June 28th, 2022 10:25 am

Unique Cabling Service Project Creates Wi-Fi Model for Urban Areas Nationwide

Washington, D.C. 6/28/22 — A first of its kind system conceived and installed by Bailey Systems has brought free Wi-Fi to public housing residents in Washington, D.C. The system has changed lives by giving access to online telemedicine, remote learning, telework opportunities and more resources.

Bailey Systems provides infrastructure solutions that incorporate technology and cabling solutions. The company collaborated with local resources to bring Wi-Fi to Potomac Garden Apartments in Southeast Washington. The service reaches three buildings and 248 residents.

“The success of this initiative offers a model for providing high speed internet services in urban communities around the country,” says Joe Bailey, Bailey Systems owner.

The deployment started with Bailey Systems conducting a wireless site survey to determine if wireless signal would be able to penetrate residents’ apartments from access points located in the hallways. The results were positive and lead to the design of the wireless network.

The project was done under the city’s Internet for All initiative launched under the Biden Administration and fast tracked by Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser. The project was celebrated as a success during the district’s Technology Week.

Bailey Systems and local IT Company ETTE connected the apartment buildings via backbone fiber optic cabling.  The fiber optic cabling ensures up to 10 gigabits of data transmission between network switches. Single mode fiber optic cable was used due to the distance between buildings.

Internet provider OCTO installed a internet circuit for the project. The system is connected at a locking wall mounted network cabinet mounted on a fireproof rated backing board. The cabinet is large enough for housing an Ubiquiti firewall, a switch and a uninterruptable power supply.

The core switch is connected to other Ubiquiti Power-Over-Ethernet switches placed strategically on each floor of every building.  The switches communicate with each other via a fiber single mode cable.

“We chose Power-Over-Ethernet switches to not only provide internet connectivity but to also provide power over the copper network cables to each wireless access point in the hallways,” Bailey explains. “This reduces the power requirements and the number of cables needing to be installed.”

The technology is making a difference in residents’ well-being and lives. The system has already been replicated at Hopkins House, also in the district.