An SSID (Service Set Identifier) is the public name of a WiFi network - a label of up to 32 bytes that access points broadcast so nearby devices can find and join the network.
An SSID (Service Set Identifier) is the name of a WiFi network - the label, up to 32 bytes long, that appears in the network list on your phone or laptop. "The_Red_Lion_Guest" and "Hotel_Staff" are SSIDs. The SSID identifies the network; the security settings (open, WPA2, WPA3) and any captive portal are configured per SSID.
Business access points can broadcast several SSIDs at once, each with its own security model and each mapped to its own VLAN. The standard venue pattern is a staff SSID (WPA2/WPA3 password, private VLAN) and a guest SSID (open, captive portal, isolated VLAN) - two networks, one set of hardware. See the guest WiFi entry for why the separation matters.
An access point (AP) is a networking device that broadcasts one or more WiFi networks and bridges wireless devices onto a wired network, typically ceiling-mounted and powered over Ethernet in business deployments.
A VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) is a logical segmentation of a physical network, defined by IEEE 802.1Q, that isolates groups of devices - such as guest WiFi users and staff systems - from each other while sharing the same switches and cables.
Guest WiFi is a public, internet-only WiFi network a business offers to customers, separate from its private back-office network, typically secured by a captive portal that requires sign-in.
A WiFi hotspot is a physical location where people can access the internet over WiFi, provided through one or more access points, with access controlled by a captive portal, password, voucher, or paid plan.
Capture guest emails, run automated email/SMS campaigns, and grow Google reviews - all from your existing WiFi.