Guide
Exhibition hall Wi-Fi and offline games: what to plan for
Anyone who has worked a busy trade show knows the moment: the hall fills up, and the Wi-Fi slows to a crawl. If your stand game depends on the internet, that is exactly when it stops working. Here is how to plan around it.
Updated 11 November 2026 · JM Entertainment
Why hall Wi-Fi struggles
An exhibition hall can hold thousands of phones, laptops and stand devices on the same few channels, with metal stands and crowds in the way. Free venue Wi-Fi is shared by everybody, and some networks need a login page that a game cannot get past on its own. Even paid exhibitor connections can be slow to set up on build day.
Online-only games stop when the connection does
A game that runs from a website, or that needs a server to save each score, freezes or loses scores when the connection drops, often at the busiest moment of the day.
What “offline first” means
An offline-first game keeps everything it needs on the device and treats the internet as a bonus. Our arcade works like this:
- The games, the leaderboards and name entry all run on the arcade itself
- Every score is saved on the arcade first, then sent to your online portal when there is a connection
- A second-screen leaderboard on the same local network keeps updating even when the internet is down
- The QR sign-up code is only shown while the arcade is online (sign-ups go through the internet); guests can still type a name on the arcade
- Anything saved offline uploads automatically when the connection returns: nothing to remember
Your connection options
If you want QR sign-up and live updates in your portal, plan one of these:
- A wired connection from the organiser: the most reliable, but book it early
- Exhibitor Wi-Fi with its own login, not the public network
- A 4G/5G router on the stand: your own connection, and the easiest to set up
Checklist
- Ask the organiser what connection your stand has, and whether it needs a login page
- Bring a 4G/5G router as a back-up
- Choose games and data capture that keep working offline
- Test the sign-up on build day, from a phone on the visitor network
Questions
Does it need an internet connection?
No. The games, leaderboards and name entry all run on the arcade itself, so a poor venue connection never stops play. When it is online it also shows the QR sign-up code and sends scores and sign-ups to your portal; anything collected while offline is uploaded automatically when the connection comes back.
Can the leaderboard show on another screen?
Yes. Any TV or screen on the venue network can show the live leaderboard, and there is also a web link you can put on any screen anywhere, such as a reception display or a big screen above the stand. New scores appear straight away, with a celebration when someone takes the top spot.
More about running a stand: exhibition and trade show games.
A stand game that keeps playing
Tell us about your show and we will plan the connection with you.