Planning product launch WiFi backwards from the reveal
Most event networks are planned around crowds. A launch network is planned around a few minutes. The presenter walks out, the product is shown working, a connected feature responds live, and the stream carries it to everyone who couldn't be in the room. If an app takes ten seconds to load on stage, the audience notices, and so do the journalists.
So we start with the run sheet and ask two questions: what has to connect during the reveal, and what happens if it doesn't? The answers decide which devices get a cable, which get their own separate network, and how much upload is held back for the stream. Then comes the second pressure point: media filing straight afterwards, all at once. Guest WiFi is sized last.
Who uses the launch network and what they need
A launch for 150 guests, 25 media and 15 staff, with a live stream, might be split like this. Device counts use our planning numbers and are confirmed on site.
| Group | What they do | Network plan |
|---|---|---|
| Demo devices | Show the product live on stage and at demo stations | Own network, wired where possible, closed to everyone else |
| Live stream | Sends the launch to remote viewers | Wired encoder with 10–20 Mbps of steady upload reserved |
| Media (25 people) | File stories, upload photos and video clips | Separate media network; 1.5–2 devices each, so up to 50 devices |
| Brand and event team (15 people) | Run sheet, social posting, guest list | Staff network, about 25–30 devices |
| Guests (150 people) | Share photos, check messages | Guest WiFi sized for about 150 devices |
That's roughly 230–250 devices in total, or about five access points at around 50 devices each, before the shape of the room is considered.
Rehearsal and testing window for launch event WiFi
A rehearsal on the real network is the single most useful thing you can schedule. This is the sequence we work to.
Site walk-through
We walk the venue with your producer, mark the stage, demo stations, stream position and media area, and check the venue's internet and its rules on outside equipment.
Demo brief
Your product team tells us exactly what the demo connects to, which devices are used and whether anything needs particular network settings. The demo network is set up to match.
Install during bump-in
Access points, cables and the internet connection go in while staging and lighting are built, in positions agreed with the AV team.
Rehearsal on the real setup
The presenter runs the demo on the actual devices, the stream goes to a private test link and the media network is tried with real uploads. Anything that fails is fixed here, not in front of guests.
Lock the demo network
After rehearsal, no new devices join the demo network and no settings change unless everyone agrees.
Launch and pack-down
Support during the launch is agreed in your plan. Once guests leave, equipment comes out within the venue's pack-down window.
Send a floor plan or the venue name. We reply with what the network needs and one written quote.
Media launch internet: what journalists need
Media are the guests most likely to judge a launch by its WiFi. More detail is on our press event WiFi page.
Upload, not just download
Photographers and video journalists send large files, and large uploads need far more than browsing does. The connection is chosen with upload in mind from the start.
A media-only network name
A separate WiFi name and password, handed out at the media desk, keeps guests off it and keeps filing quick when everyone posts at once.
Wired ports at the media desk
For video and broadcast crews, a cable is more predictable than WiFi in a full room. Ports can be run to the media table if the layout allows.
Coverage where media actually sit
Media desks are often in a side room or behind the audience. An access point covers that spot directly rather than relying on signal leaking from the main room.
Before you brief us on a launch
- The run sheet with the reveal time and demo order
- A list of demo devices and what each one connects to
- Stream platform, bitrate and who runs the encoder
- Expected numbers of guests, media and staff
- Venue address, floor plan and the venue's rules on outside equipment
- Rehearsal date and time, and who from your team will attend
- Whether media or broadcast crews need wired ports
Questions people ask
How do we make sure the product demo works on the WiFi?
Give the product demo its own network, put demo devices on cables where you can, and rehearse on the real setup before the launch. The demo network stays closed to guests and media, so nobody else's traffic can slow it down. If the demo relies on the internet, plan a backup connection and a recorded fallback the presenter can switch to.
Can we live stream a product launch over the venue WiFi?
A product launch stream should run on a cable from the encoder to the router, with 10–20 Mbps of steady upload reserved for it, rather than over the venue's shared WiFi. Shared venue networks often have limited upload and are busy with guests. We check the venue's connection first and add a dedicated one if needed. See live streaming internet.
Do media need their own WiFi at a launch?
Yes, media at a launch work faster on their own WiFi name and password. Journalists upload photos and video straight after the reveal, and on a shared network they compete with every guest posting to social media. A separate media network, plus wired ports at the media desk for video crews, keeps their filing quick.
When should the network be ready before a product launch?
The launch network should be installed and working before your rehearsal, not just before doors. That way the presenter, AV team and product team test the demo and the stream on the exact setup they'll use on the night. Tell us the rehearsal time when you book and the installation is planned around it.
Can you coordinate lighting and sound for the launch as well?
Yes. Event lighting and sound installation is delivered by our partner AV specialists and coordinated by us together with the network, so you have one point of contact. That makes it simpler to agree where the stream encoder, control desk and presenter laptop sit. More on event lighting and sound.
How much does product launch WiFi cost?
Launch networks are priced per event once we've seen the venue and the run sheet, so there's no standard rate. The quote reflects the number of networks, guest and media numbers, the internet connection, the rehearsal and the support you want on the night. Ask and we'll talk you through a comparable setup.
