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When setting up your network for Fugo, it is important to use reliable, high-speed internet that can fully support streaming content to your displays. We will help guide you towards the best setup for your needs whether you have access to a wired Ethernet connection, wireless internet, or a mobile hotspot.

Once you have read this guide, you should be able to properly configure your network environment and quickly resolve any issues that could potentially arise. This will ensure that your displays are always available without disruption to users.

There are three primary options to connect your Fugo digital signage devices to the internet:

Wi-Fi is quick and convenient to set up but can suffer connectivity problems depending on router placement, number of obstructions and walls, competing signals from other networks, and overall capacity of the router being used.

Issues like low signal strength, interference from appliances and electronics, or overburdened bandwidth leading to bottlenecks can disrupt streams and lead to displays of outdated cached content.

Using physical Ethernet cables to each display provides an extremely reliable connection method, essentially eliminating Wi-Fi’s points of failure. This connector is often labeled as LAN (Local Area Network) on your TV, Laptop, or digital signage device.

However, directly wiring long cable runs across buildings to mounts can be impractical or impossible in many situations. This downside can be mitigated using Ethernet over Powerline adapters, which piggyback Ethernet connectivity onto premise electrical wiring.

Dedicated wireless hotspot devices or smartphone tethering provides a convenient way to get connectivity anywhere with a cellular signal. However, data usage caps, throttling, and network congestion can cause stability issues leading to buffering or playback failures.

Ongoing data plans also add a recurring cost that usually makes hotspots unsuitable as a primary long-term connectivity method.

When evaluating which method to use, wired Ethernet connections should be prioritized first for playback devices that demand high uptime like menus, dashboards, and displays in public areas.

Wi-Fi works well for most displays but can be a little flaky if signal strength is an issue. If you have your WiFi router close by, and it isn’t being over-utilized by any high bandwidth applications then you shouldn’t have any problems running Fugo wirelessly.

Finally, mobile hotspots are a temporary connectivity solution for offsite usage like events or expanding coverage at overflow capacity peaks. But data usage costs make this unsuitable for permanent installations unless you have a generous data package that isn’t prohibitively expensive.

If you have a reliable and affordable cellular-based connection with services like 4G or 5G, then you won’t have any issues using Fugo with your existing setup if you have decent speeds and reliable signal reception.

Many connectivity problems stem from wider internet service issues instead of problems with your local network. When troubleshooting, always first confirm if any active outages or maintenance windows are impacting your area by checking your ISP's status page online. https://downdetector.com is another useful site that you can use to check for specific outages with service providers.

Faults in cables, power equipment, or accidental damage can instantly create network failures. You might need to physically inspect some of your networking infrastructure both internally and external telco/cable plants for any defects. If you suspect an issue with your service provider’s equipment, then reach out to their support and have it looked at by their technical teams as soon as you can.

Keep an eye out for damaged Ethernet cables and RJ45 connectors that plug into your Network Interface Cards. Sometimes you may need to simply unplug and plug an Ethernet cable back if you are experiencing intermittent connectivity to a specific device.

Nearby Wi-Fi networks on the same channel can interfere with each other, reducing signal reliability. You can scan local environments with Wi-Fi analyzer apps on a smartphone or laptop to detect channel conflicts, then optimize your network's configuration to avoid overlapping other networks.

We briefly touched on mobile hotspots earlier, but there are other factors that you need to consider if you are thinking about implementing this type of connectivity solution for your Fugo installation.

Dedicated mobile hotspots provide a flexible way to deliver connectivity when on the go, at events, or in areas with poor infrastructure. Using built-in smartphone hotspot capabilities or standalone portable router devices allows you to create mini pop-up WiFi access points by tapping into cellular data networks.

However, if you are relying on a congested public cellular network (like at a trade show or high foot traffic area) then there is the potential for spotty connections and disruptions.

Here are some simple guidelines for you to use when deploying screens with hotspots:

The quality and consistency of the mobile broadband connection heavily impact performance. Check signal levels at exact onsite locations before your event and if you have them, reposition external antenna orientation for optimal speeds.

Dual-band mobile hotspots to allow shifting devices between 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies based on conditions. Enable band steering to automatically move devices needing greater bandwidth on 5GHz for the best experience.

