Basic Internet Cafe Requirement

Every internet cafe has its' own and different requirement, but this is the basic requirement for every cyber cafes. 

This is the most basic requirement for an Internet Cafe as a reference. However, every Internet Cafe or Gaming Center have their special requirement and setup. 

Hardware needed

1. 20 x Client PCs

2. 1 x PC to control Clients a.k.a Server 

2. 1 x 24 ports Switch (or Hub?) 

3. 1 x Modem with built-in Router because it is easier to have modem with built-in router (broadband modem). 

5. 1 x Printer - any brand 

6. 1 x Scanner - any brand 

7. 20 x USB extender (If only the USB ports are in the back) 

Client PCs x 20 units 

Minimum specification to run internet applications, office applications and games. It is important to have the same specification on all the clients system to minimum maintenance job. If you have more budget, try at least buy 3 more computer as spares.

1. Processor - at least Pentium 4 or AMD Sempron or Athlon XP

2. 80GB Hard Disk Drive 

3. 256MB RAM Memory 

4. Monitor - 15" or 17" or 21"! 

5. Motherboard - Good brand with Integrated sound and VGA but separated AGP card is the best! 

6. Keyboard & Mouse - Any good brand keyboard and mouse with scroll. 

7. Speaker or Headphone with Microphone (i will not recommend speaker because it's make your cyber cafe like disco!, but still it your choice) 

8. 100Mbps Network Card 

9. CDRW Drive (optional) 

10. Web Cam (optional) 

Server PC x 1 unit - not so important, at least can run cyber cafe management software is good enough. But more number of clients means higher specification needed.

1. Processor - at least Pentium 4 

2. 40-80 GB Hard Disk Drive 

3. 512MB RAM Memory 

4. Monitor - 15" 

5. Motherboard - Good brand with Integrated sound and VGA 

6. Keyboard & Mouse - Any good brand keyboard and mouse with scroll. 

7. 100Mbps Network Card 

9. CDRW Drive (optional) 

10. Web Cam (optional) 

Softwares in Clients 

Most needed application by customers. It is important to have the same applications on all the clients system to minimum maintenance job. 

1. Operating System - WinXP is the best 

2. Office Suite - Ms Office or OpenOffice.org 

3. Browser - FireFox or Opera (I will not recommend Interner Explorer) 

4. Adobe Reader 

5. File Compressor - Winzip or WinRar 

6. QuickTime 

7. Media Player - WinAmp5 and Window Media Player 

8. Messenger - ICQ, Yahoo, MSN and AOL 

9. Anti Virus - Norton AntiVirus or McAffee or free antivirus such AVG and Avira

10. CD Burning Utility - Nero or Alcohol (optional) 

11. Reboot Restoration Utility - Deepfreeze or Norton Goback, Norton Ghost or Juzt Reboot card (optional). Although it is optional, I think it will reduce almost 95% of internet cafe's maintenance. Think about it! 

Softwares in Server 

Preferably the same with clients, because it is easier to troubleshoot problem if something happen. 

1. Operating System - and again WinXP is the best 

2. Office Suite - Ms Office or OpenOffice.org 

3. Browser - Internet Explorer, FireFox or Netscape Navigator 

4. Adobe Reader 

5. File Compressor - Winzip or WinRar 

6. QuickTime 

7. Media Player - WinAmp5 and Window Media Player 

8. Messenger - ICQ, Yahoo, MSN and AOL 

9. Anti Virus - Norton AntiVirus or McAffee or free antivirus on the net 

10. CD Burning Utility - Nero or Alcohol (optional) 

11. Internet Cafe Management Software - CCAutoSoft 

Games to Choose 

These are the most wanted games in the Internet Cafe or Gaming Center. 

1. Half-Life 

2. Conter Strike 

3. Need For Speed - latest one 

4. Warcraft 3 

5. Doom 3 

6. Everquest2 

7. Galaxy LightSpeed 

8. Halo for PC 

9. Star Wars Galaxies 

10. Battlefield 1942 

11. Secret Weapons and Vietnam 

12. Rise of Nations 

13. Home World 2 

14. Solider of Fortune 

15. City of Heroes 

16. Final Fantasy  

17. Command and Conquer 

18. Midtown Madness  

19. Bass Fishing 

20. House of the Dead and many more. Please make you choice after you make some surveys with your customer.

Internet Cafe's Common Mistake

We are humans. We can't run away from mistake. All we have to do is make it less. As in internet business, you must know some common mistakes so you can keep your internet business at success and top performance.

