.svg){kind=small}
From home to business to leisure activities, in today’s hyper-connected world, seamless and secure Wi-Fi is no longer an amenity – it’s an expectation. For Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Managed Service Providers (MSPs), managed Wi-Fi service offerings present a powerful opportunity to go beyond basic connectivity and offer high-value, revenue-generating services to commercial, and enterprise customers. With the opportunity comes challenges ranging from end-to-end network designs and Wi-Fi Access Point coverage areas to futureproofing for long-term scalability.
What does it take to empower service providers with the tools and equipment they need to build scalable and secure managed Wi-Fi networks in an efficient and cost-effective manner? Read on…
Here, There and Everywhere: Essentials for Any Managed Wi-Fi Build
In our previous blog, we covered managed Wi-Fi 101: what it is, how it works and who it benefits. Now we’d like to dig a little deeper into what it takes to implement a managed Wi-Fi deployment in a wide variety of commercially managed buildings, venues and communities.
As anyone involved in developing and implementing managed Wi-Fi systems knows, there is no cookie-cutter solution. Every building and community type – from sprawling garden-style apartments to dense high-rises, mixed-use developments, and student housing – presents unique architectural, technological, and logistical challenges that require tailored network solutions. Take a look at this graphic, which shows several examples of commercial properties where managed Wi-Fi systems can be deployed.
Before any project materials are ordered for a managed Wi-Fi deployment, the Wi-Fi coverage is designed with various software packages that generate heat maps – this process plans the location of PoE (Power over Ethernet) Access Point devices within the commercially managed building/venue. The building drawings are then overlayed with the necessary cabling, MDF (Main Distribution Frame), and IDF (Intermediate Distribution Frame) locations and interconnections, etc.
From that, a core Bill of materials (BOM) can be produced, including everything from the numbers and lengths of category and fiber cable needed from the MDF/IDF to the number of patch panels, connectors, in-unit wall plates, etc. Often the PoE category cable is a specific color to make it easy to identify versus managed Ethernet cables, which are typically both run into the same unit/area depending on the service design.
As different as each property may be physically, there are a few essentials in every managed Wi-Fi build:
• Cabinets (indoor and/or outdoor)
• Racks (in addition to, or in lieu of, cabinets when indoor)
• Optical fiber distribution and splice points
• Category cable (CAT6 / CAT6A) and patch cords
• Optical fiber and patch cords
• Category and fiber connectors
• Wireless access points (WAPs)
• Managed PoE and non-PoE Ethernet switches
• In-unit wall plates or media panels allowing in-unit centralized wiring
Installers also rely on essential tools such as Belden’s RevConnect (Reliable, Easy, and Versatile), RJ-45 crimper, rapid IDC (Insulation Displacement Contact) connections, category punch down tools, fiber scopes, fiber cleaning, and fiber splicing tools that can be used for nearly any build. RevConnect keystones and patch panels are universally used as they’re ideal for accommodating connectors, which can be snapped in based on the installer’s specific design requirements – enabling a plug and play system for installers and integrators.
3 Examples of Managed Wi-Fi Deployments
Now that we’ve covered the key tools and essentials for any managed Wi-Fi build, let’s take a closer look at three specific examples:
• Multi-dwelling units (MDUs)
• Venues
• Manufacturing and Warehousing
1. MDUs on the Rise: Managed Wi-Fi for Greenfields and Brownfields
The creation and restoration of MDUs is on an upward trend, as a larger percentage of people entering the housing market for the first time are choosing rental instead of home ownership. As more and more renters are expecting seamless, high quality Wi-Fi as part of their rental amenities, property managers are recognizing a key component to providing an excellent experience for their renters is to enhance and future-proof the digital architecture of their properties. MDUs include apartment buildings, condominiums, townhomes, dormitories, co-living spaces, retirement communities, etc. The architecture and style of these buildings and grounds are as varied as their many uses and tenants.
Greenfield Builds: Since a greenfield deployment is one or more buildings that are new construction, developers and installers can better plan out WAP locations, multi-story floor-to-floor access conduit, MDF and IDF locations and interconnecting cable runs from MDF to IDF to individual units. When construction is just starting, optical fiber and category cable can be installed before the wall and ceiling coverings are installed.
