A hackathon's network load, from kickoff to demos
The busy moments at a hackathon are predictable. They just aren't always where organisers expect them.
Kickoff
Heavy download, all at once, as tools and packages install. The connection's download speed matters most in this window.
Team formation
Repositories created, accounts shared and the first video calls to remote mentors, at about 1.5 Mbps each way per person.
Long build hours
Steady, heavy traffic: cloud deployments, API calls, model downloads and test data, multiplied by every device in the room.
Overnight
Fewer people, but the ones still there push hardest. Support for these hours, such as check-ins or being there at key moments, is agreed in your plan.
Submission deadline
Every team uploads code, demo videos and slides in the same 20 minutes. Upload, not download, becomes the pinch point.
Demos and judging
The stage laptop runs live demos on a wired port of its own, so a demo succeeds or fails on its merits, not on the WiFi.
How much hackathon WiFi you need
Planned at two devices per participant, the top of our working range, with organisers and mentors at the same rate. Confirmed on site.
| Participants | Organisers and mentors | Devices to plan for | Access points by capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 15 | 230 | 5 |
| 200 | 30 | 460 | 10 |
| 300 | 45 | 690 | 14 |
Add test phones, single-board computers and other hardware listed at registration. Area alone would suggest far fewer access points in an open hall; capacity decides. Try other numbers in the event network planner, or read how many access points you need.
Send a floor plan or the venue name. We reply with what the network needs and one written quote.
Wired team tables at a hackathon
WiFi gets the headcount online, but a cable to each team table takes the heaviest traffic off the air. A switch on each cluster of tables, with a few ports per team, lets the laptop doing big downloads or long uploads stay off the WiFi. Many thin laptops have no network port, so the welcome email should ask participants to bring a USB-C to Ethernet adapter.
The demo stage, the judges' desk and the organisers' table get wired ports too, on networks of their own. Cable runs between tables need protection where people walk, especially at 3 a.m. when everyone is tired. Temporary network cabling explains how runs are laid and covered.
Hackathon traffic that catches organisers out
AI tools and cloud services
Each call to a cloud service is small, but they never stop, across every laptop in the room, for the whole event and through the night.
Remote mentors and teammates
Video calls use about 1.5 Mbps each way per person, so ten calls at once need roughly 15 Mbps in each direction.
Demo videos at the deadline
Large uploads need far more than browsing. A submission window with every team uploading video can saturate a line that has little upload.
Sponsor stands
Sponsor demos and looping screens want a connection too. A network of their own keeps a sponsor's video off the participants' bandwidth.
Connection and venue for an overnight hackathon
Hackathons often land in university spaces, co-working floors, converted warehouses or offices after hours. Each comes with rules: campus and office IT may not allow outside access points, and building networks can block services developers need. Those rules get checked with the venue before any equipment is planned.
Where the venue line is shared or limited, a dedicated connection is worth considering. Plans with upload at a small fraction of download struggle at the submission deadline. For a sense of what a well-sized connection does in a big space, our 5,000 m² warehouse network ran on a 2000/500 Mbps fibre service, and a single speed test at the gateway showed 1.86 Gbps down and 472 Mbps up.
Hackathon network checklist for organisers
- Expected participants, mentors and sponsors, with likely devices per person
- Venue hours, including overnight access for set-up and support
- Venue rules on outside equipment and blocked services
- Pre-event email: install tools at home, bring an Ethernet adapter
- Separate networks for participants, organisers, sponsors and the stage
- Wired ports at team tables, the judges' desk and the demo stage
- A plan for the upload rush at the submission deadline
- Pack-down timing after demos and prize-giving
Questions people ask
How much WiFi does a hackathon need?
A hackathon needs WiFi for at least two devices per participant, plus organisers, mentors and test hardware, at about 50 devices per access point as a starting point. A 200-person hackathon is close to 460 devices, or around ten access points. Wired ports at team tables take the heaviest traffic off the WiFi.
Why is hackathon WiFi always so slow?
Hackathon WiFi is often slow because it was sized by floor area instead of devices, everyone downloads tools at kickoff, and the venue line has little upload for the submission deadline. Sizing for two devices per person, wiring team tables and asking participants to install tools beforehand fixes most of it.
Can the network run overnight for a 24 or 48-hour hackathon?
Yes. The network equipment runs for the whole hackathon, overnight included. What support looks like during those hours, such as check-ins or being there at key moments, is agreed in your plan. Share the hours, the busiest windows and the submission deadline so the plan matches them.
Should hackathon participants use WiFi or Ethernet?
Hackathon participants can use WiFi for everyday work and an Ethernet cable for heavy downloads, long uploads and demos. Wired ports at team tables keep the largest transfers off the shared airwaves. Many thin laptops need a USB-C to Ethernet adapter, so ask participants to bring one.
Can you provide WiFi for a hackathon at a university?
Hackathon WiFi at a university is possible where campus IT allows outside equipment. Some campuses require events to use the existing network, and then we help you ask for what matters: a separate network, enough upload, wired ports for the stage and any blocked services opened. Check campus rules early.
