WiFi Gateways: The Key to Reliable and Secure Community WiFi in Multifamily Housing

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November 30, 2024 | 6 min read time Written By: Michael Malley

Multifamily communities require much more from their internet connectivity than standard individual home routers. The answer to providing multifamily communities with reliable high-speed connectivity is WiFi gateways. Unlike standard home routers, WiFi gateways are designed to handle the high-density demands of a large multifamily community.

WiFi gateways provide scalability, resident privacy, and smooth and efficient management, which meet the unique challenges of large residential complexes. The following guide introduces WiFi gateways and how implementing them can make your multifamily community more appealing to residents, easier to manage, and more competitive in the current rental market.

What is a Community WiFi gateway?

A community WiFi gateway is a device that delivers high-quality WiFi service throughout a multifamily community. It differs from a traditional home router in that it is engineered for high-density environments and can accommodate multiple residents and high-traffic demands.

This single centralized system connects individual spaces and common areas such as lobbies, gyms, and outdoor spaces and delivers WiFi coverage across the entire property. It enables property managers to control access, set up networks, and monitor connectivity without discreet routers in every unit.

Community WiFi gateways vs standard routers

There's a significant difference between community WiFi gateways and standard routers. Home routers are designed for single-family use, while gateways offer advanced features such as network segmentation, which provides a separate network for each resident, and remote management tools, which allow property managers to control access and monitor connectivity throughout the community.

Here's a quick comparison chart highlighting the differences between WiFi gateways and single-family routers:

Key benefits of WiFi gateways for multifamily communities

Community WiFi gateways meet the internet connectivity needs of multifamily properties, which require more than standard WiFi can deliver. These systems provide robust, high-speed, and reliable internet access that ensures coverage of the entire multifamily community.

WiFi gateways appeal to both residents and property managers and offer convenience and enhanced services. Below are some key advantages that gateway WiFi brings to multifamily communities.

Improve renter satisfaction and retention

Community WiFi can work as a magnet to draw in new residents by removing the need to install individual internet service. Moving can be a chore, and this convenience makes move-ins smoother and less of a hassle for new residents.

In addition, offering high-quality WiFi service as part of the lease increases resident satisfaction by fulfilling a must-have requirement in today's digital society. Happy tenants are more likely to renew their leases, resulting in higher retention rates.

Centralized management for property managers

Among other benefits, gateway WiFi brings centralized connectivity management to a multifamily community, a significant advantage for property managers. Managers and staff no longer have to keep track of individual routers in each unit; they can rely on a single interface to oversee connectivity across the entire property.

With centralized WiFi capabilities, managers can:

• Monitor and adjust service levels in real time.

• Diagnose connectivity issues without the need for on-site technicians.

• Perform swift updates and routine maintenance smoothly and efficiently.

WiFi gateways reduce time and labor and minimize disruption to residents.

Enhanced peace of mind for residents and property management

Community WiFi gateways are equipped with tech-forward features to ensure data protection and enhance every unit's internet security.

Each resident benefits from:

• Encrypted connections that safeguard data transmissions.

• Network segmentation, isolating individual units to prevent interference or unauthorized access.

• Unique login credentials for added security.

These internet security measures reduce the property's liability risks and protect resident's private data.

Cost-efficiency and operational savings

Gateway WiFi offers reduced costs to both property managers and residents. Property managers can negotiate low-cost bulk rates with providers, and residents can enjoy significantly lower costs by avoiding individual contracts with providers.

Additional cost savings include:

• Reduced hardware requirements as WiFi gateways eliminate the need for routers in every unit.

• Lower maintenance expended due to centralized system management.

These advantages lead to a more efficient and profitable property operation and enhanced resident experience.

Marketing advantage and increased property appeal

Prospective residents seeking to rent or lease have become more tech-savvy and may prioritize connectivity in their property choices. Offering high-speed WiFi as an amenity gives a property a significant edge in a competitive market.

Some key marketing benefits of employing WiFi gateways in a property include:

• Increased property appeal to prospective tenants seeking convenience and modern amenities.

• Distinction from competitor properties that may not offer community-wide WiFi.

• Bolstered leasing materials that showcase this feature as part of the property's lifestyle offerings.

Property managers can entice potential residents and retain current tenants by offering community WiFi gateways as a valuable amenity while building the property's reputation as a modern and connected multifamily community.

Key features of WiFi gateways for multifamily communities

WiFi gateways have features that support the high demand for apartment buildings and multifamily complexes. These features include simplified connectivity for residents and centralized management for property managers and staff.

Gateway WiFi provides property owners with a valuable marketing asset to attract and retain tenants. Additional features and benefits include:

• Seamless coverage across units and shared spaces: Community WiFi gateways are designed to provide uninterrupted connectivity using strategically placed access points in individual resident units and common areas such as gyms, lounges, and other shared areas.

