Guest Wi-Fi for pubs: setup checklist

Use this checklist when you set up guest Wi-Fi in a pub, or to check an existing set-up before you start collecting guest details. It covers the network, the login page, the legal basics and the first weeks after launch.

Network and hardware

• Put guests on their own network (a separate SSID and VLAN), never on the same network as your tills, card terminals or office computers.
• Turn on client isolation so guests' phones cannot see each other.
• Set a fair-use limit per device so one streamer does not slow the whole pub.
• Check coverage where people actually sit — the beer garden, the back room, the bar — not just next to the router.
• Keep the access points' firmware up to date and change any default admin passwords.

Login page (captive portal)

• Show your pub's name, logo and a one-line welcome.
• Ask only for what you need: a first name and an email or mobile is usually enough.
• Add a separate, unticked box for marketing emails or texts — guests must be able to connect without ticking it (ICO guidance on consent).
• Link your Wi-Fi terms and privacy notice from the page.
• Set a sensible session length (for example, a few hours) so returning guests are recognised without signing in again every visit.

Legal basics

• Record the wording each guest saw and when they agreed — you must be able to show consent (UK GDPR Article 7).
• Only send marketing emails or texts to guests who opted in (PECR regulation 22).
• Include an unsubscribe link or opt-out in every message.
• Choose a retention period for guest data and switch on automatic deletion.
• If children may use the Wi-Fi, consider content filtering and do not collect marketing consent from under-13s — in the UK, children under 13 need a parent's consent for online services (Data Protection Act 2018, section 9).

In the pub

• Put the network name and a QR code on table cards, the bar and the menu.
• Tell staff how guests connect and where to point them if it fails.
• Test the full journey on an iPhone and an Android phone: join, sign in, get online.

After launch

• Check the sign-in numbers after the first week and after the first busy weekend.
• Send a first welcome email only to guests who opted in.
• Ask for reviews in a way that follows Google's rules: ask every guest, never only happy ones, and never offer a reward for a review (Google's policy on fake engagement).

Want this done for you? See guest Wi-Fi for pubs and restaurants or start a free trial.