Wi-Fi Installation Tips to Attract Tenants in Kenya
WiFi connection is one way for house owners to attract more tenants to their rental properties. Here we will focus on ethernet as one of the best tips to attract tenants in Kenya.
Almost everything is now done online in Kenya, starting from online jobs such as freelance writing, virtual assistance, and online tutoring, to the convenience of online applications for services like banking, government services, university admissions, and job applications, as well as online shopping from platforms like Jumia, Kilimall, and Jiji, and mobile payments like M-Pesa app and Airtel Money, all of which require a stable internet connection.
With the introduction of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in Kenya, students need more internet resources for research. They may need to connect their phones, tablets and laptops to the internet.
Therefore, a parent will choose a rental house with wifi connectivity. Mobile data is generally expensive for most people, so many opt for wifi installation services.
For example, when a tenant moves into a new rental house without a Wi-Fi connection, the first step will be to look for wifi installation services in the area. However, this comes with a lot of disadvantages.
Disadvantages When Each Tenant Decides to Install Their Own WiFi Connection
Each new tenant would need to set up their own Wi-Fi network, which can be time-consuming and costly. This could lead to a lot of duplication of effort and resources. A tenant would prefer a house with a pre-installed wifi connection.
Installing Wi-Fi in a rental property may ruin the existing infrastructure, such as drilling holes for cables or installing additional equipment. House owners may be reluctant to allow such modifications.If every tenant installs wifi, the house will have cables everywhere.
When tenants move out, they would need to disconnect their Wi-Fi equipment, potentially leaving behind infrastructure that may be difficult to reuse or repurpose for the next tenant. For the tenant, this will cause inconveniences and force them to install wifi to the house they will relocate to.
For these reasons most house owners tend to install wifi on behalf of the tenants.
Ethernet connection to each house is the best choice when installing wifi to tenant houses.
To install ethernet wifi, house owners will have to install these ethernet cables when building the house.
For those who have already built the house the best option is to install Access points.
Advantages of Installing Ethernet for Tenant Houses
Installing WiFi for tenants in Kenya can provide several advantages for house owners. Firstly, it can increase the value of the property, making it more appealing to potential tenants and potentially allowing for higher rental rates, making the houses more competitive.
By providing WiFi, landlords can also facilitate cost sharing among tenants, potentially negotiating better internet service deals and spreading the expense.
It’s a profitable business since house owners may opt to include the wifi connection fee in the rent itself or just receive the payments separately.Installing WiFi through Ethernet ports for rental houses can be a significant advantage for house owners and even more to the tenants.
For rental houses with many occupants, many access points are needed which may be very expensive. Installing Wi-Fi through Ethernet ports in rental houses offers several advantages over installing Wi-Fi access points alone.
Ethernet ports allow for better coverage throughout the house, eliminating dead zones and ensuring a strong signal in every room.
Additionally, Ethernet connections are more reliable than wireless, providing a stable and consistent internet connection, especially in areas prone to interference.
This setup also supports faster data transfer speeds, which is beneficial for tenants requiring high-speed internet for activities like streaming or gaming.
Ethernet connections are not susceptible to the same interference issues as Wi-Fi access points, resulting in a more reliable connection.
How Ethernet Ports Work: One of the Tips to Attract Tenants in Kenya
Ethernet ports are physical connectors on networking devices, such as routers, switches, and computers, used to establish a wired connection to a local area network (LAN).
They allow devices to communicate with each other and access the internet over a wired connection. They are installed just like the electricity sockets on the wall, which eliminates the need for cables running all over the houses.
Only one ethernet port is required per house. After installing these ethernet ports, the tenant will just have to buy a router, and it’s a plug-and-play feature.
The tenants can also connect their desktop computers or laptops directly to the ethernet ports. This is also an added advantage in case you would like to install CCTVs in your house.
You will need to buy the IP cameras which use LAN cables. A CCTV is recommended, especially at the gate and sometimes the whole perimeter wall, for security purposes.
Requirements for installing ethernet ports For Tenants in Kenya
1. Internet service provider. For a rental house, you need something not less than 50 Mbps. You need to find a Wi-Fi supplier in the area who can provide such wifi speeds in your area.
This will ensure tenants don’t complain about slow speeds from the internet connection. The Wi-Fi supplier will give the exact quotation of requirements and total cost depending on the size of rental house.
2. A network switch. Switches come in different sizes, you will need to buy one that can accommodate all the houses.
If you have 30 houses you will need a 48-port network switch. You can get a simple 24 port at around 15,000 Ksh in Nairobi.
3. Ethernet cables. The ethernet cable must run the location of the switch to each house. So you can estimate the distance to all the houses and add them together.
4. The ethernet ports and wall plates to mount on each house.
How to Install and Sell Wi-Fi to Tenants and Make Profit?
Installing Wi-Fi is a win-win situation for both parties, the tenant and the house owner. The house owner has two ways to collect payments for the wifi services:
1. The house owner can choose to include the wifi fee in the rent. When you choose to do this, you should also consult with the tenants and come up with an agreement.
Most House owners in Kenya recommend a price between 500 to 1000 Ksh per month.
2. They can choose to receive a Wi-Fi payment fee away from the rent. This means the tenant can choose not to use the wifi. This is mostly for people who don’t spend most time in the house.
For this, you need to label all the ethernet cables with the house number so that you may just disconnect those who haven’t paid from the network switch.
