In this article
Serviced Apartments Boavista Palace, just off Avenida da Boavista in Porto, now has its own wireless network in each of its 72 apartments, isolated from the others by VLAN and with bandwidth managed per unit. DataRoad - IT Services and Consulting planned, installed and fine-tuned around 85 network devices, including switches and access points, spread over 8 floors in two blocks. The result is stable, private business Wi-Fi ready for ongoing maintenance.
- 72 Apartments with their own Wi-Fi.
- 72 Isolated VLANs, one per unit.
- Around 85 Network devices planned and installed.
- 8 floors, 2 blocks Consistent coverage across the whole complex.
The client: serviced apartments with premium standards
Boavista Palace is in one of Porto's leading business districts, near Carolina Michaëlis metro station, and offers a terrace and gym. The 72 apartments, in studio and one-bedroom layouts, focus on design, premium finishes, indirect lighting, soundproofing and welcome amenities.
With a product like this, Wi-Fi has a direct bearing on guest satisfaction and loyalty, online reviews, length of stay and the teams' daily operations.
The four requirements of a multi-unit network
Serviced apartments, hotels, student residences and co-living spaces share the same technical challenges:
- Privacy per unit — each apartment needs its own network, with no possibility of access between neighbours.
- Bandwidth management — limits per apartment so that one unit does not degrade the experience of the others.
- Coverage across several floors and blocks — materials, layouts and distances require planning to eliminate dead zones.
- Protected internet access — a security gateway and, wherever possible, connection redundancy.
How the network was built
Coverage planning
The technical consultancy defined the position of every access point and device, taking into account the distribution across floors, the separation into two blocks, usage density, interference and roaming. The design started from real use in a residential setting, which avoided rework.
Access points across all 8 floors
Access points were installed and configured to ensure uniform coverage, a stable signal, efficient roaming and capacity for several devices in each apartment.
Switches and one VLAN per apartment
The network switches support the segmentation: one VLAN per unit, isolating the apartments from each other, plus separate segments for internal management and service networks where needed. The structure also makes future maintenance and expansion easier. More on the subject in managed business wireless networks.
Security gateway and redundancy
A security gateway protects the perimeter, enforces policies, controls segmentation and supports redundant internet access, increasing availability. It is the same principle as the managed firewalls DataRoad installs in other sectors.
Final tuning
After installation, channels and transmit power were adjusted to reduce interference, and roaming patterns and authentication stability were reviewed for consistent performance throughout the day.
Why a router per apartment is not enough
The cheap alternative, common in accommodation, is to put a home router in each unit. It seems to solve privacy, but it creates 72 unmanaged devices, 72 networks competing for the same channels and no visibility of what is failing. When a guest complains, someone has to go to the apartment and restart the device.
In a managed network, privacy comes from the VLAN, not the hardware. The access points are shared and coordinated with each other, channels are planned for the whole building and the management team can see every access point and every connected client from one console. A problem is identified remotely, often before the guest notices.
The role of monitoring
In a building with dozens of units occupied by different people every week, the load on the network changes constantly. Alerting warns when an access point stops responding, when an internet connection drops or when a floor starts to lose performance. That information is what allows action before the complaint, rather than after the online review.
What Boavista Palace gained
- Real privacy Every guest is on their own network, with no visibility of the other units.
- Fair service for everyone Bandwidth managed per apartment prevents abuse and general slowdowns.
- Fewer complaints Consistent coverage across all 8 floors and both blocks.
- Greater availability The security gateway and redundancy reduce interruptions.
- Infrastructure ready to grow Segmentation makes diagnosis and changes simpler.
DataRoad IT Unlimited
Talk to DataRoad. We assess your operation and propose the right plan.
Maintenance planned under IT Unlimited
To keep the network healthy, ongoing support was planned under an IT Unlimited contract, with monitoring, alerting and proactive support. Plans range from Essential to Premium and Premium 365; only the latter includes 24/7 support and monitoring, with on-site support also at nights, weekends and public holidays. Find out more about the IT Unlimited managed services model.
Frequently asked questions about Wi-Fi in multi-unit buildings
How do you make sure each apartment has separate, secure Wi-Fi?
With one VLAN per unit and appropriate security policies. Each apartment sits on an isolated network, with no communication with the others.
Is it possible to limit internet use per apartment?
Yes. Bandwidth management per unit balances consumption and keeps the network stable for everyone.
Does DataRoad work in buildings with several floors and blocks?
Yes. We provide consultancy, installation and optimisation in multi-storey buildings, with measured coverage and performance.
What does the IT Unlimited contract include?
Monitoring, alerting, reporting and proactive support, with immediate response times. Extended cover at nights, weekends and public holidays depends on the plan chosen.
Similar projects
- SSAP: business wireless network with 14 access points in a Lisbon building
- Six hotels in Restauradores and Rossio with IT infrastructure managed by DataRoad
- Ouro Rossio Hotel: 30 Wi-Fi access points, 55 cameras and a firewall
- SSAP: 56 Wi-Fi 7 access points in three cities, through a public tender
See all our success stories and DataRoad news.
About DataRoad
DataRoad is a premium MSP headquartered in Alfragide with support across the whole country. For 11 years it has managed the infrastructure of public bodies, embassies, hotels, clinics and demanding companies, with 232 clients under contract and Top 5% PME certification awarded by scoring.pt. For networks, it covers the full cycle: survey, design, certified structured cabling, switching, firewall and Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 with centralised management.
- Helpdesk with ticketing and contractual response times
- Networks and IT for the public sector, with experience across eight public entities
Next step: assess your multi-unit network
Do you run serviced apartments, short-let accommodation, hotels, residences or co-living? Ask for a no-obligation technical assessment and receive a proposal with the recommended architecture: design, installation, perimeter security, redundancy and ongoing management.
More than 10 workstations · support contract · remote, on-site and telephone support. Contact: sales@dataroad.pt.
