Wi-Fi for schools: a full classroom, everyone online
Thirty students starting a digital exam at the same time. I design Wi-Fi for schools and educational institutions for capacity, not just coverage.
Designing for the busiest lesson
In a school, the number of devices per classroom drives the design. A class with thirty laptops or Chromebooks, plus phones, needs enough access points and narrow channels so classrooms do not interfere with each other. Assembly halls, gyms and lecture halls need a high-density design.
With digital exams every minute counts. The network has to work when every student logs in and downloads the same file at once.
Experience at national scale
As Lead Network Engineer I worked on a national schools network with 1,843 schools, more than 40,000 access points and 4,000 switches: operations, maintenance and monitoring of the entire Cisco infrastructure. It showed me which design choices work in the long run, and which do not.
What I design
- An access point per classroom or every other classroom, depending on construction and class size
- High-density design for assembly halls, gyms and lecture halls
- A channel plan with 20 MHz channels on 5 GHz and 6 GHz where possible
- Networks for students, staff and guests, with eduroam where it fits
- Monitoring and dashboards, so you see problems before students complain
- A validation survey after the summer installation
Occupancy of classrooms and lecture halls
With Cisco Spaces you see how classrooms, study spaces and lecture halls are really used. That supports decisions on timetables and housing, on the network you already have.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need an access point in every classroom?
Not always. In new buildings with light walls every other classroom can be enough; with concrete walls or many devices per class, one per classroom is often better. A predictive design shows the difference.
When can the installation take place?
Usually in the summer holiday. I make the design in spring, so the installer can build in summer and I validate before the school year starts.
Do you work for school boards with several schools?
Yes. For a school board I make one standard design that is adapted per school. That saves time and keeps management simple.
Also of interest
Discuss your project
Send me the floor plans and what you want to achieve. You get a scope and a fixed price back.