Client Overview:
Hilgay Care Home, located in Burgess Hill, is dedicated to providing high-quality care and ensuring the safety and well-being of its residents. With an increasing reliance on technology for enhanced care solutions, Hilgay Care Home sought to upgrade their WiFi infrastructure to support state-of-the-art systems that promote resident safety and comfort.
The Challenge:
The care home was faced with a critical need to improve their WiFi coverage to support new technologies, including smart lighting systems that can detect falls. These fall detection systems require a stable and reliable WiFi connection to function effectively, ensuring that any incidents are quickly noticed and help is immediately dispatched.
At the time, the home had basic WiFi coverage with a few existing access points. However, this setup was inadequate for their needs. The WiFi network was shared among all residents and staff, leading to bandwidth congestion, slow speeds, and frequent connectivity issues. Given the growing importance of smart technology in the home and the requirement for uninterrupted WiFi access, this outdated infrastructure was not sufficient to meet the demands of modern care solutions.
The Solution:
We were approached by Hilgay Care Home to provide an upgrade that would meet their growing needs for reliable connectivity. The solution we implemented focused on increasing WiFi coverage, improving network stability, and ensuring sufficient bandwidth for all users, while sticking to their preferred brand, TP-Link.
- WiFi 6 Upgrade: The first step was to replace the existing access points with TP-Link’s latest WiFi 6 (802.11ax) technology. WiFi 6 provides higher throughput, improved range, and better performance in environments with high device density. This upgrade not only enhanced the overall network speed but also provided the necessary support for multiple devices connected simultaneously without compromising performance.
- Extending Coverage: We extended the coverage area by installing additional access points across the care home, ensuring that every corner of the building, including all rooms, communal areas, and outdoor spaces, had a strong and stable WiFi signal. The additional access points were strategically placed to eliminate dead zones and provide seamless coverage, which was essential for the operation of the fall-detection lighting system.
- Bandwidth Management with Throttling: To prevent network congestion and ensure that critical systems such as the fall-detection lights received the necessary bandwidth, we implemented bandwidth throttling. This feature allows the network to prioritize essential services, like the lighting system, while managing the usage of less critical devices. By controlling bandwidth usage, we ensured that all residents and staff had access to reliable internet without the risk of slowdowns or interruptions in service.
The Benefits:
The improvements we made to Hilgay Care Home’s network infrastructure delivered a number of key benefits:
- Reliable Fall Detection System: With the upgraded WiFi, the smart lighting system now functions flawlessly. The lights are able to detect falls in real-time and immediately notify staff, which helps to improve the safety of residents and ensure timely responses in emergencies.
- Improved Network Speed and Stability: The WiFi 6 technology and expanded coverage drastically improved internet speeds and eliminated connectivity issues throughout the care home. Residents and staff now experience a fast, stable, and seamless connection, even during peak usage times.
- Optimized Bandwidth Management: With bandwidth throttling in place, the network ensures that critical systems, such as fall detection, receive priority access to the internet. This prevents congestion and ensures that important services are always functional.
- Future-Proof Infrastructure: The upgraded WiFi 6 infrastructure provides Hilgay Care Home with the capacity to handle future technologies and devices, ensuring that the care home can continue to innovate and provide the best care for its residents.
Conclusion:
At My Tech Team, we understand the critical role technology plays in the healthcare sector. Our work with Hilgay Care Home demonstrates how a well-designed network infrastructure can significantly enhance the safety, comfort, and efficiency of care homes. By upgrading their WiFi to WiFi 6, extending coverage, and implementing bandwidth management, we were able to help Hilgay Care Home implement a cutting-edge fall detection system and improve the overall connectivity experience for their residents and staff.
