Lay My Hat

Cheapness is relative.

In the UK you can buy WiFi repeater sockets, so no issues with guests unplugging or removing devices. Presumably similar devices are available to replace European sockets.

This is what we have:
https://www.toolstation.com/shop/p79887

I wonder just how well those sockets work?
Why do extenders have antennas that are moveable to help find a decent signal.
Why is it always suggested that you find a decent signal in your building by moving around the reinforcer, first using an extension cable?
Why it it recommended to locate the reinforcer high up?
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/wireless- ... reception/
https://www.lifewire.com/best-place-for ... ter-816570

all I can say is ours is low down, in socket behind a large linen box and works just fine!

To get back to the original question - first utility use talk talk as we have found to our cost here at home when we last switched. We just don’t get good provision from them, although the engineer has gone way over and above to try and sort it out for us. Some of it is our location at home, and fibre is being rolled out across the country so things should improve steadily for everyone.

Plus net always do very well with customer service. Our cottage WiFi is from John Lewis via plusnet and very good.

I can’t comment on the other providers. BT will always give you the best provision but are very expensive. Like with your electricity, you need to be prepared to switch regularly to keep costs down.
To be honest, any WiFi is better than none.

zebedee wrote: To be honest, any WiFi is better than none.

Indeed. I misread the initial post as decent wifi not being readily available in the area, and what to do about it.
If decent wifi can be provided, you have to do it - no brainer, it’s now the same as providing a TV, guests assume it will be there.
The question does raise a point worth mentioning: your target market WILL expect wifi. It’s really important to identify your target market(s) and understand what they will expect; if you don’t meet guests’ reasonable expectations - which are increasing constantly - the possibilities are that they’ll check what’s provided at the pre-enquiry stage and won’t book, or more likely they’ll make reasonable assumptions, book and be disappointed. The choice between no guests and unhappy guests is not a good place to be!

decent wifi not being readily available in the area,

Maybe that should read decent internet connection not being readily available in the area?
If there is any connection then you have to offer a decent coverage in the property.
The guest have a good connection at home and expect it when on vacation. Even if their living conditions are very different to where they take their vacation.

Three of ours do not have WiFi and no damage to bookings compared to rentals that do.

Agree with others WiFi essential.

I use Utility Warehouse.They get a good rating with Which magazine.. Cheapest if they also supply your gas and electricity..

Only problems in 6 or 7 years have been

1. Failure due to BT working on telephone line
2. A router I supplied failing (the replacement from utility warehouse arrived within 3 days

Speed seems fine.

I used the advice from here

https://www.myroomservice.uk/index/tech ... ote_worker

Installed a TP-Link wireless outdoor access point up high in the loft of the barn and it works really well to get a decent signal outside easily covering the fields

Guests expect it these days, if you can add it I don't see why you would put yourself at a disadvantage and not do so[/url]

I think it's important that if you do have WiFi then it must be reliable, it doesn't have to be fast as such.

Theirs nothing more annoying than a service that's unreliable and people are more likely to leave bad reviews.

If you get a good router and lock it away in a cupboard so that it cannot be tampered with you'll have little trouble.

If you get a draytek router you can access it over the internet to reboot it even if the guests have appeared to have crashed it (this assumes that it's not the line that has gone down).

Draytek routers comprise of independently controlled parts meaning that if it appears to have crashed it's still accessible in other ways. This happens rarely though. A Draytek routers can be accessed remotely by a secure backdoor from a PC's command prompt to do stuff including a reboot.

Doesn't matter who you go with for broadband / fibre your connected up via the open reach infrastructure anyway. The difference kicks in when things go wrong and you have to contact your isp to sort it. Some are better than others at sorting things out.