When it comes to networking solutions for cost-conscious organizations, Grandstream is establishing itself as one of the world’s most trusted manufacturers. Grandstream networking devices combine power, advanced features, and simple setup without demanding an ocean-deep pocketbook.
On top of this, they’re expanding their offerings to cover common scenarios that other manufacturers overlook.
Take hotels, resorts, inns, bed-and-breakfasts, and other hospitality locations.
Every guest demands good Wi-Fi, and it can be difficult to provide coverage for so many people within a reasonable budget. The density of devices and the obstructions of walls are potential difficulties when trying to build-out a good network.
Business guests are particularly demanding, because the standard communications types are increasingly resource-intensive, like video conferencing. If your hotel caters to business clientele, you’ll want the best Wi-Fi network you can build.
On top of providing Wi-Fi for guests, the Hotel Phone and TV in each room now likely need to connect to the network, which is an added layer of concern.
As part of their increasingly popular GWN Series of Networking Solutions, Grandstream has developed in-wall Wi-Fi access points to address these pain points and allow your hotel to easily establish a first-class Wi-Fi network.
Let’s take a look!
Grandstream in-wall Wi-Fi access points
First things first: what is an “in-wall” wireless access point? Quite simply, it’s an access point whose Ethernet port for connecting to the network is placed on the surface that faces the wall, so the Ethernet cable is never exposed. It reduces the possibility of physical tampering and creates a clean, solid installation.
Grandstream in-wall APs include Grandstream GWN7624 and the just-released Grandstream GWN7661. They’re compact, making them perfect for the constrained spaces commonly found in hotels. And they’re full of features to optimize a hotel Wi-Fi network.
We’re going to use GWN7661 as our example in this blog.
This Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 ax) access point is designed for impressive performance in dense environments where many users connect simultaneously. Think of a hotel where the rooms are full of families all on their smartphones while business people are on video calls and solo travelers are streaming movies on their tablets.
GWN7661 supports up to 500 or more simultaneous Wi-Fi devices using dual-band 2x2:2 MU-MIMO technology. Put simply, MU-MIMO means the access point supports connections to multiple devices concurrently. A traditional access point actually handles network access requests sequentially. For users, MU-MIMO means a more reliable connection even where lots of people are using Wi-Fi at the same time.
It's a dual-band Wi-Fi device, working in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. 2.4 GHz is slower but travels better, while 5 GHz is faster but has less reach. Having a dual-band AP lets you separate traffic for optimal performance based on the devices’ needs.
As explained above, the AP itself connects to your network via standard Ethernet cable located on the inside of the AP. Conveniently, GWN7661 also has three additional Ethernet ports on the bottom, two of which support POE. This means you can connect and power an IP phone directly from the access point. You might also connect a smart TV or streaming box to the network via Ethernet cable, or perhaps security devices.
To simplify the management of the whole system of access points, GWN7661 (and other Grandstream Wi-Fi access points) use a distributed network design whereby the controller is embedded in the web GUI. This controller manages up to 50 GWN access points.
Additional benefits of using Grandstream network solutions
Establishing a professional-grade Wi-Fi network has knock on effects for you, as well as your guests.
Grandstream has released a the GHP Series of IP Hotel Phones, which include models that connect to the network by both standard Ethernet cable and by Wi-Fi.
Because the Grandstream in-wall wireless access points have Ethernet ports, you can connect the VoIP hotel phones to the network that way.
However, if you’ve built out a solid hotel Wi-Fi network, you can save on infrastructure costs by opting for Grandstream’s highly affordable VoIP hotel phones that support Wi-Fi, like the slimline GHP610W or regular-sized GHP621W. Using Wi-Fi hotel phones means you don’t have to worry about where every Ethernet drop is. This is convenient both for upgrading existing buildings to cutting-edge Wi-Fi and for simplifying the planning process with new hotels.
If you’re looking for affordable call control solutions, the Grandstream UCM6300A Series of Audio IP PBXs is a great bet. As affordable as the rest of Grandstream’s offerings, UCM6300A IP PBXs like Grandstream UCM6302A are SIP-based VoIP phone systems that can unify your communications, facility access, and more. Grandstream offers APIs to integrate with common PMS platforms, including HMobile and Mitel, so you can handle room bookings, wake-up calls, mini bars, room statuses, and more through the same system.