THOUSAND OAKS, CA--(Marketwired - Jan 28, 2014) - Xirrus, the leading provider of high-performance wireless networks, today announced the deployment of its Wireless Arrays at the Port of Anacortes, which promotes the economic development for Anacortes and surrounding areas. The port's selection of Xirrus enabled it to overcome the limitations of its existing Wi-Fi infrastructure that was unable to withstand harsh marine conditions including water, wind and fog. Administrators at the port contracted Xirrus partner EPI Networks to design and deploy a Xirrus network that was suited for the challenging climatic conditions typical at the Port of Anacortes.
"People come to the port to get away from the chaos of the city, but they don't want to be disconnected from their loved ones," said Chris Craig, owner of EPI Networks, the Xirrus partner that designed and implemented the network. "Boaters, their guests and families want to browse the web, stream videos and share their experiences on social media. The Xirrus network we installed allows them to do that."
EPI Networks deployed a combination of XR-2420, XR-4420 and XR-4820 Wireless Arrays models supporting 2, 4, and 8 radios respectively. Each XR radio is software-programmable, supporting either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, with data rates up to 300 Mbps. The multi-radio, distributed Array architecture significantly reduced the amount of total equipment required in the Anacortes deployment by reducing the number of APs required and eliminating the requirement for a central control. In addition, savings in cabling, PoE switch ports, installation-time, maintenance and power consumption contribute to a significantly lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for the Wi-Fi network.
The Port's new Xirrus Wireless Arrays support Application Control, which identifies applications on the wireless network and lets administrators apply policies, including providing prioritization for specific applications and limiting bandwidth for others. Application Control ensures consistent performance for important applications running on the Port's network. This has enabled new customer-service initiatives, including providing port staff with access to custom mobile applications on tablets to check in boaters, take payments and update dock information.
"We are always thrilled to see successful deployments of our technology in challenging environments," said Bruce Miller, vice president of product marketing at Xirrus. "Through our partnership with EPI Networks, Xirrus was able to provide a wireless network that not only meets the needs of the Port of Anacortes visitors, but also allows them to improve their bottom line."
About Xirrus, Inc.
Xirrus is the leading provider of high-performance wireless networks. Xirrus solutions perform under the most demanding circumstances, offering consistent "wired-like" performance with superior coverage and security. The Xirrus suite of WI-FI optimized solutions -- Arrays, access points, cloud services, and wired switches -- provide seamless connectivity and unified management across the network. Xirrus provides a vital strategic business and IT infrastructure advantage to industries that depend on wireless to operate business-critical applications. With tens of thousands of customer solutions deployed globally, Xirrus maintains operations and partnerships across the globe. Xirrus is a privately held company and is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, CA. For more information please visit: www.xirrus.com and follow us on Twitter: @Xirrus.