

    It is highly recommended that you first move your existing wifi MU-MIMO AP to the middle of the property, and also place it at least tabletop height or higher from the floor.

    If your Airbnb property is large or has multiple floors, consider using Netgear Orbi mesh Wi-Fi range extenders to extend the signal range.

    Netgear Orbi mesh wifi system uses an additional 5 GHz radio channel as a backhaul link, and thus avoids using airtime for end user devices.

    The Netgear Orbis mesh wifi system is one of a very few mesh wifi systems that Business Wifi Solutions recommends.

  7. Optimize Wi-Fi channel selection:

    Log into your Airbnb wifi gateway, and provision the wireless bands as follows:

    On the 2.4 GHz band:

    • Set SSID to “Property-Slow”
    • Provision the Wifi gateway to use only channels 1, 6, 11.
    • Only use 20 MHz bandwidth. Do not select 40 MHz.
    • Do not use channel banding.
    • Avoid 802.11b.

    On the 5 GHz band:

    • Set SSID to “Property-Fast”
    • Select all channels on the 5 GHz band.
    • Select 20 MHz and 40 MHz bandwidth. Do not select 160 MHz. If your Airbnb property is not close to other properties that have wifi, it might be okay to provision up to 80 MHz. If in doubt, do not select 80 MHz.
  8. Provide your guest Airbnb wifi instructions:

    Include clear instructions on how to connect to your Airbnb Wi-Fi network in your Airbnb welcome packet.

  9. Regularly update firmware and security settings:

    Stay updated with the latest firmware and security patches for your Wi-Fi equipment. Regular updates can improve performance, fix bugs, and address security vulnerabilities.

  10. Communicate with guests:

    Encourage open communication with your guests regarding their Airbnb Wi-Fi experience. Ask for feedback and promptly address any concerns or issues they may have. Actively monitoring and resolving Wi-Fi problems will go a long way in ensuring a positive guest experience.

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