The best WiFi network for student accommodation

1. Why is high-quality WiFi essential in student residences?

Short answer: Because virtually all academic, social, and entertainment activities depend on reliable connectivity — from LMS platforms to streaming, video calls, and IoT devices.

Details

• Students use Learning Management Systems (LMS) such as Moodle, Canvas, Teams, Zoom for coursework, video lectures, and exams; these require low latency and high uptime.
• Multiple devices per student (laptop, phone, tablet, console, smart TV) put heavy demand on the network.
• Usage peaks in evenings and weekends; WiFi must be engineered to handle congestion.
• Poor WiFi causes frustration, complaints, decreased satisfaction, and can negatively affect resident retention.

2. How many devices can each student connect, and is there a limit?

Short answer: There’s no fixed cap; the network is designed to support many devices per student smoothly.

Details

• Typical devices: laptops, smartphones, tablets, consoles, smart-home devices, etc.
• Wifirst’s Room Area Network creates a secure, private “bubble” per room so devices can communicate internally (e.g., printers, speakers) like at home.
• Capacity planning accounts for total device count, per-device bandwidth, and usage patterns (streaming, video calls, gaming).

3. What steps does Wifirst take to ensure excellent WiFi performance in student housing?

Short answer: End-to-end management from fibre backbone to access point: survey, installation, monitoring, and 24/7 support.

Details

• Fibre connection delivering high, stable upstream and downstream bandwidth.
• Site survey & WiFi/radio planning considering layout, materials, obstacles (walls, floors, stairwells), and user density.
• Modern access points supporting 5 GHz and, where available, Wi-Fi 6/6E/7 to reduce 2.4 GHz congestion.
• Resilient design with redundancy, load balancing, and intelligent channel allocation.
• 24/7 monitoring & maintenance with rapid incident response.

4. What are the differences between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, and why prefer 5 GHz?

Short answer: 5 GHz offers higher performance and less interference; devices should prefer 5 GHz when possible.

Details

• 2.4 GHz: fewer non-overlapping channels, more interference (microwaves, Bluetooth, neighbouring WiFi), typically congested.
• 5 GHz: more channels, higher throughput, lower latency — ideal for streaming, video calls, gaming, large downloads.
• In high-density environments, 5 GHz helps maintain smooth performance during peaks.
• Newer standards (Wi-Fi 6/6E/7) also utilise 6 GHz for additional clean spectrum.

5. How does Wifirst handle usage peaks and network congestion?

Short answer: With capacity planning, intelligent load balancing, and scalable hardware.

Details

• Surveys identify peak usage patterns (times of day, popular content).
• Access points are dimensioned and distributed to avoid bottlenecks.
• Automatic load balancing across APs and frequency bands.
• Monitoring detects congestion and triggers remediation (e.g., channel tuning, adding capacity).

6. What happens if the WiFi goes down or performance degrades?

Short answer: Quick remediation via 24/7 support and network supervision.

Details

• Continuous monitoring of uptime, signal strength, packet loss, and latency.
• Faults are escalated to technical teams who intervene remotely or onsite.
• Students have access to a dedicated support line.
• SLAs define maximum response times for repair or mitigation.

7. Do students get full control or private-like WiFi in their rooms?

Short answer: Students can enjoy a private “room area network” that behaves like a home network, while keeping the benefits of a managed, secure infrastructure.

Details

• Room Area Network isolates traffic within the room, allowing devices to discover each other securely (printers, speakers, etc.).
• No captive portal is required for intra-room devices; guest portals can still apply in common areas.
• Security is preserved: encryption, authentication, and firewalling between the room network and the core network.

8. Is international student access supported?

Short answer: Yes, the login experience is user-friendly and multilingual.

Details

• Automatic detection of device language for login portals (English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, etc.).
• Clear setup guides for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and more.
• Support team available to assist in multiple languages when needed.

9. Is the installed equipment owned by the residence or by Wifirst?

Short answer: Wifirst supplies and owns all equipment; maintenance is included.

Details

• Residence management doesn’t need to purchase, maintain, or update the equipment.
• All networking gear (access points, switches, routers) remains under Wifirst’s responsibility.
• Regular updates, security patches, and replacement of aging hardware are ensured by Wifirst.

10. Will existing infrastructure (cabling, layout) be reused?

Short answer: Sometimes yes, but often a full or partial re-deployment is required to ensure optimal quality.

Details

• Assessment of existing cabling quality (type, age, capacity).
• Buildings with thick walls, old wiring, or WiFi-unfriendly materials may require upgrades.
• Where feasible, compliant components are tested and reused if they meet performance and safety standards.

11. What are the guarantees and SLAs associated with the service?

Short answer: Uptime, speed, and support are backed by enforceable SLAs.

Details

• Guaranteed uptime targets (e.g., 99.9%) for internet access and WiFi.
• Defined response and recovery times in case of failures.
• Performance commitments for throughput, latency, and reliability.
• Real-time monitoring with transparency to residences/students where possible.

12. What is involved in deploying WiFi & fibre in a student residence?

Short answer: A structured process: survey → design → deployment → testing → go-live.

Details

1. Initial site inspection: layout, user expectations, number of rooms, peak usage scenarios.
2. Fibre feasibility assessment and bandwidth selection.
3. WiFi design (AP type, bands, placement, redundancy).
4. Installation of fibre & WiFi hardware, cabling, switches, etc.
5. Testing at peak and off-peak to validate coverage, speed, reliability.
6. Commissioning plus ongoing maintenance and support.

13. How do you ensure cost efficiency for residences?

Short answer: Through a managed-service model, shared infrastructure, and predictable costs.

Details

• “WiFi as a Service” model removes large upfront capital expenses.
• Shared costs for installation, maintenance, and updates.
• Transparent pricing with no hidden fees.
• Scalable solutions that match budget and usage without sacrificing quality.