Extend Wireless Coverage for Entertainment Venues

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The Challenge

Rolling Stone is a well-known Milan disco, whose wide dancing hall is sometimes used for concerts. The disco staff, but also special guests and visiting journalists, often need to access the Internet to download web pages or email when they sit or walk through the concert hall.

It’s a large space, whose side is about 40 meters long, made up of a stage, the dancing area, and the gallery. The only possible connection to the local cabled network, and from there to the Internet, is located in a very small room, next to a corridor by the stage. It’s an unthinkable solution for a comfortable and easy access to Internet resources.

This is the typical situation where a wireless network is the best possible solution solution. Nevertheless, several factors challenged the success of the installation. First of all, the size of the hall and the difficult location of the small room where the router is, due to the presence of three thick walls between it and the hall. Another problem was that several metal structures, such as the frames used to support the lights, could interfere with wireless transmissions.

The Solution

Technician Simone Cirica, owner of Computer Nopanic, in cooperation with Technogate, decided to implement a solution based on the USRobotics MAXg line of products, namely an Wireless MAXg Access Point USR5451A and a Wireless MAXg Range Extender USR5441A. The access point was positioned next to their existing Ethernet router, in the small room with Internet access. Its wireless signal proved to be strong enough to go through the three walls and reach the other side of the hall. On occasions when the whole hall needs coverage, a Range Extender, which is located further into the hall is powered on. The repeater location was chosen to keep it away from guests, and safe from strangers.

The Benefits

It is now possible to connect to the Internet from every point of the concert hall and the gallery. The room with the router was so small that even the presence of two people, with their laptops, would make a crowded workspace. The power of the MAXg wireless signal, although compliant with the existing regulations, guarantees good coverage throughout the concert hall, allowing users to move freely while continually maintaining access to Internet resources.

The wireless network is turned off when public events take place. Since access to the network is only allowed to staff or known and reliable visitors, it has not been necessary to install an infrastructure for authorization and monitoring of network traffic. The MAXg wireless solution provides for advanced security, including authentication, should policy changes occur in the future.

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