Wireless Campus

1. Background

IEEE 802.11ax, known as Wi-Fi 6, currently marks the latest wireless network technology. It’s no longer difficult to build a wireless campus network with the Wi-Fi 6 technology, but difficult to extend its application as campus wireless networks that involve a wide range of aspects.

To build a wireless campus network with a better experience, the following aspects should be focused on:

1. Roaming—Network-wide, seamless, and imperceptible roaming experience

2. Signal—Fast and stable wireless access with low latency

3. Authentication—User-friendly, convenient, and imperceptible authentication experience

4. Feedback—Open, user-friendly, and instant feedback

5. Planning—Meticulous surveys, implementations, and scenario-based model selection, as well as reliable and high-performance network architectures

6. Management—Device O&M, network diagnostics and optimization, and complaint handling with intelligent and automated tools

7. Smart—Construction based on wireless IoT and big data

2. Solution overview

3. Solution highlights

(1) Professional cloud engineering

(2) Full-scenario AP coverage

• 16 types of Wi-Fi 6 access points for education scenarios with full coverage for campus scenarios

• Advanced Wi-Fi 6 technology for a higher rate and a larger number of accessed users

• Featured technologies for different scenarios, including BSS coloring, roaming optimization, precise roaming, RRM tuning, smart energy-saving, and conference optimization

(3) Advanced and stable network architecture

BRAS unified authentication center solution

• Integrated admission and exit

• Authentication policies based on user identities

• HTTPS redirect authentication

• Carrier-grade data processing capability

• High reliability with unique IPv6 redundancy

• Efficient authentication response

AC wireless core solution

• IRF, hot standby, dual-link and other backup methods, and unique Remote escape solution ensure wireless network connectivity.

• Wireless ACs have independent network management and authentication services in the roaming center. The wireless ACs are authenticated intelligently in the roaming scenario, which reduces authentication pressure and prevents the surging of MAC.

• It supports unified IRF management and the same public IP, and information is synchronized instantly. The wireless ACs are upgraded in sequence and the upgrade package can be pre-installed for each AP and then a batch upgrade is performed for APs by region, ensuring an advanced and stable network.

• IP addresses and MAC addresses are bound for device traceability, preventing illegal attacks. The SAVI function for cross-AC roaming and the full support of DHCPv4/v6 and SLAAC SAVI meet the requirements in various scenarios.

(4) Wireless delivery assistant service

(5) Smart and simplified O&M based on Cloudnet

Cloudnet—one-click diagnosis

• Up to 19 check items covering devices, settings, versions, and environments can be executed with one click.

• Problems of APs and ACs can be directly tracked with the causes of problems presented clearly.

• 17-year service experience in solutions for targeted problems

• A panel is provided for the whole problem-solving process from diagnosis to rectification.

Cloudnet—automatic optimization

The channel, bandwidth, and power can be optimized, and multiple experience indicators keep improving.

Cloudnet—self-healing network

Automatic network optimization covers optimization for six types of problems. The optimization logs can be viewed and the optimization results are obvious.

SeerAnalyzer—O&M with mobile phones

The app installed on a mobile phone can detect and report problems to the information center for timely processing.

(6) Construction based on wireless IoT and big data

• Open IoT platform for full interconnection among third-party devices, platforms, and service applications

• Wireless + IoT + all-purpose card, a variety of information assistants for campus decision-making

(7) Why H3C

Covering 1600 colleges and universities across the country, including universities under the "985/211" Project, H3C's solutions and products have been widely praised for their values and quality. As an excellent wireless brand in China, H3C has been dedicated to providing informationization services for the education industry.

4. Excellent practice

Tsinghua University

A high-performance coverage solution was applied to 156 buildings in the teaching and office areas and outdoors at Tsinghua University, with a total of more than 9,000 802.11ac Wave 2 APs deployed, of which more than 4,000 APs support 4×4 MU-MIMO with smart antennas and deliver high performance, and nearly 400 new spherical APs are deployed outdoors. In 2019, Tsinghua University added more than 400 802.11 ax APs. These APs are deployed in a distributed mode in 14 clusters and 32 WX5500 series ACs provide high-performance throughput and implement independent admission control of IPv4 and IPv6, building a secure wireless network.

In terms of the IoT, Tsinghua University took the lead in deploying an infrastructure management solution in 2017, which has been working well so far.

Solution benefits:

1. Implement seamless and fast roaming based on high-density coverage.

2. Take the lead in comprehensive control of IPv6 user access security.

3. Take the lead in introducing big data analysis in wireless O&M, achieve the communication pipe asset management through the IoT technology, ensure a scalable IoT for the smart campus through the platform, and use wireless data for big data analysis.

Zhejiang University

Zhejiang University deployed nearly 21,000 APs, including 802.11ac Wave 2 and 802.11ax (200+) APs, covering indoor and outdoor areas on the five campuses of Zhejiang University.

The elaborate deployment solution can meet the signal coverage requirements of different scenarios. For example, APs are installed in dormitory buildings to provide signal coverage, and the office area adopts the high-density access scheme.

The iMC-based unified management solution integrates wired, wireless, terminal, and user management.

The high-performance S12500 series switches are used as the core devices to ensure fast data exchange.

The large-scale wireless deployment solution for global universities meets the demands of seamless coverage of the basic bearer network. Based on deep integration with services, this solution creates a smart campus converged network, enabling hundreds of thousands of clients to manage the digital wireless campus network.

Hangzhou Normal University

The Cangqian Campus of Hangzhou Normal University is deployed with more than 10,000 Wi-Fi 6 APs in public areas, classrooms, offices, stadiums, outdoors, and other scenarios. With the concept of "high-speed wireless network + smart application + agile O&M", H3C designed a network solution featuring a 40G backbone network, data value-added methods of epidemic prevention and efficient O&M for the university.

First in achieving 40G backbone network + Wi-Fi 6 full coverage in Zhejiang Province

Wi-Fi 6 coverage for various scenarios and a larger magnitude

Combined with big data to fulfill epidemic prevention services that integrate tracking, positioning, and heat

University of Science and Technology Beijing

University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) joined hands with H3C Group owned by Unisplendour Corporation Limited to upgrade the campus wireless network with Wi-Fi 6, providing teachers and students with a high-quality network experience. A total of more than 4700 Wi-Fi 6 wireless APs were deployed.

H3C's WA6320H is a cost-effective panel-mounted Wi-Fi 6 AP, which not only provides a high-quality network with low latency and high bandwidth, but also effectively reduces network construction costs.

The Wi-Fi 6 AP WA6330 is deployed in the hall of the dormitory building with high-density terminals. The Wi-Fi 6 AP adopts the innovative multi-radio design concept, which increases the number of accessed users by 35%, meets the needs of high-density access during the peak time for class, and ensures uninterrupted roaming for students during the movement from their dormitory rooms to the hall of the dormitory building.

While ensuring the stability of the wireless network in the dormitory building, the high-performance outdoor WA6630X Wi-Fi 6 APs are also deployed in the outdoor areas around the dormitory building, achieving full coverage of wireless signals in the indoor and outdoor areas of the dormitory building so that students have a ubiquitous and smooth network experience.

H3C combines the Wi-Fi 6 technology with smart O&M products to break down the data barriers between different connections, associates full-scenario data for governance, and implements accurate identification, smart tuning, and automatic troubleshooting for network O&M. This makes O&M more efficient, releases network administrators from complicated O&M work, and solves the O&M difficulties of the campus wireless network.