Summary of Part 1: Isaacs on the Quay WiFi Upgrade
In the first part of this case study, Multithread was approached by Isaacs on the Quay, a client with a waterfront location in Ipswich, to enhance their wireless networking infrastructure.
Isaacs faced issues with outdated WiFi setup leading to inadequate coverage and deadspots, negatively impacting their customer experience.
Multithread proposed conducting a WiFi site survey to map coverage and identify dead zones. They also recommended a thorough inspection of Isaacs’ existing wireless network components, suspecting that obsolete equipment and technology were partly to blame for the poor WiFi performance.
Given that Isaacs’ equipment was nearly a decade old, Multithread suggested upgrading to Alta Labs WiFi 6 access points, offering improved throughput and capacity, ideal for a bustling venue like Isaacs.
The proposed solutions included a full WiFi site survey in Ipswich, equipment inspection, and an upgrade to state-of-the-art WiFi 6 technology.
What Multithread Installed:
24 x Alta Labs AP6-Pro WiFi 6 access points
2 x VLANs
These WiFi 6 access points were ideal for ensuring maximum throughput, extensive area coverage, and support for a high number of concurrent users.
The Alta Labs AP6 Pro, with an IP54 rating, offers protection against light water sprays and particulates. It features advanced 4096-QAM modulation technology, enabling throughput rates significantly higher than standard access points.
The Location:
Isaacs on the Quay, located along the revitalised Ipswich waterfront, is steeped in history, with its roots stretching back to medieval times.
The complex, comprising Grade I and II listed buildings, traces its origins to between 1430 and 1550, featuring medieval and Tudor architecture.
Today, Isaacs on the Quay encompasses approximately 31,000 square feet, including about 63 rooms, 4 outdoor spaces, a marquee, spans 3 floors, features 7 bars, and can accommodate over 200 customers during peak times.
Returning to Isaacs for the Results:
Multithread returned to Isaacs after installing 24 new Alta Labs AP6-Pro access points – we wanted to ensure that our client was experiencing an improved service and better WiFi coverage for their customers.
This survey allowed us to see areas where WiFi coverage had been improved and whether the install had been a success (spoiler alert – it was).
In the photos below, we wanted to show where the Alta Labs APs had been installed, also the fact that they are very hard to spot – a stealth install, which maintained the heritage look of the Isaacs on the Quay premises, while providing much improved WiFi coverage.
Isaacs Floorplans (Revisited):
Here, we revisit the Isaacs floorplans, just as a reminder of how the building is laid out, and where the areas of interest are.
Attention was given to zones with a significant number of users and key locations in need of enhanced WiFi connectivity. This setup is designed to maximise data transmission efficiency and accommodate a high volume of concurrent user connections.
WiFi Site Survey – Original Results (Before Upgrade):
Here is a reminder of the first set of results from our WiFi site survey, conducted over 3 floors – Ground Floor, First Floor, Second Floor.
And to reiterate that the ORANGE and RED areas have a STRONG signal, GREEN is GOOD signal strength, TURQUOISE and BLUE areas have a POOR signal strength.
WiFi Site Survey – Final Results (After Upgrade):
Here are the final results – it’s worth noting that all areas where strong WiFi signal strength was important have been improved.
And to reiterate that the RED/ORANGE = EXCELLENT, GREEN = VERY GOOD, TURQUOISE/BLUE = POOR.
*Any areas that are still BLUE (poor) are in places where there is no coverage available (or needed) due to an open air courtyard space and is not surveyed.
Conclusion:
After conducting our second WiFi site survey (shown above) – Multithread and the team were extremely pleased with the results – overall WiFi signal strength had been significantly improved across the whole site (on all 3 floors).
You can see from the heatmaps, that the red and orange areas have increased in size (which is good), meaning the improved WiFi signals are covering more of the premises.
We asked the Isaacs team what they had to say:
“We’ve not had the previous issues with deadspots and flakey WiFi coverage, since the new Alta Labs APs have been in place.”“Known deadspots are now covered and no longer an issue.”“The WiFi coverage certaintly seems to be more reliable than before!”“I wasn’t aware it had already switched over, but thought that it had been much better the last month or so.”