Business Broadband with Guest Wi-Fi

What is guest Wi-Fi?

Guest Wi-Fi is a second Wi-Fi network on your broadband that visitors use instead of your business network. It shares the same broadband connection, but the devices on it cannot see or reach your business devices, files or systems.

The problem it solves is common. In many small businesses the Wi-Fi password is on a card at reception or written behind the till, and over time it ends up on dozens of phones belonging to customers, contractors and former staff. Every one of those devices is on the same network as your card machine, your PCs and your printer. A guest network removes that risk without stopping you offering Wi-Fi.

What BT Guest Wi-Fi includes

BT includes Guest Wi-Fi with every BT Business Broadband plan. According to BT's guide:

• Password-free: guests get online with a single click, so there is no password to share or change.
• Separate from your business network: it is a public network, kept apart from your private network.
• Up to 13 users at a time: guests can use it while they are on your premises.
• Idle users are disconnected: BT switches guests off after 10 to 15 minutes without use, giving other active users the chance to connect.
• 80% of your speed stays with the business: BT prioritises your private network, so however many guests are connected, 80% of the available speed is kept for your business.
• Content filtering as standard: BT says Guest Wi-Fi blocks inappropriate, illegal or malicious material as standard.
• No extra charge for use: BT says guest use does not add to your bill.

BT also makes a point about liability. Its guide says that because Guest Wi-Fi is a public network, you are not liable for what guests do on it in the way you would be if they were using your private network and password. That is BT's statement about its own service; if this is important to your business, take your own advice.

How to switch on BT Guest Wi-Fi

Guest Wi-Fi is included but you need to switch it on once your broadband is live. BT gives three ways:

• My Account: log in, go to Manage your services, then Broadband and wi-fi, Manage settings, choose your broadband and select Manage public Wi-Fi.
• BT Business app: sign in, select Manage your network and your broadband, then Manage your wi-fi settings and Guest Wi-Fi.
• Hub Manager: open the hub's manager page in a browser, choose the public Wi-Fi option and set Guest Wi-Fi to on, using the admin password on the back of the hub.

BT says the guest network usually appears within a few minutes but can take up to 24 hours. BT says you need a BT Business Smart Hub or a BT Business Hub 5. On BT Ultra Broadband, guest Wi-Fi runs on the Cisco Meraki access points instead, and BT's engineer sets it up during the installation visit.

Guest Wi-Fi vs sharing your business Wi-Fi

For most small businesses that want to offer Wi-Fi to customers, BT Guest Wi-Fi does the job without any extra equipment. If you need more guests online at once or wider coverage, see the options under when BT Guest Wi-Fi is not enough below.

Who uses guest Wi-Fi

Almost any business with visitors benefits. Typical examples:

• Cafes, pubs and restaurants: customers expect Wi-Fi, and staff ordering systems need protecting from them. See broadband for cafes, pubs and restaurants.
• Shops and salons: customers browse while they wait or shop, away from the card machine. See broadband for retail.
• Clinics and practices: patients in the waiting room stay off the clinical network. See broadband for dental practices and clinics.
• Offices: visiting clients and contractors get online without being handed the office password. See broadband for accountants and solicitors.

Making guest Wi-Fi work well

A few practical points:

• Coverage: guests sit where your customers sit, which may not be near the hub. If the seating area or shop floor is weak, Complete Wi-Fi Plus or extra access points help; see our business Wi-Fi guide.
• Tell people it exists: a sign at the counter saves staff being asked for a password.
• Keep business devices off it: card machines, tills and staff laptops belong on the business network, protected by Content Controls and Web Protect or, on Pro, Wi-Fi Security Controls.
• Change the business Wi-Fi password once guest Wi-Fi is on, so devices that picked up the old password over the years drop off.

When BT Guest Wi-Fi is not enough

BT Guest Wi-Fi is built for the everyday case: a handful of customers or visitors at a time, inside the building, while they are on your premises. Some businesses need more:

• More than 13 guests at once: a busy cafe, a training room or a waiting area at peak times can go past BT's limit.
• Outdoor areas: beer gardens, yards and seating outside need coverage the hub may not reach.
• Large or multi-floor premises: one hub and a few discs may not cover a large venue evenly.
• Several sites: a group of shops or clinics may want the same guest network everywhere.

BT Ultra Broadband includes up to three Cisco Meraki access points with separate corporate and guest networks; BT positions it for small business premises, so multiple floors or buildings need checking first. For bespoke, larger or multi-site guest Wi-Fi, Forever Group designs Cisco Meraki networks; see its Meraki Wi-Fi pages.

If guests cannot connect, BT's own troubleshooting guide covers the common causes. Remember that the guest network can take up to 24 hours to appear after you switch it on, and that idle guests are disconnected after 10 to 15 minutes.

Getting BT Business Broadband with guest Wi-Fi

Guest Wi-Fi comes with every plan, so the real choice is the plan, the speed and whether your premises needs extra Wi-Fi coverage. We check your address, recommend the right combination and place the order. Pricing is confirmed at quote. Contact us about business broadband with guest Wi-Fi.