wireless to help customers

By Will Harris

The Natchez Democrat

While you’re getting wired on coffee at Main Street Market Place, you can also get wireless.

During the last week of June, Mike Byrne joined a growing list of Natchez business owners in the wireless trend. So, surely, setting up something this extensive and technological took effort and a large downtime in business, right? On the contrary, Byrne said, &uot;It took five minutes.&uot;

Any home or business with a broadband connection can transform a 100-foot area into a wireless &uot;hotspot&uot; simply by plugging in a network wire to a simple wireless router.

This 802.11 technology has been around for years, and other Natchez locations such as Armstrong Library, The Burn bed and breakfast, King’s Tavern and the Natchez Convention Center already sport a convenient location to link in.

Coffeehouses around the country, however, are the most popular location for people to open their laptops and expect a wireless signal. And, while the Starbucks chain and other premium locations charge a subscription fee for wireless use, most companies, like the Market Place, are open to the public.

&uot;Hardly a day goes by when we don’t have someone using the Internet in here,&uot; Byrne said. &uot;People from big cities used to come in and ask ‘What do you mean you don’t have wireless connection?’&uot;

While he hasn’t seen a huge increase in business from locals yet, the big city visitors expect the service.

Finding a wireless network can be as easy as riding down the street with a laptop open and waiting for a signal. Since this is how most visitors would find a network, the Market Place is almost always open, and Byrne said, &uot;they always order something.&uot;

Among other convenient locations for visitors to use a wireless network is The Burn. The network there is free and open; however, the primary users are tourists who stay at the bed and breakfast.

Derek Nienaber said his network can reach most of the rooms and that all of his guests enjoy it.

&uot;A few guests have called about a room and asked about a wireless network,&uot; Nienaber said, &uot;and after I told them that we had one, they decided to stay here.&uot;

The Burn’s network has not been highly publicized, but visitors to the B&B’s Web site are informed when looking for information about the accommodations.

King’s Tavern has even added a wireless network to explore a new service area: bars. The restaurant and B&B room have good reception, but the best reception is in the bar.

Owner Shawyn Mars said only a few people have used it and more should take advantage of it.

&uot;Everyone who has used it has been thrilled,&uot; Mars said. &uot;We’ve had Europeans and other tourists who have come in and loved it.&uot;

While Natchez’s selection of wireless networks is growing, it is by no means where it could be. Setting up a wireless network is easy, inexpensive, and beneficial both for your business and for the city of Natchez.