Guest WiFi is an expected part of the modern customer experience. But how much bandwidth is "enough"? Too little and you risk complaints, lag, and churn. Too much and you're overpaying for internet that guests barely use.

This guide will help you estimate bandwidth needs based on real-world guest behavior—whether you're managing a packed nightclub, a sprawling theme park, a downtown café, or a co-working hub.

In this article
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1. Why Bandwidth Matters

2. Recommended Bandwidth for Typical Venues

3. What Guests Are Actually Doing Online

4. Venue Type Nuances

5. Tips for Smarter Bandwidth Planning

6. When (and Why) to Use the Affinect Box

7. Key Takeaway

Why Bandwidth Matters

Bandwidth isn't just speed—it's capacity. It measures how much data your network can deliver, per second, to all users. When guests upload stories, scroll Reels, or hop on video calls, bandwidth is what determines whether the experience is smooth or frustrating.

Recommended Bandwidth for Typical Venues

These estimates are based on average guest usage across hundreds of live deployments. We’ve included a range to reflect real-world variation—busy uploaders, streamers, or remote workers can significantly shift requirements.

Concurrent Devices	Recommended Bandwidth Range	Number of APs	Examples
15–25	50–100 Mbps	1 AP	Boutique café, clinic lobby
30–60	75–150 Mbps	1–2 APs	QSR with outdoor seating
60–120	100–250 Mbps	2–3 APs	Coworking space, mixed-use venues
120–160	150–350 Mbps	3–4 APs	Nightclubs, lounges
160–250+	300–600 Mbps	4–6+ APs	Theme parks, large events

Note: Bandwidth isn't everything. Signal quality, AP brand, layout, wall materials, and interference play just as big a role. Plan your layout and placement just as carefully as your Mbps.

What Guests Are Actually Doing Online

Activity	Estimated Per-Device Bandwidth
Browsing, email	1–2 Mbps
Instagram, TikTok	5–8 Mbps
HD video calls	6–12 Mbps
Uploading images/videos	10–20 Mbps+
4K streaming	25 Mbps+

The heavier the mix of uploads, streaming, or multitasking, the faster you reach your network limit.

Venue Type Nuances

Nightclubs / Bars: High density in tight spaces. Fewer APs needed but good airflow and AP placement is critical.

Theme Parks / Malls: Low density but large area. Requires smart AP distribution and hand-off tuning.

Coffee Shops: Medium density, work-oriented. Expect upload-heavy sessions (cloud, video calls).

QSRs / Retail: Fast turnarounds, short sessions. Balance cost and performance with tiered limits.

Tips for Smarter Bandwidth Planning

1. Segment Your Network
Split guest traffic from staff/POS via VLANs. Affinect automatically tags staff devices to exclude them from analytics or campaigns.

2. Use Session Throttling
Limit per-user bandwidth (e.g., 5–10 Mbps) to keep things fair without locking down experience.

3. Plan for Uploads
More guests are creators now—posting stories, videos, reviews. Prioritize decent upload speeds too.

4. Track Usage, Don’t Guess
Affinect's admin dashboard tracks session count, average speeds, and peak load times. Use that to refine, not overpay.

When (and Why) to Use the Affinect Box

Our software works with most modern access points. But in rare cases—legacy networks, unsupported APs—we offer the Affinect Box, powered by Mikrotik, as a fallback solution.

Use it when:

Your APs don’t support captive portals
You can’t make firmware or controller changes
You need quick compatibility without replacing hardware

That said, we recommend keeping hardware sales to a minimum. Our priority: software that fits your existing setup.

Access our full WiFi planning checklist

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Key Takeaway

You don’t need gigabit internet. You need a smart, right-sized setup that matches your guest behavior, venue layout, and AP performance. With Affinect, you can measure real engagement and scale confidently—without over-engineering or overpaying.

Want help designing a bandwidth + AP plan for your venue?

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