Insight from Albacore Systems
Whether it’s an office space for 5 employees or a bustling 100,000 sq ft e-commerce warehouse, Albacore have decades of experience of designing, installing and supporting managed Wi-Fi solutions.
Wi-Fi is the provision of access to a network to devices without the use of a network cable. Wi-Fi is generally used to provide Internet access to connected devices, but Internet access does not have to be part of the solutions deployed.
The result of a solution is a single wireless network. Devices connected to the wireless network can move freely within the space and connect automatically and seamlessly to the nearest access point.
As well as a default network that allows devices to talk to each other and the Internet, managed wireless solutions include an isolated guest network. Devices connected to the isolated guest network cannot see or talk to each other and can only see the Internet, this is a key feature in maintaining a secure network infrastructure.
The network traffic moving between connected devices and the access points is secured using the latest encryption technology. Encrypting wireless traffic means that it cannot be intercepted by a third party and encryption also prevents access to the network from unauthenticated network devices.
To provision a wireless solution the first step is to survey and understand the requirements for the solution before a plan is created. The physical construction and layout of the space, the number of concurrent wireless devices requiring connection and the level of resilience required in the solution are just some of the many requirements that need to be carefully considered.
A managed wireless network requires a network cable to be run from a network switch to each access point on the network. The services of specialist network cabling contractors are included, who use high quality components and installs and tests each strand of each network cable to industry standards so that solutions remain reliable for many years. Deployments usually involve the use of access equipment to ensure that the cabling and access points are sited in the optimum locations as per the plan.
The access points are powered using Power Over Ethernet (POE) technology. With POE, a single network cable that delivers data signals to the access point also provides power to it. This simplifies the installation because mains power is not required in each location where an access point is to be located.
The cables run to a central location and are connected to a POE switch. This POE switch provides power and data to the access points and also allows management and troubleshooting of the access points remotely.
The whole solution is supported and managed on an ongoing basis, both the users and guests that connect to the network and the hardware and cabling that provide the solution. Periodic firmware updates are completed to ensure the optimum performance and security of the solution.
