When using PicPic Social in the field for event photography or photo booths, one of the primary things you need to consider will be using venue wi-fi or will you bring your own hotspot? Both choices have their pros and cons and your decision should be based on what you are comfortable with but you should be able to make an informed decision after reading this post.
Venue Wi-Fi
Venue Wi-Fi is a gift and a curse. It’s a gift because you will not have to use your own data and often times the Wi-Fi speeds are fast. You may not often know if a venue will have Wi-Fi before you get there, so if you will be relying solely on venue wi-fi, it’s suggested you call ahead to ensure it’s available and secure any passwords you may need for access.
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Pros to Venue Wi-Fi
- Often free, but some venues may charge for access
- Typically high broadband speeds
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Cons to Venue Wi-Fi
- Hardware firewall is frequently present
- Some times password protected
- No consistency from event to event
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Personal Hotspots
Personal hotspots come in a number of forms, from your iPhone or Android mobile device to the small square box you purchase from your mobile telephone provider. With personal hotspots you can mostly predict what to expect because you would have tested at your home or office and have used the personal hotspots at other events.
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Pros to Personal Hotspot
- No hardware firewall issues
- Typically high broadband speeds
- Passwords are not an issue
- You can use social media kiosk offline
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Cons to Personal Hotspots
- Firewall is frequently present
- Pay for your own data
- Speeds are dependent on your service provider/current location
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Whats the Verdict?
Wi-Fi venues and personal hotspots are both appealing in their own respect but the ideal solution is to have a well rounded setup that always leaves you prepared. Bring your own hotspot to all of your events with the assumption that there will be a hardware firewall on the venue wi-fi or that there will be no wi-fi at all. If you get to the venue and you are able to setup with no problems, consider it a bonus and put your hotspot away. If you get there and there is no wi-fi or there is a hardware firewall, you won’t need to fret because you brought your own personal hot spot, right?
Worst case scenario you don’t have data coverage at the location, you will still be able to offer e-mail and text messaging of event photos because PicPic Social has offline mode!
How do you typically prepare for your events with consideration for wi-fi and slow internet speeds? Are you bringing your own personal hotspot? Who are you using and why? Let us know in the comments!
