Optimizing Wi-Fi Capacity with Roaming AP Rentals During Exam Weeks

Roaming APs that are deployed on a temporary basis to add capacity is the right move when it comes to scaling Wi-Fi capacity during exam weeks, or other times, when the density of students (and associated devices) at a given location suddenly skyrocket. When examinations strike, the typical Wi-Fi setup simply cannot hold it together. More devices, more traffic and higher expectations make you reconsider things. Leasing the APs gives you the same power surge without hefty capital expenditure or a permanent alteration.

Student Density Challenges

Weeks of exams transform quiet campuses into tech emporiums. Hundreds or thousands of students downloading online materials, uploading their papers or taking exams through an online platform strain the networks that already exist to the limit. Common problems include:

• Slow connections
• Frequent disconnects
• Overloaded routers and switches
• Poor user experience

Solving these challenges isn’t as simple as adding more hardware: rather, it involves strategic placing and temporary upgrades. Purchasing new APs for a couple of weeks doesn’t make financial sense. This is where renting access points comes into its own:

• Rapid deployment
• Cost savings
• No storage or maintenance over the long term

Temporary AP Placement

The trick is getting good coverage where it matters most. Temporary APs are to be placed to cover the primary student traffic areas:

• Examination halls
• Libraries
• Study lounges
• Cafeterias

Tips on where to temp AP

• Site–survey for dead spots
• Utilize high-density AP models or devices optimized for high load.
• Mount APs on higher locations to increase coverage area of the signal
• Don’t straddle channels and interfere with others

Because you’re renting these APs, you can arrange your deployment based on exactly what you need and return the units after testing is over. The big upside here is flexibility.

Authentication & NAC

Even temporary expansions must not compromise security. This is where Network Access Control (NAC) solutions are valuable. They’re useful in letting authorized users onto the network, while also allowing for easy flow of operations.

How to keep your exams safe

• Tie in leased AP’s with current authentication method(s)
• Start a new tab with Keyoshi from any of the supported global apps – Use SSO (Single Sign-On) or federated identity for seamless login
• Apply role-based access to limit access to network resources as appropriate
• Watch for suspicious activities in your traffic in real-time

Controlling access points via NAC ensures private information is protected and unauthorized access is prevented – a key feature in exams and a scenario where academic dishonesty is in question.

License Flexibility

Yet, one of the less discussed, yet very important pieces of the news is around the AP simply being a rentals asset – software licensing. Many AP vendors associate features and capacity with licenses, which makes it complicated to set up a temporary one-off.

Here’s how to ensure licensing works during rentals

• Opt for rental service providers with adjustable licenses to suit short-term requirements
• Pay as you go/volume-based licensing Find an optometrist who offers pay as you go/volume-based licensing.
• Verify that licenses include essential security and monitoring capabilities
• Check licenses can be restored after the rental period without paying a penalty

An adequate licence planning is prevention of unexpected costs and won’t let you and your business down when usage peaks.

Decommission Process

Decommission rented APs should be easy and painless once Exam season is over. The quick take down means little waste and fast return on the equipment.

Steps to simplify decommissioning

• Time the removal for periods that don’t see much load (to prevent service degradation)
• Carefully pull rented APs without modification on the permanent network configurations
• Update network diagrams and documentation to reflect the changes
• Conduct a security audit to confirm that no rented gear is still online
• Return equipment on time to prevent late charges

An upfront decom plan also reiterates efficiency and security.

By renting access points for exam weeks, campuses have a powerful means of addressing student density challenges without overspending on permanent infrastructure. Security, and ease of deployment make THiNGSprints unique in the industry. Placement of a temporary AP in addition to strong Auth/NAC policy/s and flexible licensing/decommission makes for a secure Wi-Fi when you need it most.

AP rentals can be a lifesaver for any organization that wants to scale up Wi-Fi capacity during test periods. For exam seasons, using access points for rent ensures the flexibility, the security and cost-effectiveness in one package.