Keenan Systems Hotel Wi-Fi guide v1.3

You can download a PDF of this guide here

Wi-Fi is changing the hospitality industry. It is shifting the way hotels run business and market themselves — and frequently it’s a key factor in how guests decide where to stay and whether they’ll come back.

Hotel Managers know they need to offer Wi-Fi to their customers, however they are also very cost conscience. 

This creates a set of opportunities and challenges for the systems integrator doing the installation and ongoing support for these networks. 

Many hotel operators first attempt to use consumer products such as Ubiquity, Linksys, D-Link & Netgear Wi-Fi equipment. Quickly the hotel manager and system integrator realize that SOHO routers, which are designed to support 1-3 users with low powered radios (under 50mW), just don’t perform well in this type of environment. 

Keenan Systems can now offer network systems integrators a centrally managed high powered business class Wi-Fi solutions.  We offer best in class Wi-Fi products from EnGenius Technologies and Ruckus Networks.  We have cloud and controller based management solutions we can help you decide what is best for your situation.

EnGenius has a new line of cloud managed AP’s and switches here.  With a cloud managed AP like the Wi-Fi 6  ECW230 you configure manage and monitor the AP settings on website changes are automatically pushed to the device from the cloud.  Some of the advantages of this are you can maintain multiple sites from one interface you do not need to worry about firmware updates and if you need to replace a AP you can do so remotely you just need someone on site to plug in a new device and send you the serial number.  The same goes for cloud managed switches like the  24 port PoE ECS1528FP your can configure, monitor traffic and check status on switch ports as well as cycle PoE power to reboot a remote device.   Cloud managed devices do usually come with a yearly license fee per device but the EnGenius cloud is free for the life of the product there is an optional pro license for advanced features.  Another great cloud managed AP for hotels is the Ruckus R550 it has the advantage of smart antenna design and can handle hundreds of connections. 

Once you try a cloud deployment you will never go back to on site controller based system. You can setup a free cloud account on the engenius cloud portal and even configure a network before purchasing any hardware. One of the advantages of ruckus AP’s is you can convert most zondirector managed AP’s to cloud by just flashing the firmware. You can also request a free ruckus cloud demo license here.

Some of the advantages of a cloud based systems are. You can remotely monitor, manage and troubleshoot with the cloud website and app. Cloud based PoE switches give you even further troubshooting ability you can remotely power cycle a switch port if an AP is not responding and verify port connections and link speeds. You can even run a remote packet capture with an engenius ECS switch. Firmware updates are also managed by the cloud so all devices will be up to date. Additional features can be added to the cloud so you Wi-Fi systems gets better with more capabilities all the time.

Some of the disadvantage of cloud managed AP’s is your site will need a active Internet connection to manage them and there is sometimes a charge for the cloud license as with Ruckus Cloud. However cloud managed AP’s will continue working with their current configuration even if the Internet is down or the cloud license is expired.

 Most hospitality customers are now moving to cloud management for AP’s and Switches however some still want to maintain a on site controller. The  EnGenius Neutron Manged EWS377AP are 800mW 11ax Wi-Fi 6 access points with 2.5 gigabit ethernet. The coverage is 3-times greater than consumer wireless routers and more powerful than the enterprise class access points from Cisco Systems. The units are feature rich and includes multiple SSID, VLAN tagging, SNMP and Power Over Ethernet for flexible deployment.  They can be managed by any of the engenius EWS switches like the EWS5912FP which can also power the AP’s via PoE and provide gigabit connectivity. The   EnGenius Neutron Manged EWS377AP also supports the free Engenius EZmaster virtual appliance for management and monitoring of larger networks.  There is also an outdoor version EnGenius EWS850AP which can extend the wireless network outdoors or be used to bridge remote buildings.   Another great controller managed AP for hotels is the Ruckus R750 it is a 4×4 Wi-Fi 6 AP and can be  managed by the zonedirector 1205 or smartzone 100 controllers. 

Some of the advantages of a controller based system are. On site controller based systems are quick to react to changes and can monitor channel changes and power output more precisely.  Controller based systems are very hands off so once you configure them for the hotel you will rarely need to make changes.

