The Rueb ‘N’ Stein has joined the burgeoning downtown WiFi network. Wireless internet allows us to work and play on our computers wherever we go.

Rueb management noticed more and more people bringing their laptops with them to dine. Some people came to eat and work, others were there to socialize and have a beer. Increasingly, and especially so in Northfield, wireless-enabled computers follow us when we go out.

So in January, badbrain set up and tested WiFi installation at the Rueb. The goals were to use moderately priced hardware and to make sure it was both robust and extensible. Customers at both the Rueb, with its many tables and bar, and Grundy’s, the non-smoking diner associated with the Rueb, needed a nice signal for their laptops. And Rueb management needed hardware that could stand up to the everyday wear and tear of a busy restaurant and bar, including a sometimes smoky environment.

Rueb management reasoned that people are more likely to use laptop computers while sitting down, so they didn’t worry as much about the Game Room and the Upstairs, which is used mainly for live music.

But if it turns out that customers use their computers in those areas, too, badbrain can help the Rueb use its new extensible hardware to expand WiFi service whenever and to wherever it wants.