Wifi Systems and Setup for Marina’s
Marina Wifi was once a luxury, but nowadays it’s more of an absolute necessity.
However, there are some challenges that marinas face when wanting to install quality wifi like environmental challenges, network density, cyber risks, and coverage issues.
These issues, though they can be overcome, are enough to deter marinas from wanting to supply wifi to their guests.
Why Marina Wifi is Uniquely Challenging
1. Signal Interference & Environmental Challenges
Marinas are well-known for being particularly difficult environments for wifi mainly because of the varying interference factors:
Water Reflection & Absorption: Wifi signals can bounce off or get absorbed by water, making coverage less consistent.
Metal Structures & Boats: Boats, docks, and any other type of metal infrastructure can create signal interference, lowering signal strength.
Weather Conditions: Salty air, humidity, wind, downpour, etc., can degrade wifi equipment faster than in other environments.
These factors, if not carefully considered and planned for, can result in a poorly-performing network that can dissatisfy boaters that are docked.
2. High-Density Network Usage
Americans have 13.4 Wifi-connected devices per person. Therefore, a family of five could have 50+ devices that need connecting to the marina wifi. Add this to a fully-booked, 100 slip marina, over 1,000+ devices could connect to your network at one time.
This, of course, requires a lot of bandwidth. If your wifi system for your marina hasn’t been designed to handle this much traffic or quality of service load balancing; then the network will quickly degrade due to an overwhelming number of devices and requests, resulting in poor speeds or possible downtimes.
3. Security & Cyber Risks
Poor marina wifi setup can lead to an unsecure network. This, in turn, will then create an easy target for cybercriminals.
Everything can be seen on a network if it isn’t secure—for example, guest transactions, the marina management system, surveillance cameras, etc.
This, as you can imagine, can result in pretty hefty ransom payouts as well. According to Shipowners, the average ransom payout for a maritime cyber attack is 3.2 million.
Not only this, but poor wifi systems for marinas might not be compliant with data protection laws.
4. Expanding Coverage Across Large Areas
Unlike traditional buildings, a marina’s internet connectivity is required in multiple locations, from offices to docks all the way to guest lounges and more.
Because of this, strategic access point placement needs to be carefully thought about and well-designed, eliminating dead zones.
The Business Impact of Reliable Marina Wifi
Quality marina wifi equipment and setup can provide businesses with a lot of benefits by:
Increasing Guest Satisfaction and Retention
Due to the necessity of quality wifi nowadays, modern boaters are more inclined to select a marina offering great connectivity.
Guests, each year, are relying more and more on high-speed internet for all sorts of things. From remote work all the way to navigation updates, news, and video streaming.
By investing in a reliable marina wifi setup, you may be able to attract more boaters to your docks, which would increase bookings and retention.
Creating New Revenue Opportunities
Alongside guest satisfaction, marina wifi can actually create direct and indirect revenue streams.
Despite the expense of the installation, marinas can reclaim a lot of investment back very quickly.
By providing stable and fast wifi to docked boats this presents another hundred opportunities through additional digital services.
If you wanted to, you can expand into this area, such as offering online reservations, virtual concierge services, targeted advertising, etc.
Supporting Point-of-Sale (POS) Transactions
Many marina facilities, such as fuel docks, ship stores, marina offices, boat rentals, hotels, and so forth, depend on stable internet connectivity to process payments.
Without a secure and stable connection, marinas risk transaction failure, delays, or errors, which won’t only impact the bottom line, but can be frustrating for staff and customers.
Enhancing Security, Liability, and Digital Surveillance
All marinas, regardless of location, need strong security measures to protect guests, staff, and property.
By installing a high-quality wifi network, the digital surveillance system remains up, improving monitoring and mitigating liability risks.
Beyond just monitoring, a secure internet connection also reduces the likelihood of cyberattacks. This ensures your customer's information remains safe and you meet data protection regulations.
How Beacon Solves Marina Wifi Challenges
At Beacon we specialize in developing bespoke wifi solutions for Marinas to help them secure more bookings, increase retention rates, and enhance operational efficiency.
1. Expert Site Assessments & Custom Network Design
To start we perform a site analysis to get a better picture of your layout, so we’re able to develop a network that is properly tailored to your marina. This ensures connectivity across the docks, slips, and community areas. Our experts also consider network traffic and other marina-specific elements, like weather resistance.
2. Quality Marina Wifi Equipment & Installation
Beacon only uses the latest Marina wifi equipment to guarantee performance in a harsh, marine environment. This equipment is then carefully placed to ensure your marina gets strong connectivity with no dead spots, even during peak usage.
3. 24/7 Network Monitoring & Maintenance
Alongside the above, we proactively manage your wifi network, detecting and resolving any issues before you, your team, or your guests are affected. We also update your software to ensure your network remains updated, fast, secure, and reliable.
4. Secure, Managed Guest Wifi with Monetization Options
Our managed guest wifi solutions enable you to offer branded login portals with customized access levels. You can then offer certain wifi speed or usage under a tiered pricing plan model, monetizing your new marina wifi setup.
Let Beacon Handle Your Marina Wifi
High-speed, reliable, and secure wifi networks are essential for modern marinas wanting to thrive. Don’t let poor connectivity affect bookings or your guest experience. Get fast, updated, and correctly installed marina wifi.
Contact a helpful representative at Beacon today and let us help you develop a marina-wide wifi solution that works for you and your guests.