Some of the disadvantages of controller based systems are. To manage them you will need to remote into the network or use a VPN to troubleshoot or make changes.  Many times this requires a service visit with a truck roll. Software updates can be hard the controller firmware must match the AP firmware. So adding additional AP’s or replacing failed units can be time consuming. The controller is a single point of failure although they are vey reliable if they do fail the Wi-Fi is going to be down.

With a flood of 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) clients coming on the market every day like iPhone 11 , iPad, Samsung Galaxy S10 and Microsoft Surface it is a good idea to boost you capacity with a Wi-Fi 6  AP’s like the ECW230  or  Ruckus R750.  Users are now carrying 5 plus devices that need access to fast WiFi.  By offering them the 5Ghz band you are doubling capacity and eliminating dropped connections you might see on 2.4Ghz band.  If you have a situation with many users in one place like a outdoor bar or indoor conference room a Wi-Fi 6 AP can fix a slow WiFi situation.

The 6Ghz band has now been opened up with the new Wi-Fi standard Wi-Fi 6E. There is a huge new spectrum of interference free channels available with multi gigabit speeds. Two new AP’s that support Wi-Fi 6E are the engenius ECW336 and ruckus R760.

Environment is always a factor when discussing wireless connectively. The hotel’s construction, size and location are some contributing factors, which will determine the wireless coverage for each hotel. These factors determine how radio frequencies travel through and around obstacles which will vary for every hotel installation. 

The first step of any successful installation is a site survey you at a minimum need spectrum analyzer like the Ekahau Sidekick  to determine if the air is noise free and to do channel allocation.  Engenius also has new security AP’s with built in dedicated scanning radios and spectrum analyzers.

For more advanced site survey we recommend Ekahau Site Survey Pro with the capability of displaying coverage on a heat map of your floorplan.  Ekahau Site Survey Pro  also has a sophisticated predictive site planner so you can determine how many AP’s your hotel will need with just a floor plan see example below

Below are sample hotel configurations:

Concrete walls with metal rebar pose the biggest problems for WiFi coverage so positioning the access points in a central hallway is usually best. The ECW230 is a smoke detector like device that can be ceiling mounted it fits into any area.  The access points in the below diagram should be configured on non overlapping channels 1, 6 and 11. For the maximum coverage put the ECW230 in 20MHz only mode and 80Mhz mode on the 5.8Ghz interface.   The SSID of all access points can be set to the same this allow seamless roaming between bands and AP’s so users can walk from one area to another. Power Over Ethernet, which provides power and data to the access point, allow system integrators to conveniently install the access points anywhere in the hotel. Approximately 300ft of Ethernet cable can be run from the PoE switch or injector to the AP. 

When using the engenius cloud controller to manage the network you also add features like captive portal authentication, seamless roaming and  channel and power adjustment.  You can also control the entire network from one web interface and app whether you are local or remote to the site.

Engenius also has a wall plate AP the  ECW215 this combines a wired 2 port gigabit switch and a dual band 11ax Wi-Fi 6 AP in one.  If your hotel is prewired with cat5e ethernet in the walls to each room these will make install a snap.    These are also good to use if you have a heavy stone or metal walls where hallway mounted AP’s will not penetrate into the rooms.

In the example below we have a floor plan with open balconies and large windows.  In this situation it is sometime easier to use outdoor access points like the  ECW260  Power over ethernet is used to supply power and data from the indoor wiring closet. The access point can be pole mounted in the courtyard outside the rooms again on non overlapping channels and will cover 1-3 floors. 

In the example below we have a high end resort, apartment or condo WiFi example with remote buildings.  It may be expensive to run Ethernet between buildings in this case the Dual Radio ECW260  with meshing can be used.  The main ECW260   would be put in access point mode on the 2.4Ghz radio with mesh backhaul on the 5Ghz radio,  The 5Ghz radio will be used to connect to the remote access points while the 2.4Ghz radio can be used for user connection around the office.  The remote ECW260 will have the 5Ghz radio in mesh mode to connected back to the main AP and for 5Ghz clients to connect to,  While the 2.4Ghz radio is used for client access.   The SSID of the remote buildings can be different or the same as the office,  The 5.8Ghz SSID should be different and named something like “fast WiFi” so 5Ghz clients will connect to it first.  You can enable meshing from the engenius cloud portal under radio settings.

