WIRELESS FROM THE SCHOOL ROOM: Lessons Learned About Implementing Wi-Fi with K-12 Environments

Faced with a tight budget and limited IT staff, Pacific Ridge School and Highlands Elementary, needed to implement a robust wireless environment that gave students, staff and visitors complete and secure Wi-Fi coverage across their sprawling campuses in Carlsbad and San Mateo, California. Always easier said than done, like many K-12 schools, Pacific Ridge and Highlands Elementary didn't just want Wi-Fi to be a convenience, rather they wanted a reliable utility – but consumer products didn't have the features and high-end WLAN systems were too costly and cumbersome. Still, mitigating RF interference, minimizing Ethernet drops, easy installati...