Hotel Public Security 180-Day Log Retention Requirement & Full Compliance Process for Real-Name Authentication

AINOPOL – Provider of All-Optical Converged Solutions.

In 2026, public security authorities are conducting strict inspections on 180-day log retention and real-name identity consistency. From equipment selection to inspection drills, one integrated solution covers the entire compliance process to help hotels pass official checks at one attempt.

In accordance with Article 21 of the Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China and 2026 official notices issued by multiple public security bureaus, hotels must achieve real-name identity consistency and retain complete network logs for 180 days with export availability.

Based on all-optical network, Passive Optical Network (POL), and fiber-to-room architecture, AINOPOL delivers an all-in-one solution covering five key stages: equipment selection, deployment implementation, PMS system docking, remote operation & maintenance, and inspection readiness drills. It enables hotels to complete compliance transformation from scratch. Logs are stored locally only, with remote management available via the EAAS cloud platform.

Systematically Solve the Dilemma of 180-Day Log Retention and Real-Name Authentication

“The cybersecurity inspection team will come next Tuesday. Please prepare 180-day network logs and real-name authentication records.”

This notice has become a nightmare for an increasing number of hotel operators. A single public security administrative penalty can result in fines ranging from 5,000 to 30,000 RMB. Compensation claims filed by professional litigants start at 10,000 RMB. Coupled with losses from business suspension rectification, the total loss can easily exceed 100,000 RMB.

Hotels need a practical full-process solution with clear guidelines for every step from equipment selection to inspection preparation. The AINOPOL compliance solution costs far less than potential penalties, offering one-time investment and long-term benefits. Most importantly, it saves hotel operators from constant compliance anxiety.

The regulatory framework governing hotel Wi-Fi real-name authentication and log retention consists of three levels:

Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China, Article 21 requires log retention of no less than six months; Article 24 mandates users to provide genuine identity information before network access. Violations under Article 59 may incur fines of 10,000 to 100,000 RMB.

Ministry of Public Security Decree No.82, Articles 7 and 8 specify mandatory log fields: user login/logout time, account information, internet addresses/domain names, and mapping between internal and external network addresses. Relevant equipment must comply with national or public security industry standards and be filed with the Ministry of Public Security.

Ministry of Public Security Decree No.151 empowers public security authorities with supervision and inspection authority. Venues failing to implement required security measures may face rectification orders, warnings, fines, network suspension, and business shutdown rectification.

The April 2026 notice issued by Lingcheng Branch of Dezhou Public Security Bureau further clarifies requirements: security measures must be implemented within 30 days; public shared Wi-Fi passwords are prohibited; standard network interfaces must be provided for public security authorities. Multiple penalty cases have already been recorded in Jining, Taiyuan and other cities.

Hotel compliance hinges on three core requirements:

Identity consistency through standard real-name authentication

Complete 180-day logs with full standard fields and full traceability

Exportable and platform-dockable logs to generate audit reports on-site during inspections

Five Major Bottlenecks Blocking Hotel Compliance Implementation

The AINOPOL Dream Series Secure Optical Gateway integrates authentication, log auditing, network security and routing functions into one device. It supports rolling log storage on local hard drives for over 180 days, embeds 18 authentication methods, and enables PMS system docking. Certified by relevant Ministry of Public Security authorities, it has been massively deployed in hotels across multiple regions.

Deployment & Implementation: All-Optical for New Hotels, Zero Downtime for Renovations

Traditional hotel renovations require rewiring, resulting in heavy losses from business suspension. AINOPOL provides two deployment options.

Newly-built hotels adopt Passive Optical Network (POL) plus Fiber-to-Room deployment in one go. An optical gateway is deployed in the equipment room, passive optical splitters (no power supply required) are installed on each floor, and integrated terminals are deployed in guest rooms.A single optical fiber carries Wi-Fi, TV, telephone and room control services simultaneously, cutting structured cabling costs by over 60% and reducing core equipment quantity by 50%.According to the F5G All-Optical Digital Hotel White Paper issued by China Electronic Energy Saving Technology Association, this architecture reduces energy consumption by more than 40% compared with traditional solutions and enables ultra-efficient one-person-one-hotel operation and maintenance.

Old hotel renovations adopt the low-threshold all-optical solution. Guest room integrated terminals support dual compatibility of optical and Ethernet uplink, working directly with existing network cables without rewiring or pipe routing.Replacing the terminal in each room takes only 10–15 minutes and can be arranged when guests are out. The main gateway replacement in the equipment room can be completed within 30 minutes in the early morning, achieving renovation with zero business suspension.Both deployment modes support remote management via the EAAS cloud platform, with no dedicated IT staff required.

System Docking: Connect PMS & Network Monitoring to Achieve Identity Consistency

SMS-only verification cannot link network access to registered guest identities, violating Article 24 of the Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China, which stipulates network operators shall not provide services if users refuse to submit real identity information.

The AINOPOL optical gateway achieves in-depth docking with mainstream hotel PMS systems. Guest identity information is automatically synchronized upon check-in; guests only need to enter their room number or phone number when connecting to Wi-Fi for automatic identity matching.

Article 4 of the Dezhou official notice clearly mandates real-name methods such as SMS verification and real identity verification, and prohibits providing network services via public accounts or fixed shared passwords.

