Dalian Neusoft University of Information

Establishing A Smart Campus And Onboarding With Better Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi has become a crucial component in the educational infrastructure available on today’s campuses. However, issues with network disconnections, slow download speeds and recurring login interface screens, are a constant source of frustration for students on those networks.

The Challenge

Dalian Neusoft University is a private university located in the province of Liaoning in northeast China. The university has 14 teaching institutions spread over a gross floor area of 399,000 square meters and serves over 14,000 students. The university first deployed its wireless network several years ago, and due to limited budgets, only provided fundamental wireless network access at the 802.11n/g standard. On average, one to two access points (APs) were shared by over 180 mobile devices, serving 60 to 90 users from 15 dormitory rooms on the same floor. Furthermore, it had been difficult to ensure a stable Wi-Fi signal and fast network speeds for mobile devices separated by walls. The Wi-Fi network came under great strain especially in the peak hours at night, while students on campus frequently used high-bandwidth applications, including streaming video.

"We had an urgent need to improve our network services for our teachers and students, and support our university to implement more value-added services, run analysis on big data, and provide vital reference points for the optimal management of the university," said Zou Xiang, director of the Network and Information Center of Dalian Neusoft University of Information.