There are some very common mistakes made by internet cafes owner which may bring down the business. As we might know, it is not easy to attract customer to come to your internet cafe, especially when you got so many competitors around within your area. It is easier for you to attract customer before you begin your internet cafe business. Before the openning, do some promotion like banners, flyers and in your advertising do not forget to state 'free surfing in the first and the second day'. It will cause customers from other cyber cafes come to yours in the first two days. People want to now how is the new cyber cafe, is it the same or different from other cyber cafes. Or may be they just want to have free surfing! Whatever they think or whatever the purpose, do not spoilt it with common problem of internet cafes. 

Computer Crash 

The main major problem, which will certainly make your customer go away, is computer crash. It is really frustrating for a customer if the computer they use got crash. They have to wait for reboot or have to use another PC. And how will you assure your customer that the other PC will not crash? If this problem is not solved, you will loose some customers. 

Make sure your computers ware built by good brand of hardwares. Even though the specification of those machines is up-to-date, the brand built is also important. Computer built by any cheap motherboard with sound and VGA built-in will definitely crash very often. The worst case is the computer cannot be use only after a month you start your business. You start with 30 units of PCs, but in the end of the month you have only 20 units left! You just start your business and suddenly you have to change 10 units of motherboards! 

The best is to use branded PC, such as Dell, Compaq, Hewlet-Packard or if you got little budget, built your own PCs by branded items such as Intel motherboard and processor, good brand of memory and etc. Try to get the best product with your little budget, if can, increase your budget a little. If you cannot afford it, do not install the highest end of games or software. Do not use Windows XP. Do not install Half-Life2. Do not install Ms Office XP. But how you could compete with other internet cafes? 

Slow Computer 

Another problem which will make you loose your customers. When your computer is slow, you cannot install up-to-date software and games. You will make those PC crash often if you do that. Although you cannot afford to buy the fastest PC for your cyber cafe, you also should not buy slow PCs. Choose in the middle or a little bit higher than the middle. So you will not be leaved behind by your competitors. If your targetted customers is not gamers, than you will have any problem with slow computer. Install Win98, Firefox browser, mIRC and Ms Office 97 is good enough. But slow computer still will make you loose in the competition. 

Smoke 

Do not allow smoking in your internet cafe. Smoking will only attract few customers, but avoid more customers. As always, smokers can get into non-smoker area, but non-smoker cannot. So we should choose the bigger number of customers. In the other hand, smoking will cause your internet cafe stinky and dusty. 

Not Enough Computers 

The number of computers also has major impact in your business performance. Imagine if your internet cafe is always 100% full. Customers have to wait for their turn. Of course, you will think this is a good sign for your business. But unfortunately, this sign will only bring your business down. In the future, people will always thinking your internet cafe is full so they will avoid you internet cafe and go to your competitors' internet cafes. So, to solve this problem, you must make sure your internet cafe is always ready for more customer. Your customer will be very happy if there is always available PC for them when they come. 

Employee Problem 

If you have only 10 units of PCs, manage the internet cafe yourself. You will not able to pay your employee. If you got 20 and above unit of PCs then this is the right number to get a worker to manage your internet cafe. You cannot handle it by yourself. Employee also can bring your business up or down, so you must be very choosy. Some of them may cheat the amount of money paid by the customers and give their friends to use the computer free of charge. The best solution for managing your employee is by using the best internet cafe management software. The software must be able to log activity of the employee and be able to detect any suspicious activity by the logged data. 

Bad Maintenance 

Keyboard and mouse are the most important hardwares for your customers. Think. These two hardwares are the only hardwares interact with your customers. Bad maintenance keyboard or mouse will only make your customer use it for five minutes and then run away. They want the best for what they touch and hold. A higher budget for keyboards and mouses is needed to make sure your customers' satisfaction. 

As a conclusion, you can make sure you are leading the competition if you try your best to avoid those mistakes.