4Mb/s from a DECENT isp is more than enough even if all the people want to game at the same time. The situations it won't work well are if one person wants to watch you tube and the rest game as you tube will use all bandwidth. Therfore what you do is get one of the routers that allows you to prioritise packaets based on their headers so games get highest priority http/mail next highest and flash lowest. Also make sure all the computers are running linux or if you plan on offering gaming duel boot. This is because a windows pc will get infected with so much crap its untrue. You will get the type of people who think web toolbars are awsome. Wired is better in every way if you can install it and cheaper and easier to setup. You could have a lounge are for people with laptops with a WAP in addition to the wired network. As for food and drink don't go for showey expensive stuff that tastes like crap like costa.
I live near dublin, in Co.Meath. The previous owner told me that some cafes charge 1 euro an hour, but they go out of business pretty quick. They get the volume, but they would need like 35 PC's in use to make any money. I assumed i could clean the PC's after each day. I never understood why internet cafes dont. As for coffee, i want a fax machine before the coffee. I have a few machines in mind, but they cost around 3000 euro. There wont be a place around where i live that would offer the kind of coffee i would be selling. As for uniqueness, the nearest cafes are 30 minute bus drive away in opposite directions. Like i said, it was very popular before, and employing 3 people. I intend to work alone, and i know i have good business sense to know how to make more money. Im currently contacting accountants with start up business packages to see how much it costs. Kye.
I have one round the corner from me that been there for a while and always seems busy. It has wireless available and desktop PCs, I'm afraid I don't know the prices. However it seems to function as much as a cafe as it does and internet cafe. A lot of the students come in with their laptops and buy coffee or buy coffes to sit and and use the computers as it's a nicer enviroment than the university. I don't know exactly what you have in mind but personnally I'd be looking to appeal to the 18-30 age group and make yourself stand out a bit though. Stay away from gaming, there was a gaming 'centre' locally that lasted all of a month. Don't worry about PC spec, buy 10 in bulk and go for as big a discount as you can get. Custom building them is a waste of time.
Here is an idea, im looking to open an internet cafe myself, just waiting for the lease for the local shop, god knows we need something like this, Instead of just hoping you will make the money from the internet cafe, why dont you also turn it into a coffee and sandwich bar, to bring in extra monies. As for the setup, yes i agree with most people here, hard waire the machines, it will be a lot better, as wireless is a bit more troublesome, but this does not mean to say you cannot provide wireless for laptops, providing you get a very good wireless router, and yes the router will work well depending on the size of the area you have to work in. The speed will matter most of the time, if people will be playing games, and downloading, but keep the downloading legal, also with no burning what has been downloaded, but the speed with normal surfing and mail checking 4 meg will be fine. Unles you want to go down the dearer end such as using a very good server where you can dedicate the speed to each computer, that will make a big difference. Also the operating system you will be using can also make a big difference to how you can allocate speed. Also the machines you are using, there are many types of machines you can buy, dell are a good make and not to expensive, or you can follow the route i am taking, buying the hardware and building them myself, but that is only because i am running to certain standards. I myself am going to run 3 servers with 12 machines, also on each table i am going to have lan plugs so laptops can hardwire, also im going to use patches, also 3 wireless routers, slao a sandwich and coffee bar, to bring in the extra income. If you need any help at all, you can email me, g.jones1965@ntlworld.com also im sure the other people here would be able to help you. Garry
Righty, i'll throw in my two cents here. Company i work for (Software Development company) are launching a 2nd business possibley, gaming cafe. I was asked to research it as i am the only one here really into gaming. Poisonous, about the gaming stuff.. You're wrong. Firstly you can't buy a game 30 times for 30 computers in ya cafe and then rent that machine out, it goes against the license of the game. Since the gaming cafe industry is new, there really isn't any agreed license with publishers. Anyone wanting to get games such as Crysis for there cafe have to go direct to the publisher and agree a price for the license. The alternative however (And what every game cafe in the UK does, or at least should do to remain legal) is contract IGUK (www.iguk.org). They have agreements with the publishers who in turn send them copies of the games which they distribute to the gaming cafes.. For free.. Valve are different. You have to sign upto and pay for the valve cyber cafe program for any Valve published games. These you buy through a third party, a representative of your country. http://www.cybercafeprogram.com/ -which is here. Contact details and pricing are listed on the website. Also be careful with food / drinks.. You can't just start serving hot coffee in a internet cafe.. Lots of health and safety / Regulations. Check with your local council, get some advise about what you have to do. As for profit.. Internet cafes unfortunately as an industry will not be a growth market.. With 3G / Wireless hotspots and the ever decreasing price and size of laptops and the increasing demand for them. Not to mention the fact mobile phones are striving to meet most basic internet needs, and the 3G USB dongles all the networks sell... I wouldn't go for it. Infact, avoid it like the plague. Mobile Internet / Laptop are no longer niche or expensive things to use. Also never ignore the fact that big chain coffee shops are offering wireless for free now.
