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Category: Guest Communication
By: James Wu
Reply by Grace Kim:
WiFi is the single most complained-about amenity in STRs. Here's my setup that eliminated 95% of WiFi complaints: **Hardware:** - **Mesh WiFi system** (I use Google Nest WiFi) — covers every corner of the property with strong signal. No dead spots. ~$200 for a 2-pack. - **Separate SSID for guests** — keeps your smart home devices on a different network so guest traffic doesn't interfere. **Internet plan:** - Minimum 200 Mbps for a 1-2BR property - 500+ Mbps for 3BR+ or properties where guests are likely remote workers - Upload speed matters too — 20 Mbps minimum for video calls **In the listing:** - Advertise your speed: "200 Mbps high-speed WiFi — perfect for streaming and remote work" - Include a speed test screenshot in your photos **In the house manual:** - WiFi name and password on a printed card prominently displayed (fridge magnet or nightstand card) - Include speed test instructions: "Run a speed test at speedtest.net if you experience any issues and let me know" If you use StayFi (https://stayfi.com), you can provide a captive portal WiFi login that captures guest emails for marketing while still delivering fast internet. Dual benefit.
Reply by Chris Nakamura:
The mesh WiFi system recommendation is huge. I switched from a single router to a Ubiquiti UniFi mesh system and WiFi complaints dropped to zero. Literally zero. The coverage improvement in a multi-room property is night and day. One more tip: enable the 5GHz band on your router and name it something obvious like "[PropertyName]-WiFi-Fast". Some routers default to 2.4GHz which is slower but has longer range. Let guests choose the faster band when they're close to the router.