Brownfield Builds: Brownfields, which are existing buildings being upgraded, present a different set of challenges:
• Legacy infrastructure with outdated or insufficient wiring
• Limited floor-to-floor access conduit, IDF/Telecom closet space and power availability
• Potential lack of fiber or Ethernet cabling
If it’s a high-rise type building, one can likely use indoor cabinets or racks exclusively, but if it’s a landominium or garden-style property – or there’s just not enough room indoors – outdoor managed Wi-Fi enclosures may be needed. Similarly, older buildings may have less space inside or have irregularly shaped/spaced utility closets, meaning more outdoor components will be needed.
MDU communities will often have common areas and places where Wi-Fi needs to operate seamlessly from indoors to outdoors, such as clubhouses with swimming pools/decks, or for security cameras located throughout the property. For these applications, PPC has an excellent weatherproof outdoor Ethernet transition system. This Ethernet Indoor-to-Outdoor Transition System provides a reliable connection point from an indoor Ethernet network to outdoor-rated Ethernet connected equipment.
One of the most common challenges we encounter in a brownfield network build is the fact that it may not have any existing fiber or category cable – it may only have coaxial cable. Even if you have only coax to work with, there are coax repurpose solutions such as PPC’s Ethernet Bridge Connection Hubs. This Ethernet over coax with PoE solution enables full-wired ethernet services over existing coaxial cables up to 500 feet in span length at speeds up to 2.5Gig. Designed for a variety of MDU applications and configurations, the hub adapts your MDU's coax network to enable delivery of multi-Gigabit Ethernet.
With a brownfield application, you want managed Wi-Fi network solutions that allow for minimal disruption to the everyday lives of tenants and MDU owners, and solutions can be deployed easily across various types of MDUs that vary in density, scale, distance and access. In addition to the Ethernet Bridge Connection Hubs, PPC offers a variety of fiber cabling and fiber duct solutions to minimize installation time from MDF to IDF.
2. Managed Wi-Fi for Multi-Use/Retail Buildings
In places like shopping mall complexes, venues, stadiums, community centers and smart cities, managed Wi-Fi can provide a centralized, professionally maintained wireless network that serves both tenants and visitors. Each tenant would get a dedicated Service Set Identifier (SSID) that securely separates their traffic from others.
Instead of each business setting up its own internet service and Wi-Fi, the commercial property owner deploys a unified Wi-Fi system that covers the entire property, including retail units, and common areas like parking and courtyards. This network is managed by a third-party provider – typically an MSP or ISP – who handles installation, maintenance, performance monitoring, and security. The property owner can both monetize the service offering as well as promote the connectivity to visitors and guests.
3. Managed Wi-Fi for Manufacturing and Warehousing
Today's manufacturing and warehousing industries face growing pressure to deliver products and services faster and more cost-effectively. This demand is driving the adoption of automation, robotics, IoT sensors, and increased data collection to improve operational efficiency and monitor end-to-end product lifecycles. However, many of these operations lack the skilled workforce needed to deploy, operate, and maintain the robust, highly reliable, and fault-tolerant Wi-Fi networks their businesses rely on.
Like the multi-use/retail scenarios noted above, the business owner deploys a unified Wi-Fi system that covers the entire property, including indoor and outdoor areas such as loading docks, outdoor storage/staging and freight operations along with security and safety systems site-wide. This network is managed by a third-party provider – typically an MSP or ISP – who handles installation, maintenance, performance monitoring, and network security. The business owner internally utilizes the service offering and may offer connectivity to select vendors and shipping companies collaborating with the business owner.
From future-ready greenfield deployments to the complex challenges of brownfield retrofits, our robust lineup of products for managed Wi-Fi helps you connect every unit, common area, and indoor/outdoor space. When it comes to delivering reliable, scalable, and customizable managed Wi-Fi solutions, contact us to discuss your connectivity needs for every type of commercially managed building and application.
