City-wide Wi-Fi networks are sprouting up everywhere. But managing the system while keeping costs low may be the tricky bit. Diagnosing consumer problems — without a truck roll — can lower costs and improve performance.
Here are three approaches for micro-managing municipal WiFi:
- Ruckus Wireless has introduced the Ruckus Interoperability and Open Testing Program (RIOT) for the metro Wi-Fi market.
The program was developed to ensure interoperability between Ruckus beam forming clients (ideal for connecting with outdoor municipal nodes), and municipal Wi-Fi gear made by vendors like BelAir Networks, Mesh Dynamics, Motorola, Proxim, SkyPilot Networks and Tropos Networks.
“Reliably connecting indoor users to metro networks is essential to their success,” said Chuck Haas, president and CEO of MetroFi. “It’s become imperative that suppliers work together to ensure the highest level of performance and interoperability.”
Testing and interoperability is open to all manufacturers of Wi-Fi metro equipment at no cost. All testing is performed by Ruckus Wireless in real-world environments. Under the RIOT Metro program, metro partners are invited to test and validate complete end-to-end solutions, trial and tune services, ensure technical interoperability and leverage unique functionality and features to optimize higher-layer applications. Partners engage in joint marketing and sales education as well.
- PePLink, a metro WiFi client competitor to Ruckus, has an update to their large-scale CPE management system.
The PePWave Central Management System adds remote device diagnostics to save time and money in subscriber support. Google Maps integration allows service providers to observe usage patterns based on geographical areas, identify potential problems, and make informed choices on further network expansion and/or enhancements.
- NetEquality played a key role in developing Meraki’s backend management software, called Dashboard (below), which maps access points on Google Maps.
Net Equality’s management backend was developed in parallel with Meraki, the MIT spinoff making a $50 open-sourced meshed client that is designed to be simple and maintaince-free.
The goal is to provide a simple, reliable solution for low-cost internet access. NetEquality targets low-income communities. It’s designed to be a stable, inexpensive, easy-to-use solution for property managers and end users.
Hundreds of apartments in the Portland metro area are now being served by NetEquality’s Meraki solution.
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