Cader NetworksThree networks, not one
The mistake we see most is one single WiFi network trying to do everything. The card machine in reception, the guest WiFi, and the warden's own booking system all end up sharing bandwidth and, worse, sharing the same network a stranger could theoretically get onto. We split these into at least three logical networks from day one: a payments/admin network, a guest network, and (where relevant) a separate one for static caravan residents who expect something closer to a normal home connection.
Coverage across an open site
Campsites are usually wide, open and full of things that block signal, static vans, hedgerows, the odd barn. A single router in the office reaches the nearest few pitches and nothing else. Proper coverage means multiple access points spaced across the site, usually on poles or building eaves, either cabled back to a central switch or bridged wirelessly where trenching isn't practical. The same access-point-density thinking we use for event WiFi applies here, just spread over a whole season instead of a weekend.
The uplink: what's actually feeding the site
Where a fixed line reaches the site office, that's usually the best foundation, business-grade fibre or FTTC with failover. Many rural sites sit past useful fibre coverage, in which case a bonded 4G or 5G uplink, sometimes paired with Starlink for genuinely remote positions, does the job. We check live signal at the actual site rather than assume, mid Wales sites often have surprisingly usable 4G even where fibre never arrived.
Static caravans vs touring pitches
Static van residents, especially long-stay or seasonal ones, increasingly expect a "real" home connection, not just a weak signal drifting across a field. If that's part of your offering, treat blocks of statics more like a small multi-dwelling unit: dedicated access points per row, and ideally a paid add-on tier for residents who want guaranteed bandwidth, rather than lumping them in with casual touring guests.
What actually needs asking before you install
- How many pitches, static vans and buildings need covering, and what's the realistic peak occupancy?
- Is card payment critical anywhere on site, reception, a shop, a bar? That traffic should never share a network with guest WiFi.
- Is there an existing fixed line, and if so, what's its real speed, not the number on the contract from five years ago?
- Do you want tiered guest WiFi, free-but-limited vs a paid faster tier, which is increasingly common and can offset the install cost.
We design and support connectivity for sites like this across mid and west Wales. Send us the site details and pitch/van count and we'll come back with a proper plan, not a generic one-size router.