Transforming Serviced Buildings: Seamless Wi-Fi for Enhanced Connectivity and Productivity

The client

StartUp Croydon is a charity dedicated to providing guidance and training to budding entrepreneurs. Over the years, they have consistently supported start-ups and small businesses through comprehensive training programmes designed to foster business success. 
They also offer an outstanding networking system, connecting numerous successful entrepreneurs and facilitating the exchange of ideas, which is vital for early stage businesses.

Their Needs

What Did We Do

Needs Assessment for the Wi-Fi System:

We evaluated the client’s requirements, determining the system needed to support approximately 300 devices across several office spaces, with multiple users in each room. The distributed nature of the rooms helped manage the load, avoiding congestion in a single area. 

System Usage: 

Tenants use the system to connect their computers and devices, accessing their respective networks/VLANs. 

Space Planning and Observations: 

Using the building’s floor plans and our observations, we avoided the need to create new plans from scratch. Based on the capacity needs and physical constraints, we determined the number of APs required and their optimal placements. Key considerations included: 

• The position of staircases relative to rooms, ensuring no signal obstruction. 
• The location of the elevator, which can also block Wi-Fi signals. 
• Initial setup in a room designed for high occupancy, later adjustments included an additionalAP in a new workspace to ensure adequate Wi-Fi capacity.  

Configuration Details 

Each tenant has their own VLAN, ensuring separation and security between tenants. They all connect to the same SSID but use a dedicated username and password. The system automatically connects them to their assigned VLAN.  
The network is managed using a dedicated Server AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting) solution to ensure proper user management and security.

Expansion and Modernisation

2017 – As part of the initial installation, new access points were set up using PoE switches. We upgraded the old single-band UAP access points to AC-Lite models, anticipating future system growth and the expected upgrade to the building’s internet connection.

2018 – When the internet speed was increased from 300Mbps to 1Gbps, most of the equipment could handle the speed increase, but the old router was replaced.

2023 – during a building renovation, an additional room was added. After analysing the new demand in that area, we installed an extra access point to ensure stable Wi-Fi coverage, as the room’s size and distance from existing APs would not have guaranteed a strong connection.

2024 – a dedicated, built-in AAA server management system, which had recently become available from the manufacturer. This ensures even smoother operation and enhanced security for the network moving forward. Initially, the Wi-Fi system was managed using software provided by the equipment manufacturer, which had to be run manually on a computer. At the time, there were no built-in automated solutions available. Despite this, the system we implemented was among the best on the market, offering:

• Centralized Authentication: User credentials could be managed in one place, simplifying the handling of multiple users across different devices and locations. 
• Enhanced Security: The system required user authentication before network access, adding an important layer of security, particularly for wireless networks and VPNs. It also supported encryption of credentials. 
• Scalability: This setup was ideal for businesses like Startup Croydon, allowing the network to scale easily without requiring individual device configuration, making it practical as the tenant base grew. 
• Compatibility: The system was widely supported by network equipment and operating systems, making it suitable for the diverse needs of StartUp Croydon’s tenants.

Results

By thoroughly understanding the client’s needs and carefully planning the system configuration and installation, we successfully implemented a robust and scalable Wi-Fi solution for StartUp Croydon,which has grown alongside their evolving requirements over the years.

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