Speed Matters: A Guide to Internet in Short-Term Rentals for Hosts and Travelers

We’ve all planned an entire day around an important meeting. When we’re traveling for work or pleasure, scheduling becomes even more important. You may be exploring a new city in the morning and looking forward to cocktails at sunset, but at 2 p.m. you need to be in front of your computer looking sharp.

Nothing makes that situation more stressful than a poor internet connection. One recent study found that 87% of travelers hesitate to book if previous guests have complained about the internet connection in the rental property. Fast internet may even outrank a parking spot, a washing machine, or a pool as potential guests filter by amenities in search of the perfect stay.

Whether you need to stay connected to your job from the road or you’re just looking forward to binge-watching House of the Dragon in 4K during your vacation’s downtime, successful short-term rentals offer an internet connection you can count on. But connecting to the internet from a rental property requires extra consideration for both the host and the guest, from keeping information secure to assuring equipment works as it should.

Learn how to get WiFi in a rental property and how guests can evaluate vacation home internet options when getting online is a priority.

Setting up the connection

As a host, you don’t want to risk a single bad review about your internet connection. It’s better to overestimate usage than to skimp on speed. Remember, you may provide a smart TV or two, but guests also bring their own devices. Three teenagers may be logged into Fortnite while mom streams Hulu and dad takes a video call.

If it’s available in your area, a great internet option for a short-term rental is a fiber connection in some areas. You can get multi-gig speeds up to 8 Gig with virtually no latency, meaning guests can stream, conference, and even upload seamlessly.

When fiber isn’t an option, consider a broadband connection. Look for cable download speeds of up to 940 Mbps, which easily handles most bandwidth-hungry guests.

Internet hardware for short-term rentals

In our own homes, we may tolerate parts of our house that get a weak connection, like a porch or finished basement. We know it can be fixed by expanding a mesh network, but it may not be a priority. That mindset should shift with WiFi for short-term rentals. We can’t always predict where in the home guests will get online or choose to take a video call, so it’s important to check the entire property for a strong connection.

This begins by selecting the best place for WiFi pods for optimum coverage. Put it as high and central in the house as possible, allowing the signal to cover the area where your guests are staying as well as gathering in common areas like an umbrella. In many cases, you’ll benefit from a satellite router or mesh network like the 360 WiFi solution from Quantum Fiber. These are easy to install—just plug in the pods and check your service levels via the app.

Be sure that your router and WiFi Pods are installed in places where they won’t inadvertently be unplugged by guests, or leave a visible, permanent note near the outlet instructing guests not to unplug them.

Monitoring your vacation rental WiFi connection

Once you’ve connected to your router with the Quantum Fiber app, you can monitor the WiFi network and the devices connected within from afar to see the health of their WiFi connectivity remotely. If a guest ever reports poor or no connectivity, you’ll be able to check whether the router is plugged in and receiving a connection without needing to physically visit the property. From your phone, you can verify the speed-to-house and the online status of the WiFi pods in the home, helping you troubleshoot any issues your guest may be experiencing. Keep in mind that the Quantum Fiber app can measure the speed to your phone, but only if the phone is physically at the property.

Communicating with guests about rental property WiFi

The surge in remote workers during and after the COVID-19 pandemic made fast internet a critical amenity for travelers. Communicating that you understand the importance of a reliable connection begins with the language in your Airbnb, VRBO, or similar listing for your property. But it doesn’t end there.

Before booking

Internet speed is so important to guests that Airbnb encourages hosts to take its proprietary internet speed test and automatically post the results to their listing. It’s an effective differentiator: 79% of travelers are more likely to book a listing with fast internet speed test results.

If you do provide fiber or fast broadband, don’t just select it as an amenity among others like a grill or hot tub: highlight connectivity near the top of your listing. Advertising a lightning-fast connection or the ability to work from home without worry can be exactly the assurance a potential guest needs as they make their decision.

 

After booking

For many guests, the WiFi password is the second most important piece of information (after the address) following a booking. Include the WiFi network name and password in your check-in information with Airbnb or VRBO. Additionally, place it prominently at the top of any additional home and area information you provide to guests.

It’s also a good idea to put the WiFi network name and password physically in the home where they’re visible upon arrival. You can use a chalkboard or a dry erase board, or print and frame a permanent display. Creators on Etsy offer tons of fun, attractive options for physically sharing WiFi information.

Safety and security for internet in short-term rentals

Whenever we access the web away from our home internet connection, we should take precautions to keep our information safe.

Safe vacation rental internet for hosts

The most basic protection for your WiFi network is the password. While most routers come with a default password, it’s a good idea to set a unique, secure one that includes upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. To enhance your guest experience, consider creating a fun and engaging WiFi network name and password that reflects the theme or value of your vacation rental. For example, you could use something like “Skiing Paradise with Sally BnB” for the network name and “g00dtimesinmountain!” for the password.

If you’re hosting several guests each week or month, it’s also a good practice to update your password seasonally. Remember to provide guests with the most up-to-date login information when they check in.

In your house details or post-booking communication, clearly lay out rules for guests regarding internet usage. For example, you can state that guests are not allowed to access illegal sites, download or upload illicit material, or change the WiFi password. Be sure to communicate that violating these rules may result in guests being asked to leave the property.

Safe vacation rental internet for guests

When you’re traveling, treat the internet connection in a vacation rental like you would at a coffee shop or other public place. You can’t be certain that neighbors or other guests aren’t accessing the same network. Consider setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to create an extra wall of security between your devices and unseen users on the same network.

Additional benefits of fast WiFi in a rental property

Fast internet may be the most important amenity to potential guests of a vacation rental. A reliable connection can also lead to repeat bookings and long-term stays by people that want to live remotely for a month or longer in a new place.

A strong connection across the entire property also allows hosts to take advantage of tools like smart locks, water sensors, and security cameras. Airbnb now partners with lock makers Yale, Schlage, and August to incentivize hosts to install smart locks. A unique door code can be automatically set and communicated to each guest— but it requires a solid WiFi connection in the house.

Similarly, outdoor security cameras allow hosts to know when guests arrive or depart. That helps with notifying cleaners and accommodating early check-in requests, and it lets owners keep an eye on the exterior of the property for security.

Smart home devices like water sensors and smart lights also benefit hosts. When you’re not on the premises for months or longer, it’s helpful to get alerts if there’s a leak under a sink or from HVAC equipment in the attic. Or if a guest messages that they’ll be arriving very late, a smart light connected via WiFi can enable you to turn on porch lights with your phone (or override timers if they’re arriving after a light’s programmed shut off time).

Fast vacation rental WiFi is paramount

In many ways, securing the fastest possible internet connection may be even more important at a vacation rental than in your own home. As a host, it attracts guests who rely on reliable WiFi while enabling tools that help you protect your home. For guests, knowing they have a solid connection lets them get online when they have to and enjoy the rest of their trip without worrying about logging in when it matters.

If you’re deciding how to get internet at your vacation home, consider the lightning-fast speeds of Quantum Fiber.