Small hotels without PMS can support ID/passport scanning and local OCR recognition for real-name authentication.

Log fields cover MAC address, IP address, authenticated account (linked to ID number), internet access start/end time, and accessed URLs. Logs are encrypted locally and retained on a rolling basis for over 180 days.

During inspections, administrators log in to the EAAS cloud platform, remotely access the gateway, and export standard formatted reports (CSV/Excel) with one click.For public security network monitoring platform docking, the gateway supports real-time Syslog/API data push, complying with Article 5 of the notice to provide national standard network interfaces for public security authorities.

Daily O&M: EAAS Remote Management, No On-Site IT Needed

Most small and medium-sized hotels have no dedicated IT staff, leaving equipment faults unsolved in a timely manner.The AINOPOL EAAS cloud platform enables remote access to the optical gateway. Hotel managers can check device status, online users and log records via mobile phones or computers.Logs are always stored locally in the hotel, while management can be conducted remotely. The system automatically overwrites expired logs in rolling storage to ensure uninterrupted records.

24/7 original manufacturer technical support is provided. Chain hotel headquarters can centrally view the authentication rate and log integrity of all branches.As stated in the F5G All-Optical Digital Hotel White Paper, the all-optical solution realizes simplified one-person hotel management, greatly reducing reliance on manual labor. Front desk staff can handle basic management after simple training, and chain headquarters achieves unified remote control, cutting O&M costs by 80%.

Inspection Drills: Monthly Self-Inspection for Readiness

Failure to simulate official inspections in advance — such as being unable to retrieve logs or generating incorrectly formatted reports on-site — is a direct cause of penalties for many hotels.

It is recommended that hotels conduct monthly self-inspections following this checklist:

Test Wi-Fi authentication in a random guest room to ensure the real-name portal pops up and identity matching works normally.

Log in to the EAAS platform to verify the earliest log record exceeds 180 days.

Export a log file and check for five complete fields: MAC, IP, account, time and URL.

Test Syslog/API push if local network monitoring docking is required.

Positive & Negative Case Comparison

A hotel in Jining was penalized with a warning, rectification order and several days of network suspension due to missing compliant logs during inspection.By contrast, hotels with pre-deployed compliance solutions can export complete six-month reports within 3 minutes at the front desk and pass inspections on the spot.

Article 7 of the official notice clarifies that venues refusing to implement mandatory security measures may face network suspension and business rectification for up to six months.Monthly self-drills turn inspection readiness into routine work and avoid last-minute panic.

By deploying a qualified secure optical gateway together with an all-optical or low-threshold all-optical solution, hotels can complete real-name authentication and 180-day log retention compliance construction. This enables one-click full log export during inspections, traceable identity consistency, and complete avoidance of administrative fines and compensation claims.

FAQ

Q1: Must logs be stored for exactly six full months? Which date is used as the starting point?A: The Cybersecurity Law requires network logs to be retained for no less than six months. The calculation generally starts from the date when each log is generated, with continuous and uninterrupted storage mandatory.Public security inspectors verify log continuity and integrity. Even if the total duration exceeds six months, obvious recording gaps may still result in non-compliance. In practice, retaining logs for at least 183 days is recommended to leave a buffer period for inspections.

Q2: Is simply setting a Wi-Fi password without real-name authentication acceptable for inspections?A: No. Providing network services via public accounts or fixed shared passwords is explicitly regarded as non-compliant and a failure to implement real-name regulations.Official notices strictly prohibit such practices. Hotels must adopt valid real-name methods including SMS verification, real identity verification or PMS linkage.

Q3: Do both wired and wireless networks require log retention?A: Yes. Retaining logs only for Wi-Fi cannot meet inspection standards. All network access terminals, whether wired or wireless, must generate traceable audit logs.The integrated audit gateway is deployed at the network egress, covering both wired and wireless terminals simultaneously.

Q4: What is the maximum fine for failing compliance inspections?A: In accordance with Article 61 of the Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China, those who refuse rectification or cause network security hazards shall be fined between 50,000 and 500,000 RMB. Directly liable managers and relevant personnel shall be fined between 10,000 and 100,000 RMB.In serious cases, penalties include network suspension and business rectification for up to six months. The cost of post-penalty rectification is far higher than deploying a compliance system in advance.

In accordance with Article 21, 24 and 59 of the Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China, as well as Ministry of Public Security Decree No.82 and No.151, public security authorities may issue warnings, impose fines, suspend network access, order business rectification, and even pursue criminal liability for venues failing to implement real-name authentication and complete log retention.

In January 2026, Beihu Branch of Jining Public Security Bureau imposed fines on 5 institutions that refused rectification after receiving official orders, and conducted disciplinary interviews with more than 10 operators.

The F5G All-Optical Digital Hotel White Paper confirms that all-optical deployment simplifies cabling by 80%, reduces energy consumption by over 40%, and enables lean one-person hotel operation and maintenance.

Real cases prove that non-compliant hotels face dual risks of administrative penalties and compensation claims from professional litigants. Adopting a professional security and compliance solution is a reliable way for hotels to pass inspections at one time and ensure long-term stable operation.