Texas State Technical College Deploys 802.11n Wireless LAN
Campus-Wide ‘Hotspot’ Will Support Mobile Network Access for 6,400 Users.
Waco, TX, June 11, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Texas State Technical College (TSTC), one of the nation’s largest residential two-year technical higher education institutions, today announced that it has implemented an Extricom wireless LAN (WLAN) system on its Waco campus. The Extricom WLAN supports both legacy 802.11a/b/g wireless devices, as well as 802.11n devices at full performance. Upon completion, the project will provide network access for 6,400 students and faculty members via a giant mile-long “hot spot” spanning the center of TSTC Waco’s sprawling campus, and will constitute one of the largest contiguous 802.11n wireless deployments in the United States.
Colleges and universities have been the earliest and most enthusiastic adaptors of wireless technology, with campus wireless networks experiencing usage increases of as much as 200 percent per semester. This surge in demand, as well as the wide range of bandwidth-hungry applications being accessed, has been a major impetus behind the deployment of wireless LAN systems based on the new IEEE 802.11n standard, which promises substantial increases in speed and improved wireless coverage. Wireless network access means mobile network access; however, many of the conventional 802.11n enterprise solutions have trouble dealing with mobility on this scale. They have difficulty handling thousands of highly mobile wireless users, much less handling the network congestion when many active wireless users converge in the same area.
The Extricom Channel Blanket™ architecture was designed with mobility as a core value. An Extricom system consists of multiple APs operating on the same channel to create widespread, contiguous blankets of coverage, and a central Extricom switch coordinates AP transmissions to ensure that there is no co-channel interference. The result is wire-like connectivity with no handoffs between APs as wireless clients move around. In addition, multiple Channel Blankets can be layered on the same physical infrastructure; allowing TSTC to provide separate, dedicated networks for 802.11n devices and legacy 802.11b/g devices which enables wireless clients from both generations of the standard to operate at full speed.
For Pat Davison, TSTC Waco’s Director of Network & Telecommunication Services, the Extricom system’s innovative architecture was a clear differentiator over competing systems. “It’s really an apples-to-oranges comparison. When all the other vendors are saying ‘me too’ and arguing over the same feature set, Extricom comes along and says ‘not me.’ There was just no other vendor that dealt with contention in the manner that Extricom did.”
Beyond the tactical problems of enabling network connectivity and mobility, the wireless system is also a strategic solution to TSTC’s objective of integrating emerging technology trends into the educational curriculum and environment. “Extricom’s wireless LAN helps by furthering the classroom beyond the brick-and-mortar location, room 112, third floor,” said Davison. “Education continues wherever you happen to be at the moment with your wireless device.”
“As our largest 802.11n implementation to date, Texas State Technical College provides clear insights into how wireless technology is becoming an integral part of the higher educational landscape.” said Honoré Labourdette, Extricom’s VP of Sales North America. “It’s essential, however, that the wireless network be able to support complex, highly mobile applications while providing resilient connectivity and data speeds that rival or exceed wired networks. These traits are at the heart of what Extricom 802.11n is about, and we believe they will be critical to making the Wireless Campus a reality nationwide in the next decade.”
About Extricom
Extricom means enterprise wireless infrastructure that works. Extricom’s award-winning Channel Blanket Architecture delivers better RF coverage across the board while minimizing networking and wireless complexity. Voice, data and video applications are supported by a robust Wireless LAN infrastructure that ensures predictable service and seamless mobility in any environment. Contact them at info@extricom.com or visit www.extricom.com
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Colleges and universities have been the earliest and most enthusiastic adaptors of wireless technology, with campus wireless networks experiencing usage increases of as much as 200 percent per semester. This surge in demand, as well as the wide range of bandwidth-hungry applications being accessed, has been a major impetus behind the deployment of wireless LAN systems based on the new IEEE 802.11n standard, which promises substantial increases in speed and improved wireless coverage. Wireless network access means mobile network access; however, many of the conventional 802.11n enterprise solutions have trouble dealing with mobility on this scale. They have difficulty handling thousands of highly mobile wireless users, much less handling the network congestion when many active wireless users converge in the same area.
The Extricom Channel Blanket™ architecture was designed with mobility as a core value. An Extricom system consists of multiple APs operating on the same channel to create widespread, contiguous blankets of coverage, and a central Extricom switch coordinates AP transmissions to ensure that there is no co-channel interference. The result is wire-like connectivity with no handoffs between APs as wireless clients move around. In addition, multiple Channel Blankets can be layered on the same physical infrastructure; allowing TSTC to provide separate, dedicated networks for 802.11n devices and legacy 802.11b/g devices which enables wireless clients from both generations of the standard to operate at full speed.
For Pat Davison, TSTC Waco’s Director of Network & Telecommunication Services, the Extricom system’s innovative architecture was a clear differentiator over competing systems. “It’s really an apples-to-oranges comparison. When all the other vendors are saying ‘me too’ and arguing over the same feature set, Extricom comes along and says ‘not me.’ There was just no other vendor that dealt with contention in the manner that Extricom did.”
Beyond the tactical problems of enabling network connectivity and mobility, the wireless system is also a strategic solution to TSTC’s objective of integrating emerging technology trends into the educational curriculum and environment. “Extricom’s wireless LAN helps by furthering the classroom beyond the brick-and-mortar location, room 112, third floor,” said Davison. “Education continues wherever you happen to be at the moment with your wireless device.”
“As our largest 802.11n implementation to date, Texas State Technical College provides clear insights into how wireless technology is becoming an integral part of the higher educational landscape.” said Honoré Labourdette, Extricom’s VP of Sales North America. “It’s essential, however, that the wireless network be able to support complex, highly mobile applications while providing resilient connectivity and data speeds that rival or exceed wired networks. These traits are at the heart of what Extricom 802.11n is about, and we believe they will be critical to making the Wireless Campus a reality nationwide in the next decade.”
About Extricom
Extricom means enterprise wireless infrastructure that works. Extricom’s award-winning Channel Blanket Architecture delivers better RF coverage across the board while minimizing networking and wireless complexity. Voice, data and video applications are supported by a robust Wireless LAN infrastructure that ensures predictable service and seamless mobility in any environment. Contact them at info@extricom.com or visit www.extricom.com
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Extricom
Phil Belanger
212-240-3896
www.extricom.com
Phil Belanger
212-240-3896
www.extricom.com
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