In the last example we have a hotel with guest rooms, bar and a pool areas.  The ECW230 can be used in the indoor locations wired back to the cloud managed  ECS2512FP multi gigabit PoE switch switch which is then connected to your router.  In the outdoor areas the two  ECW260   one can be wired into the building and the other can be used in mesh mode extending WiFi into the pool area without wires.  

Contact us for more questions or price quotes

keenanj@keenansystems.com

860 748 4110 

You can download a PDF of this guide here

Using Wi-Fi 6 to Bridge At Gigabit Speed with the EnGenius ECW230

One of the advantages of Wi-Fi 6 is faster speeds and distance. Mesh access points can take advantage of these increased speeds as well as client devices. Once you have a access point connected to Wi-Fi mesh you can then use it’s wired port to connect to a device or switch to extend a network inside or between buildings.

I did some testing with two of the EnGenius ECW230 V3’s a 4×4 Wi-Fi 6 access point with 2.5Gb ethernet port. I used a laptop with a 5Gb Sabrent USB 3 ethernet adapter and external power supply for the ECW230. The other ECW230 was connected to a EnGenius ECS2512FP 2.5Gb PoE switch my desktop was also connected to this switch at 10Gb using a SPF+ twinax cable.

I setup a hidden SSID on the EnGenius cloud and deployed it to both ECW230’s. This way there are no client devices connected and we will get full throughput. I used iPerf on both computers to test speed.

I first tested at 5 feet and was able to maintain close to 1Gbps.

Next I tested at 50 feet with multiple walls in between the AP’s I was able to maintain 350Mbps.

So another advantage of Wi-Fi 6 access points is they make a great bridge. You could also use the outdoor ECW260‘s to bridge between two buildings at fast speeds. More information on the ECW230 here

EnGenius release Multi-Gig Network Switches to Support Wi-Fi 6 Faster Speeds.

EnGenius has release two new Multi-Gig ethernet switches to support the ever increasing demand of Wi-Fi devices. With many Wi-Fi 6 client devices already being used networks are experiencing much more traffic than even a year ago. By upgrading your network switches to Multi-Gig you can more than double their capacity while using your existing CAT5e or CAT6 cabling. On top of that many of today’s Wi-Fi 6 access points require more power than legacy units to operate at full capacity.

The ECS2512FP supports PoE standard 802.3af/at/bt so they will work with new Wi-Fi 6 Access Points as well as legacy AP’s, Phones, IP Cameras and other devices. The ECS2512FP also has a 240W power budget to support even the most power hungry devices. This switch supports 10/100/1000/2500 Mbps on all copper ports to handle Wi-Fi 6 AP’s with many clients. The ECS2512 is the non PoE version you can use it to upgrade your switch to switch links to 2.5Gbps using existing cables or boost the speeds of workstations and servers without upgrading to expensive fiber. Both of these switches have free cloud management and a 2 year warranty.

The ECS2512FP and ECS2512 are available for purchase now click here for more information.

Battle of the Wi-Fi 6 phones S10 vs iPhone 11 which is fastest?

I now have both a Samsung Galaxy S10e and a iPhone 11 pro in house along with some of the best Wi-Fi 6 access points. I wanted to compare speeds at 3 locations in my home using iPerf and see what the differences are when connecting to a 4×43 Wi-Fi 6 Access Point the EnGenius ECW230.

