One Campus, Many Network Environments: Oberon's Solutions for Education

The educational campus, whether K-12 or in higher education, presents unique challenges when it comes to deploying a wireless network. Classrooms, auditoriums, hospitals, stadiums, residence halls, courtyards, cafeterias, and office spaces require vastly different solutions for addressing wireless density, ease of access, physical security, and aesthetics. Oberon is your full-campus solution for proper installation of wireless access points.

Classrooms and Offices

Density, security, and ease of authorized access are key to network deployments in both classrooms. High-traffic, media-heavy use requires a large number of WAPs installed in precise locations and with proper settings to offer maximum reliability with minimal interference.

A large number of access points hanging from the ceiling grid is not visually appealing. Oberon’s 1040 and 1044 series access point mounts recess the AP into the ceiling (much like recessed lighting), providing for an aesthetic professional installation.

An access point clipped into the ceiling can easily be moved, disconnected, or stolen, throwing off instructors’ plans and creating unnecessary expense. Recessing the AP into the ceiling helps to insure the reliability of this mission-critical resource.

In corridors and hard ceiling areas without a drop ceiling or a high ceiling, Oberon’s right-angle brackets provide a great solution for mounting the AP in the preferred horizontal orientation, at the desired height.

Lecture Halls and Auditoriums

Lecture halls and auditoriums create a challenge for the wireless designer, with large numbers of client devices simultaneously connecting to the wireless network. High ceilings and wide open spaces without walls further complicate the design. Oberon offers AP and antenna mounting solutions to help the wireless designer and installer provide optimal wireless coverage.

The Model 1013 is an AP wall mount with articulating antenna mount. APs and directive antennas from leading AP vendors are attached to the mount, and the antenna can be pointed to create desired zones of coverage.

The Model 1020 compact NEMA 4 AP enclosure is small enough to be mounted directly beneath the seating, providing an extra degree of design flexibility for the wireless designer and installer. The 1020 protects the AP from spilling liquids, power washing, and weather.

Residence Halls

Many residence halls now host an AP in every room to provide the wireless connectivity and throughput required by students. APs may be mounted on the ceiling, wall or, in some cases, the closet. Oberon’s Model 1017 and 1018 access point enclosures are designed to provide an extra degree of protection for the access point in residence hall rooms, hallways, lounges, common areas, and cafeterias.

Hospitals and Laboratories

Hospitals and laboratory facilities have special requirements for air quality. In many cases, lifting ceiling tiles to access the plenum space involves “tenting” the area to prevent dust and fungal spores from contaminating an otherwise clean space. Similarly, poking holes for data cables to connect to ceiling grid strung APs is undesirable, as these holes are a pathway for airborne pathogens.

Oberon’s hard ceiling and suspended ceiling AP enclosures provide a convenient way to mount and secure the access point without lifting ceiling tiles. Oberon’s Model 1046 and 1047 series enclosures are 2’ x 2’ ceiling tile replacements, with a solid dust resistant back-box, permitting access to the AP without tenting, and simplifying ICRA compliance. Interchangeable locking doors are designed for most vendors’ APs.

Oberon’s Model 1042 (old construction) and 1043 (new construction) hard ceiling mounts are designed to recess the AP in hard ceiling areas, much like recessed lighting. These products also have a solid back-box, creating a barrier between the plenum space and the patient area. Interchangeable trim pieces are available for most vendors’ APs.

Outdoors and Courtyards

WiFi coverage is expected outdoors in courtyards, parks and green spaces. Oberon offers a large number of solutions to protect APs from the elements in these locations.

Oberon’s Model 1020-RAB is a compact NEMA 4 AP enclosure with a right-angle bracket. The 1020-RAB can be mounted on exterior walls, or with the Pole Mount Kit, fastened to light poles. The right-angle bracket places the AP in the preferred horizontal orientation.

Oberon’s WiFi bollard is a 54” tall non metallic bollard designed to conceal indoor and outdoor APs and antennas from most vendors. The bollard can be placed virtually anywhere wireless coverage is needed outdoors.

Stadiums and Entertainment Venues

Stadiums are often an integral part of the personality of an educational campus, and while they may all contain the same basic items, the details of each structure can be very unique. A one-size-fits-all solution may not address all wireless access point needs, which may include placement under seats where spills and impacts are likely, protection in a variety of temperatures and weathers, coverage requirements for extreme traffic loads, the need for directional antennas, and other issues which differ from venue to venue.

Oberon has worked closely with network designers and technicians of major education institutions and sports venues, and has found that tested reliability and customization, while seemingly contradictory, are both requirements of most, if not all, large-scale stadium deployments. In response, Oberon has developed a number of flexible, NEMA-rated enclosures suitable for a wide variety of outdoor venue deployments, and has readied its team of professional engineers to ensure a solution will be available, or designed, to fit your venue’s specific needs.

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