By The KTech team · Published 29 October 2026
Few things are more likely to prompt a mention in a guest review than the WiFi. A good connection goes unnoticed. A patchy one is remembered, usually in the review title. For a holiday let, WiFi is part of the product.
It is also part of your security. The same router that serves guests may connect your smart lock, thermostat, cameras and the laptop you use for bookings. Here is how to make the connection reliable for guests and safe for you.
Coverage comes first
The most common complaint is not speed, it is signal in the wrong place. A router in the hall cupboard will not reach the bedroom at the top of a stone cottage. Thick walls, chimney breasts and old lime plaster all hold WiFi back.
Walk the property with a phone and note where the signal drops. Then think about the places guests actually sit: the living room, the kitchen table, the bedroom where someone will work, the patio. If one router cannot reach them, add access points linked by cable, or a well-planned mesh system, rather than a cheap plug-in extender that often halves the speed.
Our WiFi boosting service is designed for exactly this kind of property, and the first step is to look at the layout.
Set up a separate guest network
Almost every modern router can create a guest network. It gives visitors internet access but keeps them away from your own devices. This matters because guests, like anyone, may arrive with phones and laptops that are infected without them knowing.
Keep your own equipment on a separate private network: the booking laptop, any printer, the cameras and the smart-home controls. If the router does not support a proper guest network, it is time to think about replacing it.
Give the guest network a friendly name and a simple but non-obvious password, and change that password from time to time, particularly if a guest asks to keep a copy. A card or a framed sign in the house with the network name and password saves a lot of messages.
Change the defaults
Routers usually arrive with a default admin password and a default WiFi name that follow patterns criminals know. Change both. Use a long, unique admin password and keep it somewhere safe, along with the router's login details, in your password manager.
Check for firmware updates, which fix security problems, and switch on automatic updates if the router offers them. If your router is very old, or the maker no longer supports it, replace it.
Turn off features you do not use, particularly remote administration, so the settings page is not reachable from the wider internet.
Smart devices need care
Smart locks, thermostats, doorbells and cameras are popular in lets, but each one is another device on your network. Put them on the private side, not the guest side, and give each its own strong password.
Be careful with indoor cameras. Guests have strong expectations about privacy, and the rules on cameras in holiday accommodation are strict. Make sure any device you use is declared clearly and never placed where guests expect privacy.
Keep a note of every smart device in the property, its login and where its update settings live. It makes changeover days and any repairs much simpler.
Reliability for busy weekends
A guest network is only useful if it stays up. If the property has an unreliable broadband line, think about a backup connection, such as a 4G or 5G router, which can keep guests online if the main line fails. Our guide to rural business broadband covers your options.
A simple check at each changeover, such as testing the connection from the furthest bedroom, finds problems before a guest does. A power supply that reboots the router after a cut helps too.
A word about reviews
We can't promise a good review, but poor WiFi is the sort of thing guests notice and sometimes mention. Fixing it is one of the most practical ways to improve their stay.
For lets in the harbour towns, we often help owners with WiFi for Dartmouth holiday lets and WiFi for Salcombe holiday lets, where stone walls and hillside plots make coverage a challenge.
A short guest-WiFi checklist
- Check the signal in every bedroom and in the garden or patio if guests are likely to sit out.
- Make sure the guest network name and password are shown clearly in the property.
- Confirm your own devices are on a separate private network.
- Change the router admin password and check for firmware updates.
- Test a video call from the furthest room, because that is where problems show up first.
- Note where the router is, how to restart it safely and who to call if it fails, and put that in the house manual.
Helping guests help themselves
A short note in the welcome guide saves a lot of messages. Say where the router is, how to connect, and whether there are any limits, such as streaming on several devices at once. If the property is somewhere with weak mobile signal, mention that WiFi calling may help, and that the connection may be slower at peak times.
Be honest about what the broadband can do. A remote cottage with a modest connection will not suit someone who needs to upload large files all day, and guests appreciate being told in advance more than being disappointed on arrival.