I setup the ECW230 on a clear 5Ghz 80Mhz channel in my office and first tested at 5 feet away sitting in a Qi charger. The iPhone averaged 550Mbps while the S10 averaged 650Mbps. The difference was the iPhone speed was very consistent while the S10 started lower and ramped up.

iPhone
iPhone 11 Pro 5 feet from AP on charger
S10e 5 feet from AP on charger

Next I moved the handsets to a position 25 feet away with line of sight to the ECW230 . The iPhone averaged 325Mbps and the S10 about 360Mbps again the iPhone was more consistent.

iPhone 11 Pro 25 feet from AP
S10 25 feet from AP

Lastly I moved the phones 50 feet away from the ECW230 there were several walls in between. Here the iPhone won out it averaged 90Mbps while the S10 did 45Mbps.

iPhone 11 Pro 50 feet from AP
S10 50 feet from AP

The good news is Wi-Fi 6 clients perform really well at range and we have even seen speed improvements in Wi-Fi 5 Clients connecting to a Wi-Fi 6 Access Point. Even at 50 feet there is still plenty of throughput to stream 4K Ultra HD with HDR on Netflix (25Mbps).

It is also a great time to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 with the 2 major phone brands supporting it. We have the ECW230 in stock here it is cloud manged and is great for business or home use.

EnGenius Cloud Managed Wi-Fi System Demo Video

If you are currently using Cloud managed Access Points and are sick of paying the cloud license fees then EnGenius cloud managed Wi-Fi is for you. These are business class Access Points and Switches with great capacity and features. Don’t pay another year of renewals on old hardware that just works ok when you can get the latest Wi-Fi 6 Access Points now.

I made a short video demonstrating some of the features of the EnGenius Cloud managed Wi-Fi system.

For the latest in Wi-Fi 6 check out the ECW230 here this is a 4×4 Wi-Fi 6 AP it can be powered by a 802.3at PoE switch like the ECS1112FP here.  We have does extensive testing and the advantages or Wi-Fi 6 are clear see my blog posts here.  These would be great for hotels, schools, and any high density public venu.

EnGenius did a stress test on the Wi-Fi 6 AP’s and cloud controller at 2020 new years eve party in Taiwan with over 20,000 visitors click here to see the video.

For a great general purpose cloud managed AP see the ECW120 here it can be powered by any 802.3af PoE switch like the cloud managed ECS1008P here.  We have used these in restaurants and hotels with great success.

Click here to see all the EnGenius Cloud managed AP’s and switches.

Please use this form to contact me. You can also email keenanj@keenansystems.com or call me at 860 748 4110

Exactly How Fast is the Wi-Fi 6 in the iPhone 11?

With the release of the iPhone 11 it will quickly push the installed base of Wi-Fi 6 clients over 180 million by 2020. We know that the iPhone 11 pro and max have a 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11ax Wi-Fi chipset. So how fast is it exactly?

To figure this out I started with 2 of the best Wi-Fi 6 Access Points currently on the market the EnGenius EWS377AP and the Ruckus R730. I took the iPhone out of it’s case connected to power and held horizontal at about 5 feet from the AP for the fastest speeds. I used a IPerf server on a iPhone 11 pro and a JPerf client on gigabit wired desktop and here are the results.

First I tested with the EnGenius EWS377AP it is a 4×4 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 6 AP. I averaged 800Mbps with spikes as high as 845Mbps.

Next I tested against the Ruckus R730 it is a 8×8 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 6 AP. I averaged 750Mbps with spikes over 800Mbps.

So how does this compare to the iPhone 10 with a Wi-Fi 5 chipset? You can see my testing here it averaged around 600Mbps so we are getting a solid 200Mbps gain with the iPhone 11! This is similar to what I saw with the Samsung Galaxy S10.

Short range speed is one advantage of Wi-Fi 6 but another one of the real benefits is increased speed at distance see my testing here.

For more information on the Wi-Fi 6 AP’s I used during this testing go here

EnGenius SkyKey brings your managed Wi-Fi system into the cloud

The EnGenius Skykey is a hybrid cloud device running the ezMaster Access Point and Switch management software. The Skykey is is a PoE powered device connect it to a switch for both power and data it has a secondary ethernet port, a micro SD slot for local backups, and a magnet for easy mounting .

If you are already running ezMaster you can backup your configuration and load it into the Skykey . The Skykey will manage up to 100 devices you can access it remotely from the EnGenius Cloud or by local IP address. And as with all EnGenius cloud devices there is no subscription fee!

Once the SkyKey is configured you can onboard Access Points and switches across multiple sites with projects and AP groups.

The EnGenius Skykey is now shipping click here for more information