Connectivity is no longer just a convenience; it has become a critical utility, much like water or electricity. Whether you manage a hotel, PBSA (Student Accommodation), corporate offices, or a Care Home, the question is no longer "do we need WiFi?", but "how do we ensure it never fails?".
Faced with the increasing complexity of networks (the arrival of WiFi 6E and 7, cybersecurity threats, high device density), CIOs and Facility Managers often hesitate between two models: keeping control internally (In-house WiFi) or outsourcing everything to a specialist operator (Managed WiFi).
This comparison breaks down the benefits, risks, and real costs of each solution to help you make the right decision.
Definitions: What are we talking about?
To choose wisely, it is essential to define the opposing models:
- In-house WiFi (Do It Yourself): Your company purchases the hardware (Access Points, controllers, switches), installs it, and mobilises its internal IT team for configuration, maintenance, security, and daily troubleshooting.
- Managed WiFi (WiFi as a Service): You sign a service contract with a specialist operator. They take end-to-end responsibility: audit, deployment, supervision, 24/7 maintenance, and updates. You are buying a result (SLA), not just hardware.
The Match: 5 criteria to separate the two models
1. Performance and Radio Coverage
WiFi is an invisible and temperamental technology that depends on physics (walls, interference, microwaves).
- In-house: Without a certified radio expert (e.g., Ekahau) on your team, positioning Access Points is often done by "guesswork". The result: dead zones, roaming issues, and difficulties managing high density.
- Managed: Everything starts with an on-site radio survey. The operator contractually commits to coverage and load capacity. If an Access Point shows signs of weakness, it is proactively replaced.
2. Security and Legal Compliance
This is often the blind spot of internal management ("Shadow IT").
- In-house: You are legally responsible. You must retain connection logs (Investigatory Powers Act 2016, GDPR compliance) typically for 12 months, manage the captive portal, and secure the network against intrusions.
- Managed: The operator assumes legal responsibility as the Internet Service Provider (ISP). They manage the legal storage of logs, ensure GDPR compliance, and apply firmware security updates (patching) to block recent vulnerabilities.
3. Costs: CAPEX vs OPEX
- In-house (CAPEX): A heavy upfront investment (purchasing hardware) and unpredictable hidden costs (out-of-warranty failures, IT team time, continuous training).
- Managed (OPEX): A smoothed monthly subscription. Everything is included: hardware, licences, support, and on-site interventions. It is predictable and preserves your cash flow.
Summary Table: The Quick Verdict
For busy decision-makers, here are the fundamental differences:
| Criteria |
In-house WiFi (DIY) |
Managed WiFi (WaaS) |
| Investment |
Heavy upfront (CAPEX) |
Smoothed monthly (OPEX) |
| Responsibility |
The Company (CIO/Mgmt) |
The Operator (SLA Commitment) |
| Maintenance |
Business hours (IT Team) |
24/7/365 (Proactive supervision) |
| Security |
Manual configuration required |
Native and auto-updated |
| Obsolescence |
Hardware replacement every 5 years |
Updates & scalability included |
| IT Team Time |
Time-consuming (User support) |
Zero (Delegated to operator) |
Why is the Managed Model becoming the B2B norm?
The strong trend is towards outsourcing. Why? Because WiFi has become too complex to be treated as a "secondary subject".
Expert Opinion: "A Hotel General Manager or Care Home Director should focus on the resident experience, not on rebooting a switch in the server room on a Sunday night."
Choosing Managed WiFi allows you to:
- Guarantee Quality of Service (QoS): Ensure a stable connection for VoIP, streaming, and business-critical applications.
- Mutualise services: Use the same physical network for Guest WiFi, Staff WiFi, Casting (Chromecast/AirPlay), and IoT devices, all securely separated via VLANs.
- Benefit from a Single Point of Contact (SPOC): One number to call for Internet, Fibre, or WiFi issues.
Conclusion: Which is the right choice for you?
- Choose In-house WiFi if: You are a small business (SME), with few users, open-plan offices that are simple to cover, and you have IT skills available on-site.
- Choose Managed WiFi if: Connectivity is critical to your business (Hotels, Care Homes, Retail, PBSA, Corporate Offices), you have strict legal constraints, or you wish to transform unpredictable technical spend into a reliable service lever.
Want to evaluate if Managed WiFi is right for your site?
Our engineers can conduct an audit of your current infrastructure to propose a bespoke solution.
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FAQ: Common questions about outsourcing WiFi
Is Managed WiFi more expensive than In-house WiFi?
On paper, the monthly subscription may seem higher than a one-off purchase. However, when you calculate the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership)—including maintenance, human hours, hardware replacements, and the risk of business downtime in the event of a failure—Managed WiFi is often more cost-effective and predictable.
Who is responsible for illegal downloads on my WiFi?
If you manage the WiFi internally, you are the subscriber and potentially liable. If you use a Managed WiFi solution like Wifirst, the operator assumes the status of the ISP and handles the legal responsibilities regarding connection logs and copyright infringement notices.
Can we keep our existing cabling when switching to Managed WiFi?
Yes, in the majority of cases. An initial technical audit will verify the quality of your cabling (Cat 5e, 6, or 6a). If it complies with current standards, it will be reused to reduce deployment costs.