1. Wi-Fi in a School Environment

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2 Table Of Contents 1 Wi-Fi in the School Environment The Building Blocks of Wireless Networks 2 Design and Build Approach Audit, Build and Connect 3 Support

3 1. Wi-Fi in a School Environment The provision of Wi-Fi in the school of environment can enable more interactive and dynamic learning for students and support the development of 21 st century computing skills for the whole school community. However, the school building or campus, with students and staff using laptops, tablets or any smart device to access the internet, is one of the most demanding Wi-Fi environments you will find anywhere. The academic environment requires a robust yet flexible usage policy coupled with high specification equipment to deliver a reliable service to everyone. We can help with all aspects of the project lifecycle. The key challenge for school management and its IT coordinator is to manage safe internet access for staff and students, irrespective of device. Continuity of connectivity as students and staff move around the building or campus is also important so users don t have to continually log on from one zone to the next. And of course, guest access to external internet only must be considered for visitors. It s important to choose the right service provider, who is familiar with the particular challenges of the academic environment and who can ensure, that your investment meets the highest possible standards, now and into the future. Make sure that you choose a partner who can deploy an Enterprise Solution, where all equipment is business industrial standard with the quality, reliability and security that large business and academia demands. Dinosaurs lived 230 million years ago

4 Wi-Fi Networks Explained A Wi-Fi solution is typically composed of four main elements; 1. Wireless Controller This is the brains of the Wi-Fi solution. The controller allows you to set rules for every aspect of how the network operates. You might want to limit the time students can access the network for example or set defined periods of time for guest wireless access. The controller can support anything from 50 to 10,000 network users. 2. Access Points (APs) Access points essentially deliver the wireless signal or network service to the user s devices and the number of access points required depends on the size, structure and nature of the building or campus. This is the most important part of the wireless project as proper device installation will eliminate the possibility of coverage black spots in the building and ensure that staff and students can move throughout the building without losing connectivity.

5 Wi-Fi Networks Explained A Wi-Fi solution is typically composed of four main elements; 3. Network Switches The access points must be connected to a network switch, which must be located within 100 meters of the access point. The switches (typically provided by others) provide power and the physical termination of the access points into the IT network. The switches also allow segregation of the network for specific users, e.g. a separate network profile for guest access and one each for staff and students. 4. Network Cabling This connects the above three elements together. An audit of the existing cabling infrastructure will reveal whether new cable runs are required. If so, we provide structured cabling in accordance to cabling standards set out by ISO/IEC, CENELEC and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA).

6 A typical school wireless network could look something like this. Guest PUBLIC Guest_Access SSID Student / Faculty PRIVATE Student_Public SSID Smartphone Tablet Laptop Internet WiFi Controller AP AP PCs POE Switch POE Switch Fibre POE Switch Router AP POE Switch POE Switch Server(s) Laptop Printer

7 2. Design and Build Approach Our approach to building a high-speed, reliable and secure wireless network for your school is based on industry best practice and three key project phases:

8 2. Design and Build Approach 1. Audit In order to provide you with the best Wi-Fi network for your school, we undertake a detailed site survey to establish the number of Wi-Fi access points you will need and where they should be located. To do this, we use the latest analytical tools which take account of the size and structure of each part of your building. Here are some of the factors we consider as part of the network design phase: The number of classrooms, staff rooms and other areas which may require service, e.g. library The number of students per class and number of teachers in the school Is outdoor coverage required (perhaps for Prefabs) and if so, how large is the area to be covered? Room partition materials (brick, stud or wood partition etc) Ceiling materials (suspended, concrete) Cabling requirements leverage existing where possible Network switch specification to support APs running on Power over Ethernet (PoE) Is there existing Wi-Fi to be integrated into new network? Security policy and usage policy to be devised and management of the school s firewall to be assessed. Are any access points deemed to be mission-critical and require a high-availability license? We then earmark suitable locations where the access points should be installed. This approach guarantees strong, continuous network coverage for all users and prevents the possibility of coverage black spots where users lose connection and have to re-connect to re-join the service.

9 2. Build The build phase of the project involves the physical deployment of infrastructure to create the wireless network. Cable runs are laid and terminated where required. We will thoroughly test the cable integrity and length and provide relevant certification. Cabling terminations will be clearly labelled so that documentation can be drawn up and maintenance or troubleshooting can be made more efficient. Network switches are replaced or re-configured as appropriate and access points are installed at the locations identified as part of the audit process. We will set up VLANs or virtual local area networks for each distinct user group. This allows us to segment the network according to user, i.e. student, staff or guest. The setting up of VLANs recognises the different internet access requirements for each group and provides for much more flexibility in managing the access rights and privileges of these users. VLANs essentially allow for the operationalisation of our internet usage policy for each user group. We will test the Wi-Fi solution including accessibility, channels and throughput; this will be achieved via various scans and practical mobile testing. We integrate the Wi-Fi solution into existing topology; this involves configuring the controller to relevant switches(s), server(s) and incoming Internet Service Provider (ISP).

10 3. Connect Finally, we ensure that the wireless logon process for users is as easy and intuitive as possible. Turn to the next page to see some screenshots of what a login to the service might look like. Please also bear in mind that branded splash pages can be customised for your particular school.

11 3. Connect We ve used the example of Marino College to illustrate what a typical login page might look like. Example: Marino Private College Registration This is used by the school to set up a pupil for the first time. It can be done by the pupil or the ICT coordinator. In some cases the school actually hides the private SSID from users so it is seamless for the pupils and staff.

12 3. Support Once installed, we can provide a full managed service on your wireless network. We can maintain your system for you through remote monitoring and in many instances, pre-empt network issues before they even impact users. The vast majority of technical support issues that arise can be diagnosed and repaired remotely. The solutions are configured to generate automatic s to the help desk in the event of minor and/or major failures. 95% of service issues are resolved remotely or over the phone with the ICT coordinators. But in the case where a site visit is required, we can also provide that service with a defined service level agreement, in line with your requirements.

13 EMR Integrated Solutions Dunboyne, Co Meath For more information on Wi-Fi in the classroom, talk to Alan Feenan. Tel:

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