March 2005 — Applications
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Florida University Deploys Optical Wireless Solution
An ensuing features and benefits analysis between the two connectivity platforms resulted in LightPointe surpassing the competing company as the optimal method for extending our university’s campus LAN. Not only did the FlightLite deliver up to 155 Mbps of full-duplex bandwidth in comparison to the 100 Mbps rival bridge, but the license-free optical wireless system was completely immune from radio interference, making it a more secure alternative.
Perhaps the most compelling argument, however, was in analyzing price-per-bit differences between the two solutions. The LightPointe optical wireless product offered higher bandwidth at half the total cost of the competing WLAN bridge, giving us far greater value. When compared to Wi-Fi and other radio-based alternatives (in properly planned and suitable environments) optical wireless clearly provided increased bandwidth that better leveraged the university’s technology budget.
At 9.9 lbs., the compact FlightLite is easy to install and operate, especially since the system is a physical layer 1 transport device that seamlessly connects to network hubs, switches and routers. As a result, the university avoided all the problems and limitations previously experienced with its Wi-Fi bridge.
The Benefits
Barry University reaped immediate benefits from its FlightLite installation. Operation is straightforward and the absence of packet-processing elements makes it simpler to troubleshoot than a Wi-Fi bridge. Most important, the LightPointe system is faster and more dependable than its Wi-Fi predecessor. In fact, the LightPointe optical wireless system is 20 times faster than the university’s previous Wi-Fi bridge.
Our university easily maintains 99% network availability with its FSO solution, whereas the radio solution was up only 85% of the time. And since Miami Shores is a coastal area prone to tropical storms and heavy rain, the university’s DoIT team kept the old Wi-Fi bridge in place as a backup for the LightPointe gear. But despite strong storms that have moved through the area, the university has rarely needed to use the radio as an alternate because the LightPointe optical wireless solution continues to perform flawlessly.
Since installing its first optical wireless system several years ago, Barry University has deployed two more FlightLite units in order to extend the campus LAN to include additional remote buildings. In the long run, LightPointe’s highly economical FlightLite optical wireless products provide a flexible foundation accommodating continual growth, while ensuring our university stays connected to mission-critical applications.
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