Public Wi-Fi Deployment for Office Building Lobbies: Implementation of Visitor Real-Name Audit Under MPS Order No.176

Office building lobbies are the primary zone where visitors connect to public Wi-Fi after entering the business park. Guests rely on network access while waiting, holding business talks, checking in for meetings or working temporarily. However, for property and park operators, providing convenient internet access does not mean unrestricted network access.

MPS Order No.176, Measures for Cyberspace Security Supervisory Inspection by Public Security Organs, took effect on October 1, 2026. Its inspection scope includes lawful recording and retention of user registration and internet logs, deployment of cybersecurity safeguards, and fulfilment of data security and personal information protection obligations. For office building public Wi-Fi projects, the core is to build a complete management chain covering visitor identity authentication, log auditing and network isolation.

I. Key Challenges for Public Wi-Fi in Office Lobbies

1. Visitor access without effective linkage between identity and records
   Some public Wi-Fi networks use a static password or a shared account for all users. Although visitors can connect quickly, operators cannot reliably map individual users, authentication timestamps and online logs. In the event of abnormal network activity, incomplete records and poor retrievability will become major compliance problems.
2. Real-name authentication alone leaves gaps in log management
   SMS verification or other identity checks do not complete the audit work. Compliance fails if authentication records and internet logs are stored separately, logs are not retained continuously, or records cannot be retrieved rapidly during an investigation. Real-name authentication answers who is accessing the network, while log auditing answers when access occurred and how online behaviour can be traced. The two functions must work in tandem.
3. Blurred boundaries between public Wi-Fi and internal office networks
   Office buildings accommodate property administration networks, tenant corporate networks, access control and surveillance systems, and other public services. Without proper isolation between public Wi-Fi and internal networks, visitor terminals may reach restricted internal resources, raising risks of data leakage and cyberattacks.

II. AINOPOL Implementation for Public Wi-Fi Real-Name Audit

1. Deploy Portal authentication as the entry point for visitor identity management
   Wireless access points are deployed in lobbies, lounge areas and reception zones, integrated with the AINOPOL Portal real-name authentication platform to provide a unified internet access portal for visitors. Authentication options include SMS verification and WeChat QR login; integration with existing visitor registration systems can also be evaluated on a project-by-project basis.

Authentication policies are tailored to visitor types and scenarios to avoid long-term shared accounts. Temporary visitors can be assigned limited online durations and account validity. Permissions expire automatically and require re-authentication, reducing management risks caused by idle accounts.

1. Log auditing for compliant log retention and query capability
   After authentication, user registration data, authentication records and statutorily required internet logs are centrally managed. AINOPOL Cloud Portal, Cloud Audit or gateway-based audit solutions support log collection, retrieval and auditing.

During deployment, verify log coverage, time synchronisation, retention duration, query permissions and anti-tampering controls to meet legal requirements. Personal information collection follows the principles of legality, legitimacy and necessity; no data irrelevant to Wi-Fi services shall be collected.

1. Segregate visitor networks from office networks to block unauthorised access
   Public visitor Wi-Fi must be logically isolated from property office networks, tenant internal LANs, access control and surveillance networks. Leveraging the AINOPOL all-optical solution, VLAN segmentation, access control lists and gateway security policies divide service zones and restrict visitor terminals from accessing internal servers, management consoles and other non-public resources.

For existing office building networks, retrofitting schemes are assessed based on current hardware and cabling conditions; full rip-and-replace is not mandatory. The priority is to define clear visitor network boundaries and validate isolation rules through functional testing.

1. Reinforce public network protection with security gateways
   Beyond authentication and segmentation, public Wi-Fi requires robust threat prevention. The AINOPOL Dream Gateway consolidates routing, firewall, wireless management and log auditing, simplifying operations compared with disjointed standalone devices. Built-in IPS, WAF and antivirus policies curb abnormal access and mitigate external threats to internal systems.

For large multi-tenant office buildings, clarify the division of responsibilities among property management, network service providers and tenants, establish incident response workflows, and perform regular reviews of accounts, logs and access policies.

Acceptance criteria for office building public Wi-Fi should go beyond coverage and speed. Inspectors will verify whether visitor authentication is effective, logs are searchable, visitor and office networks are isolated, and security incidents can be detected and handled promptly.

Built on all-optical infrastructure, converged audio-video services and embedded security controls, AINOPOL’s Communication-Security Integrated solution combines Portal real-name authentication, cloud log audit and gateway threat defence to help office buildings mature their access control and security O&M. The design balances smooth connectivity for visitors with traceable identity records, retrievable audit logs and well-defined network boundaries, satisfying both user experience and cybersecurity obligations.

FAQ

Q: Under MPS Order No.176, what regulatory category applies to lobby public Wi-Fi in office buildings?
A: The operator qualifies as a public internet service provider, explicitly listed as an inspection target under MPS Order No.176. When an office building provides public Wi-Fi for tenants and visitors, real-name authentication and log retention are statutory obligations rather than optional best practices.

Q: Will the Portal authentication process be too cumbersome and hurt visitor experience?
A: The Portal supports SMS verification and WeChat QR login. Visitors only need to enter a mobile number and receive a verification code. No app download or lengthy forms are required. The workflow is lightweight while retaining full real-name verification.