This question almost always arrives in the same form: "How much does it cost to install Wi-Fi at my place?"
The honest answer is: it depends, but not vaguely. A few variables genuinely determine the figure, and the rest can be estimated quite closely.
This piece breaks down the line items so you can judge any quote that comes in, including ours.
Four things that determine the number
- The size and shape of the space. Not just square metres. A long room with concrete walls needs more access points than an open space of the same size.
- Simultaneous visitors at peak hours. This is the figure most often underestimated. One person brings two to three devices.
- Availability of cable routes. If the ceiling is already finished with no route, installation cost can exceed hardware cost.
- Whether you need visitor data. A portal that merely displays terms is far cheaper than one that collects and stores data.
Hardware costs
Indonesian market ranges for new equipment, excluding installation:
| Item | Price range | When needed |
|---|---|---|
| Business-class access point | Rp 700k – 2.5m per unit | Always, one per 40–60 m² of open area |
| 8-port PoE switch | Rp 900k – 3m | If using more than one access point |
| Router or gateway | Rp 800k – 4m | If you need VLAN separation and bandwidth limits |
| Cable and connectors | Rp 8k – 15k per metre | Always, length depends on the route |
| Controller appliance | Rp 0 – 2m | Some brands provide a software controller at no cost |
The price difference between access points is mainly the number of devices they can handle at once, not their range. This is often misunderstood: buying a more expensive access point rarely extends coverage meaningfully, but clearly helps when the venue is busy.
Don't confuse coverage with capacity. If the complaint is "the signal doesn't reach the corner", you need an extra access point. If it's "full bars but slow, especially in the afternoon", you need equipment better at handling many connections, not a stronger signal. The full discussion is in the venue Wi-Fi capacity guide.
Three worked examples
The figures below are illustrations, not quotes. Site conditions can shift the total considerably.
Small café, 50 m², 15–20 simultaneous visitors
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| 1 business-class access point | Rp 1.2m |
| Router with VLAN support | Rp 1.5m |
| Cable, connectors, accessories | Rp 400k |
| Installation and configuration | Rp 1m – 2m |
| Initial total | Rp 4m – 5m |
Two-storey clinic, 120 m², separate operational devices
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| 3 access points | Rp 3.6m |
| 8-port PoE switch | Rp 1.8m |
| Gateway with VLANs and limiting | Rp 2.5m |
| Inter-floor cabling and installation | Rp 2.5m – 4m |
| Drafting the portal privacy policy | Rp 1m – 2m |
| Initial total | Rp 11m – 14m |
Retail chain with three branches, centrally managed
At this scale, cost per branch falls because configuration can be copied, but a new item appears: the central controller, and the time to standardise the portal across locations. Estimate Rp 8m – 12m per branch, plus a monthly management fee if you're not handling it yourself.
Line items usually left out
This is the part that blows budgets:
- Building work. Chasing walls, fitting cable trays, or restoring ceilings. In a finished building this can match the hardware cost.
- Electrical work. New power points at access point locations, if not using PoE. Using PoE is often cheaper precisely because one cable carries data and power.
- Lost trading time. If installation must happen while closed, there's overtime for technicians. If done while open, there's disruption to visitors.
- Drafting a privacy policy. If the portal collects names, phone numbers, or emails, you're processing personal data and are bound by the Personal Data Protection Law. A policy copied from elsewhere without adaptation creates new risk rather than reducing it.
- Equipment replacement. Set aside about a fifth of the hardware value per year if you want refreshes to happen without surprises.
Recurring costs
| Item | Monthly range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Internet subscription | Rp 300k – 1.5m | Rises if operations and guests are separated |
| Portal or management licence | Rp 0 – 500k | Many brands charge no licence fee |
| Maintenance | Rp 0 – 500k | Zero if handled in-house |
| Electricity for network equipment | Rp 20k – 60k | Small, but real |
Judging the quotes you receive
If you receive a quote from a service provider, these four questions are usually enough to separate careful work from a quick install:
- Was there a signal survey before the figure was produced? Quotes made without seeing the site almost always miss, in either direction.
- Are the guest and operational networks separated? If it isn't mentioned, ask. The till and CCTV on the same network as visitors is an unnecessary risk.
- Who holds access to the management panel when it's done? The right answer is you, or at minimum you as well.
- What happens after the warranty period? Including whether the configuration is documented so another technician can pick it up.
Where to save, and where not to
Some savings are safe, others create costs later.
| Safe to save on | Better not to |
|---|---|
| Controller brand, many are free and adequate | Cable quality; cheap CCA cable makes PoE difficult |
| A simple portal with no data collection | Separating guest and operational networks |
| Installing in stages, starting with one access point | Access point capacity if the venue gets busy |
| Handling maintenance yourself | Configuration documentation at handover |
Adding access points later is relatively easy once cable is in place. So if the ceiling is open now, run cable to any point that might be needed even if the equipment isn't bought yet. Cable is cheap; opening a ceiling twice is not.
Frequently asked questions
Is a home router enough for a small café?
For a venue with fewer than ten simultaneous visitors, often yes. Problems appear as numbers grow: home routers handle many simultaneous connections poorly, even while the signal still looks full. The classic symptom is everyone complaining of slowness at peak hours.
How long does network equipment last?
Business-class access points generally last three to five years before replacement, usually not because they fail but because Wi-Fi standards move on. Home-class equipment run all day in a business setting often wears out faster.
Do I need a separate internet subscription for guests?
Not necessarily. One subscription can be shared as long as the guest and operational networks are logically separated and guests are bandwidth-limited. A separate subscription only makes sense when your operations depend heavily on the connection, an online till that mustn't be disrupted, for instance.