Give playback devices top priority bandwidth allocation via Quality of Service settings in the hotspot admin console. Decrease bandwidth for other non-essential devices to prevent video buffering issues.

For large venues or areas with known cellular dead zones, you may need to use bidirectional signal boosters. These amplify indoor signals while preventing noise from other devices that could disrupt your connection.

If you can, try to use Ethernet cables to connect to your hotspot if they are available on your device, as this cuts out the need for WiFi, another potential weak point in your setup.

For improved signal from primary WiFi networks, commercial-grade gear offers enhanced range and flexibility. Some common devices that you can use for digital display purposes with systems like Fugo include:

These devices allow you to relocate media players to optimal WiFi coverage areas by trans mitting 1080p video up to 100m over a single CAT5e/6 Ethernet cable. There are also some models with built-in WiFi client support bridging onto existing wireless networks.

Business-oriented 802.11ac wireless access points deliver faster speeds and support more simultaneous connections than standard consumer routers. Flexible antenna arrangements can further improve signal strength.

Orientation focuses signal directionality for maximum coverage across distance and physical RF obstacles. Experiment across vertical/horizontal and 0/90 degree rotations to tweak reception.

Even with proper planning and infrastructure investments, connectivity problems can still crop up. Follow these guidelines to quickly resolve connectivity issues:

If displays show content changes less frequently than expected, but generally seem to be working, focus troubleshooting on the following common factors:

Issues like frequent buffering or failure to ever update from the management platform indicate device-specific problems. Troubleshoot with these steps:

If you suspect that your device may be the problem, make sure to cross check our guide here on supported platforms & minimum OS requirements. By looking through each hardware specific guide, you can learn more about known limitations for each player platform.

Network connectivity problems can manifest in various ways when trying to power your Fugo digital signage screens. Being aware of the most frequent error patterns can help quicker diagnosis and troubleshooting.

Which type of issues are usually considered to be network-related?

Screens constantly showing as Offline in your Fugo account indicate an inability to reach the cloud platform and update content. Verify internet connectivity to affected devices and check if there are any network security blocks in place.

If displays struggle to load, or are frequently buffering streams from online media platforms like YouTube or a news feed, then the chances are high that you have insufficient network capacity and/or restrictions that could be causing the issue.

Configure quality of service (QoS) rules if you have that feature available on your network to prioritize players, or try to connect to the internet with an alternative connection and check if this improves the performance of your Fugo player.

If your display is only showing a black screen, or you are seeing an error message such as 'Webpage not available' then you could be dealing with an internet connectivity issue.

Verify if the black screen is happening for all content, or only a single app or dashboard type. If it is with all display media, then you will need to verify that your internet connection is good, and that you are connected to the internet.

If you are experiencing the issue with only one of the display media types, then you could be having an issue with connecting to that specific service. We cover whitelisting in the next section, and refer you to our full guide to allow access on a secure network.

Some networks often have firewall policies that have the potential to block access to many types of websites and services to prioritize security and regulate bandwidth.

This can make utilizing Fugo’s cloud-based signage platform challenging, so we created a full article here with all the details that you will need to correct any access issues.

If your IT department has blocked access, provide them with Fugo’s domains and server infrastructure information so security policies can be updated to safely enable use of our services:

Services like weather data, maps, transit schedules and video platforms may also need whitelisting depending on security policies. Share connection requirements for any integrations in use with IT teams to ensure unrestricted functionality.

Advanced users can also configure VPN tunnels or Proxies to securely bypass restrictions imposed on managed networks, however, this method should only be undertaken by experienced networking professionals and may violate usage policies regarding overriding security controls.

Even seasoned networking gurus can sometimes hit dead-ends when troubleshooting problems. If the steps outlined don’t resolve your issue, contact us for further assistance:

Hopefully this guide has provided you with helpful advice explaining how to set up rock-solid connectivity for your Fugo digital signage screens.

Make sure you have a reliable internet connection with enough capacity, speed, and stability to keep your displays updated and avoid any issues that might distract from your viewing experience.

If you’re consistently experiencing errors with your device's stability, it may be time to consider upgrading to a more powerful player. You can find out more information about our supported & recommended devices here.

If you run into any connectivity problems, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at support@fugo.ai via email. We’re always happy to help.

If you have any other questions about your Fugo setup, let us know and we can help you figure out the best solution for your unique situation.