• Highspeed reliable bandwidth allocation: WiFi gateways distribute highspeed internet throughout the multifamily complex and offer consistent speed even during peak hours. This appeals to residents, especially those working remotely or using high-bandwidth streaming services.

• Secure, resident-specific network segmentation: Security and privacy are crucial to prospective residents and tenants. WiFi gateways provide network segmentation, allowing each tenant a private and secure connection. Internet traffic is isolated, and encryption and other security measures protect resident data.

• Easy resident onboarding and user-friendly access: The resident onboarding experience is simplified by allowing an internet connection upon move-in, eliminating the hassle of setting up individual provider accounts with ISPs.

• Remote firmware updates and upgrades: With remote firmware updates, residents will enjoy uninterrupted service and freedom from physical disruptions. Managers can keep the WiFi gateway secure and up-to-date without encroaching on tenants' privacy.

• Scalability and future-proof technology: As multifamily complexes grow and technology advances, property owners will need to upgrade their networks to keep up with the increased number of user devices. The good news is that WiFi gateways are scalable and can support increased tenant demands and new technical standards like WiFi 6.

Choosing the right WiFi gateway for multifamily housing

Remember that selecting the right WiFi gateway for a multifamily community differs significantly from choosing a business or consumer system. Conducting due diligence and following some simple suggestions can influence resident experience, reduce management tasks and ensure a smooth deployment.

• Network coverage and capacity needs: Considering the property's size and layout is critical in determining the right WiFi coverage and capacity needs for the correct gateway. When determining capacity, consider factors such as multiple floors, communal areas, and open spaces. Also, choose a gateway with scalable capacity to allow for future expansion.

• Prioritize advanced security features: Network security is of the utmost importance when choosing a WiFi gateway system. To maintain tenants' privacy, each resident should have an individual and secure connection with tenant-specific segmentation, secure encryption protocols, and automated firmware updates to alleviate disruptions.

• Compatibility with existing infrastructure: Select a gateway compatible with new technologies, such as WiFi 6, for seamless future upgrades and a system with integration capabilities with property management software to streamline management and reporting.

• Speed, bandwidth allocation and performance metrics: Consider a WiFi gateway with high-speed performance to accommodate residents who work remotely. The system should also allocate bandwidth dynamically to avoid slowdowns during high-traffic periods.

• Costs and long-term ROI: Choosing a rugged, low-maintenance gateway that reduces the need for frequent upgrades or technical support can reduce costs, increase ROI, and offset initial installation costs.

How does a WiFi gateway integrate with a smart lock?

A WiFi gateway is a central hub for internet connectivity, enabling smart locks to integrate with the multifamily network. Smart locks communicate directly with the WiFi gateway, allowing residents and managers to control and monitor locks remotely. This includes keyless entry enabled by card readers and access granted through smartphone apps.

The user experience and steps involved in integrating the WiFi gateway with smart locks are designed to be intuitive and straightforward.

1. Users pair their devices through the smart lock's app or manually.

2. Successful connections are confirmed with notifications.

3. Users personalize settings such as permissions and schedules.

4. The integration allows users to control and monitor their smart locks remotely.

Advantages of integrating smart locks with a WiFi gateway for multifamily communities

Integrating smart locks with a WiFi gateway gives residents and property managers an efficient and integrated experience with access control. Managers and staff save valuable time and enhance efficiency with the ability to monitor locks throughout the community while residents enjoy convenient keyless entry.

Addressing security concerns

Hacking is always a concern in any wireless environment, but WiFi gateways employ robust encryption and network segmentation to mitigate risks. The secure WiFi gateway isolates and protects each smart lock.

Compatibility with Internet service providers (ISPs)

ISP compatibility refers to the WiFi gateway's ability to integrate with major internet providers such as AT&T, Xfinity, Comcast, T-Mobile, and Cox. This is crucial in a multifamily community to ensure that the gateway can deliver reliable connectivity no matter the selected ISP. Compatible gateways maximize the speed and performance offered by ISPs, which is essential in densely populated multifamily communities.

ISP compatibility matters for multifamily residents who work remotely, use home technologies, and stream, requiring dependable high-speed internet access. WiFi gateways that support different technologies, like 4G LTE or LAN/WAN configurations, reduce dropouts and inconsistent speeds and ensure stable connections.

In summary

The current rental market is dominated by tech-savvy seekers who demand wireless WiFi that supports their remote work, streaming and connected devices. Multifamily properties that implement WiFi gateways will attract these renters, bolster resident satisfaction and increase property value.

Choosing the right WiFi gateway is the first step to taking advantage of this technology. However, selecting a company with the knowledge and resources to implement it is just as important. SmartRent's community WiFi solutions are purpose-built for multifamily communities.

Why not allow SmartRent's team of experts to help you and your multifamily community tap into WiFi gateway technology? Connect with a SmartRent representative to explore tailored solutions, enhance resident satisfaction and elevate your property's connectivity to the next level.