Client Overview:
Summerland Farm is a large-scale fruit farm and packaging facility located near the north coast of NSW, Australia. Specializing in fresh produce, Food and Beverage and events. The farm’s operations are spread across a large outdoor area, and the packaging facility is a key part of their business. With the aim of enhancing operational efficiency and streamlining processes, Summerland Farm required a reliable Wi-Fi network for seamless connectivity between their devices, machinery, and workforce.
The Challenge:
Orchard Fresh faced several challenges with their existing network setup:
- Limited Coverage: The farm’s large outdoor area and the packaging facility had limited Wi-Fi coverage, making it difficult for employees and equipment to stay connected while performing tasks in remote locations.
- High Interference: The presence of heavy machinery and other equipment caused interference that disrupted Wi-Fi signals and affected network reliability.
- Scalability Issues: As the farm expanded, the network struggled to accommodate the increasing number of connected devices, including inventory tracking systems, security cameras, and machinery.
- Network Reliability: The existing network had frequent outages and slow speeds, particularly during peak work hours, which affected overall productivity.
The Solution:
Sydco Networks developed a comprehensive Wi-Fi design that addressed the unique needs of Orchard Fresh Farms. Key elements of the solution included:
- Site Survey and Planning: A detailed site survey was conducted across the farm and packaging facility to identify coverage gaps and potential interference points. This ensured that the network design would provide optimal coverage across the entire facility, including outdoor and indoor spaces.
- Outdoor Access Points: To cover the vast outdoor farm area, Sydco Networks deployed weather-resistant outdoor access points (APs). These APs were strategically placed on poles and buildings to extend the Wi-Fi signal over the farm, providing connectivity for mobile devices, sensors, and equipment.
- High-Density Access Points in the Packaging Facility: The packaging facility had a high concentration of employees and devices, so high-density indoor APs were installed to handle the demand for simultaneous connections and avoid congestion.
- Mesh Network Design: A mesh network architecture was implemented to ensure seamless handoff between access points as devices moved across the farm and packaging facility. This allowed for continuous connectivity without dropouts or interruptions, even in areas with high interference.
- Wi-Fi 6 Technology: The design incorporated the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology to provide faster speeds, lower latency, and better support for a growing number of connected devices.
- Network Monitoring and Management: A centralized network management system was deployed, allowing the IT team at Orchard Fresh to monitor network performance in real-time, manage access points, and quickly troubleshoot any connectivity issues.
- Security and Access Control: A robust security framework was implemented, including encrypted traffic, secure guest access, and network segmentation to ensure the safety of sensitive business data and prevent unauthorized access.
Results:
The new Wi-Fi design brought several key benefits to Summerland Farm:
- Improved Coverage: The outdoor access points provided seamless coverage across the farm, allowing employees to stay connected while working in remote areas or moving between different parts of the facility.
- Enhanced Network Performance: Wi-Fi 6 technology and high-density APs improved the speed and reliability of the network, enabling faster data transfer, real-time tracking, and smoother operation of the packaging facility.
- Scalability: The network was designed to handle future growth, accommodating additional devices and infrastructure as the farm expanded.
- Increased Productivity: With reliable connectivity, Orchard Fresh employees could more efficiently use mobile devices, track inventory, and monitor operations, reducing downtime and improving productivity.
- Better Security: The secure network ensured that sensitive data and business communications remained protected, with proper access control and encrypted traffic.
Conclusion:
The Wi-Fi design for Summerland Farm enhanced the farm’s operations by providing a reliable, scalable, and secure network that supported both the outdoor farm area and the packaging facility. With seamless connectivity, Orchard Fresh was able to improve productivity, streamline operations, and future-proof their network infrastructure as the business grew.
