From empty tenancy to opening day: pop-up store internet
Pop-ups work backwards from the opening date. This is the order we usually work in.
Confirm the address and dates
The address decides the internet options. A shop that trades for a weekend and one that trades for three months need different connections.
Check what's in the space
We find out whether there's an existing line, where the telecommunications point is, and what the landlord or centre management allows you to install.
Choose the connection
An existing line, a new fixed service where the address supports it, or a 4G/5G router. Often a router first, then a fixed service once it's activated.
Install during fit-out
Access points, cables to the counter and screens, and any cameras go in while the shop is being fitted out, so nothing is run around finished displays.
Test the till
Your team runs test transactions on the payment network with us before the first customer walks in, using your POS provider's settings.
Pack-down
When trading ends, equipment comes out on a date agreed in the plan, before the space is handed back.
Choosing a connection for a pop-up store
For a short pop-up, from a few days to a couple of weeks, a 4G/5G router is often the practical choice: fast to deploy and nothing to activate. Its limits are real, though. Mobile upload is limited and site-dependent, coverage inside a shopping centre or basement level can be weak, and mobile networks congest when a crowd gathers outside a launch.
For longer pop-ups, a fixed internet service is worth considering. Activation depends on the address and the equipment already there, from a couple of business days to several weeks, so it pays to order the connection early. In our warehouse project, a 2000/500 Mbps fibre service was live the day after the site walk-through, but that depends heavily on the address.
A common pattern is to open on a mobile router, switch to the fixed line once it's live, and keep the router as backup. If the centre or building already has a line you can use, we check its upload, whether it's shared, and whether you may plug in your own equipment.
Networks inside a pop-up store
Even a small pop-up runs better with its traffic split. Here's a typical arrangement.
| Network | What's on it | Why it's separate |
|---|---|---|
| Payments | POS terminal, card readers, receipt printer | Card sales stay clear of staff and customer traffic; see EFTPOS payment networks |
| Staff | Staff phones, tablets and the manager's laptop | Rosters, stock apps and email without slowing the till |
| Screens and devices | Digital signage, music player, interactive displays | A looping video can't eat into payments |
| Cameras | Security cameras and recording equipment | Own VLAN with PoE ports reserved |
| Customers (optional) | Shopper phones | Only if it adds something to the visit, and never shared with payments |
Send a floor plan or the venue name. We reply with what the network needs and one written quote.
Pop-up shop WiFi sizing examples
Pop-ups are usually small enough that coverage, walls and layout decide the access point count rather than device numbers. These figures are planning starting points.
| Pop-up | Devices (planning) | Access points |
|---|---|---|
| Kiosk or small shop: 3 staff, 2 terminals, 1 screen | About 9 devices | 1 |
| 200 m² store: 8 staff, 4 terminals, screens and 4 cameras | About 30 devices | 1, or 2 if a stockroom sits behind a solid wall |
| Two-level flagship: 20 staff, devices and customer WiFi | About 50 staff and store devices, plus customers | At least one per level, then sized for customer numbers |
Working staff count at 1.5–2 devices each and customers at about one device each, at about 50 devices per access point.
Questions for the landlord or centre management
Ask these before you book anything for the store.
- Is there an existing internet line in the tenancy, and can we use it?
- Are we allowed to install our own WiFi equipment and cameras?
- Where is the telecommunications point, and can a cable be run to the counter?
- Are there rules about fixing anything to walls or ceilings?
- When can installers access the space before opening?
- Does the centre restrict camera placement or require signage?
- By when must the space be returned empty?
Questions people ask
What internet should a pop-up shop use?
A pop-up shop's internet depends on how long it trades and what's at the address. For a few days, a 4G/5G router is usually quickest. For weeks or months, a fixed service is worth ordering early, with the router covering the gap and staying on as backup. An existing line in the tenancy can work too, if it's allowed and has enough upload.
Can EFTPOS terminals run on pop-up shop WiFi?
Yes, many EFTPOS terminals can connect over WiFi, and in a pop-up they belong on their own payment network, separate from staff and customers. Check with your payment provider which connection types your terminals support. Your team should run test transactions on the payment network before the first customer arrives.
How quickly can pop-up store internet be set up?
Pop-up store internet can be ready quickly when a 4G/5G router is used and mobile coverage at the address is good. A new fixed service takes longer: activation ranges from a couple of business days to several weeks depending on the address. Contact us as soon as the tenancy is confirmed so the connection doesn't hold up opening day.
Do you install security cameras in pop-up shops?
Yes. Temporary security cameras with recording equipment can be installed in a pop-up shop in the same visit as the WiFi, running on their own part of the network with reserved PoE ports. Placement is agreed with you, and centre management may have rules about where cameras and signage can go.
Who runs new cabling in a pop-up tenancy?
Temporary network cables between our equipment, the counter and the screens are part of our install. Any data cabling connected to the telecommunications network is done with our partnered ACMA-registered cablers. See temporary network cabling. We check with the landlord or centre management before anything is fixed to walls or ceilings.
Can the WiFi stay for a three-month pop-up?
Yes, a pop-up network can stay in place for the whole trading period, whether that's a weekend or several months. For longer pop-ups, a fixed internet service with a 4G/5G router as backup is usually worth planning. The support level during the hire is agreed in your plan, and pack-down is scheduled for when trading ends.
