Wi-Fi for shopping malls and retail
Wi-Fi in a shopping center is not just a convenience, but an important tool for creating a positive customer experience and increasing the time visitors spend in the retail space.
LWCOM specializes in the development and implementation of integrated network solutions for shopping centers of any scale. We have already worked with some of the largest shopping centers in Eastern Europe – "Metropolis" and "Galeria".
Extensive experience working with large shopping centers gives us an understanding of the specifics of such sites and the ability to implement an optimal Wi-Fi infrastructure capable of withstanding high loads during peak hours.
IMPLEMENTATION OF WI-FI INFRASTRUCTURE CREATES A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS WITHIN THE SHOPPING COMPLEX: TENANTS, VISITORS AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SHOPPING CENTER
Objectives of Wi-Fi in shopping and entertainment centers
Owners of shopping and entertainment centers receive many benefits from the implementation of a modern Wi-Fi infrastructure:
- First of all, it is an opportunity to analyze the flow of visitors (age, interests and other depersonalized data) to optimize the rental pricing policy.
- Wireless Internet opens up additional revenue opportunities. It can be provided to tenants for a fee. Кроме того, беспроводная сеть обеспечивает удобный доступ сотрудников к корпоративным IT-ресурсам, повышая эффективность их работы.
- Tenants get broad opportunities for business development thanks to a modern network infrastructure. Stable Internet allows connecting work laptops, payment terminals and barcode scanners, ensuring the uninterrupted operation of retail outlets.
- Visitors to shopping centers appreciate the opportunity to stay connected using their mobile devices to access the Internet. The wireless network helps them navigate through retail outlets by providing convenient navigation services.
Features of organizing Wi-Fi for a shopping center
- High density of visitors, especially on weekends and holidays, requires network design calculated for thousands of simultaneous connections and the use of modern technologies
- The network load is distributed unevenly: food courts, cinemas and children's areas experience peak loads, so it is important to flexibly manage resources and evenly distribute clients between access points
- The complex architecture of shopping centers with concrete floors, metal structures and a large amount of interference requires a thorough RF audit and precise placement of equipment for stable coverage
- The complete absence of dead zones is a critical condition: Wi-Fi must work not only in shopping halls, but also in parking lots, toilets, elevators and passages between buildings
- The network must support traffic separation for visitors, tenants, staff and "smart building" systems and isolated SSIDs to ensure security and connection quality
- Reliability and fault tolerance must be ensured by redundancy of channels, controllers and power supplies, as well as the ability to quickly restore the network in case of failures
Stages of implementing a Wi-Fi network in a shopping complex
- Defining goals and usage scenarios for Wi-Fi: guest access for visitors, tenant connection, support for security systems
- Analysis of the shopping center's architecture — number of floors, type of floors, location of atriums, food courts, cinemas, parking lots and high-traffic areas
- Estimation of the expected number of users and devices, especially during peak hours and days (weekends, sales, holidays)
- Identification of traffic types: streaming, social networks, payment via applications, internal accounting systems and video surveillance
- Creating a predictive radio coverage model and generating a preliminary equipment specification
- Site visit to conduct an RF survey using the pre-selected type of equipment
- Measurement of signal levels, identification of shadowing zones, reflections and external interference
- Refinement of the number and exact location of access points taking into account real signal propagation conditions
- Development of final documentation: diagrams, specifications, channel settings, power and roaming
- Delivery of all necessary equipment with verification of completeness and compatibility
- Installation of network infrastructure, including fiber optic and copper lines to access points.
- Installation of access points in accordance with technical documentation
- Installation and configuration of switches and network management controllers
- Network configuration: setting up security, segmentation for visitors, tenants and staff
- Implementation of a guest portal with authorization via SMS, social networks or email and branding for the shopping center
- Integration with the customer's existing IT infrastructure
- Conducting post-installation radio survey and load testing in real conditions.
- Handing over the network for operation with a package of technical documentation, test results and recommendations
- Training of shopping center staff on working with the Wi-Fi management system and basic diagnostic scenarios
- Organization of technical support, regular monitoring and updates, as well as assistance with scaling
CONTACT LWCOM RADIO ENGINEERS FOR A FREE CONSULTATION! — AFTERWARDS, WE WILL PREPARE A COMMERCIAL PROPOSAL FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION AND SEND IT WITHIN ONE WORKING DAY!
Expert-level toolkit
For wireless network design, we use the professional software suite Ekahau Site Survey Pro.
The program allows for accurate modeling of Wi-Fi coverage: calculating areas of reliable signal, analyzing floor materials and determining the optimal placement of access points at the planning stage.
Accurate signal measurements in a real environment are conducted using the Ekahau Sidekick spectrum analyzer — a device that provides simultaneous scanning in the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands.
Sidekick registers not only Wi-Fi signals but also external sources of radio interference, which allows for a comprehensive assessment of the radio environment and identification of problem areas.
To conduct measurements at height, which is particularly important for a shopping complex, we use telescopic pneumatic masts of various lengths — from 3 meters in offices to 12 meters in warehouses, shopping centers, entertainment centers and open spaces.
This approach allows for precise positioning of access points in conditions as close as possible to operational ones, without interfering with the production process.
Having our own fleet of access points and antennas from key manufacturers (Eltex, Cisco, Ruckus, Huawei, Aruba, Extreme Networks, etc.) allows us to test the real operation of equipment before implementation and confirm the correctness of the configuration.
Cost of organizing a Wi-Fi network for a shopping center
The final cost of the service is calculated individually and depends on: the type of facility, its area and the customer's requirements
Advantages of working with us
Why LWCOM
- In the wireless services team, all employees have a specialized radio engineering education
and a continuous work experience in the field of Wi-Fi networks for more than 10 years - LWCOM's project portfolio includes dozens of implemented projects for organizing Wi-Fi wireless networks for offices of various scales: from small premises to multi-story business centers
- LWCOM is a vendor-independent system integrator, which allows the company to focus on the customer's tasks and offer optimal solutions
