Net-Ctrl

Hi - It sounds like you have covered a lot of areas. On the Wi-Fi side of things, on the Ruckus One platform does the client troubleshooting page confirm any of the user experience/connectivity issues? Are APs getting sufficient PoE - assuming a possible upgrade last summer may require PoE+ - equally does the switch have the PoE budget to run all APs connected? Have you had a wireless survey completed in the area - or since done has there been any building work that may have changed the environments, or device policy changes, like BYOD/1-to-1.

If you, or anyone else has any questions on the content at all - please send me a PM or email [email protected]

Thank you - emails are due out this morning so you should have it shortly. The delay was down to getting the recording uploaded.

Thank you @cheekycharly I really appreciate the feedback. Please send me any questions that come from the session. Post session emails will be out later today with the links mentioned.

Thank you to those who have signed up so far. For anyone else interested, the session is running tomorrow at 2PM. Please pass this on to others who may be asking questions about vape detection so they can join and find out more.

Hi @Disease - do you have an open support ticket at all? Setting the vape index high is not always the answer and better to set it somewhere in the middle, default is 50, and then slowly configure to your surroundings in a series of tweaks. Verkada Support will be able to help if you have any issues, equally your aligned Verkada Account Manager should be able to advise - if not sure who that is, or any additional support needed, please let me know and will try to help. Confident we can improve things from your current experience.

We have a webinar next week with Verkada, who provides vape sensors, as part of their wider portfolio, if you wanted to find out more about their approach you can sign up here: https://www.net-ctrl.com/curb-vaping-with-verkada We have installed them into approx 70+ schools/colleges over the last year. It can be expensive - there's no getting around that. Outside of the HW/licensing costs, with whichever direction you choose, the more accurate solutions require some form of network/power/PoE connection. Typically bathrooms are out of scope for data points. This means cabling work is required and port capacity at local cabs. There are wireless ones available. I would advise you to stay away from them. We also design Wi-Fi solutions, and like data points, bathrooms are typically out of scope for Wi-Fi coverage. The likelihood is signal will be weak and the build environment of cubicles is problematic with Wi-Fi to add to complications. Even with the HW - if you have floor to ceiling cubicles - you're likely to need one per cubicle. If not, you can get away with one for ever 3/4 stalls depending on configuration. Vaping on school sites is a huge issue right now - hopefully, with proposed tax increased and bans on disposable vapes coming into effect this is going to reduce accessibility. However, are still likely to end up in students hands one way or another. Finally, a further consideration is the school/college needs to discuss next steps - roles/responsibilities with who is dealing with alerts, how to communicate to staff, students and parents etc. We work with schools/colleges to advise on this stuff, but if you pastoral/behavoural leads they need to be included in the conversation, as well as Heads etc. Whilst the sensors will be able to create an alert the success of any solution will be what happens next. We tested out many solutions and we really liked the Verkada approach - not only is the solution solid but the management platform is great. You get 24/7 support. 10 year warranty and have the ability to integrate with their cameras etc. And can do things like facial recognition etc. If you want to understand the approach, the webinar next week will help. For costings, we can of course look at this with you and design around your environment.

There are various speakers for different scenarios, including internal/external - you also have additional likes microphones etc. A typical wall speaker I think is somewhere around the £275 mark as an idea. I hope that helps. If you wanted a more accurate cost for your environment - please send me a PM and can ask the best person to get in touch. We can assess site plans and speaker locations and work with you to design an optimal solution.

The Bodet kit comes with a dry input which you can use as a trigger. Should work with most systems. There is also some API integration for specific actions. Outside of Bodet, we also deliver Access Control - so if you wanted to sound out the project with someone, send me a PM and I can ask the relevant person to get in touch.

We work with Bodet to deliver this solution - a popular EDU solution. We work with their Harmony portfolio and IP-Audio approach to the above- https://www.bodet-time.com/products/audio-alert-systems/ip-audio-system.html They also do clocks and time sync across site(s). If you would like to find out more you can send me a PM, or email [email protected] and I can pass on to the relevant person. Others have mentioned Axis has a range as well, but not one I am overly familiar with.

Hello all, Next week on Wednesday 20th March at 2PM we're running a 'best practices/update' session with Verkada. This is aimed at schools and colleges that already have Verkada environment/vape sensors on site. This workshop and update is about bringing people together to collaborate on ideas and approaches taken. We want to open discussion with all attendees and make this interactive. From an IT perspective, we will be looking at the best practice setting and configuration, new features, and firmware roadmap. For those dealing with alerts, we will be talking about some of those next steps and some suggestions on how to approach students, parents and staff. We will be taking a look at: "Best Practice" setting and configuration Firmware update - A look at recent feature updates, how they work and what they can do A look ahead - what's coming up with new firmware releases Next steps to an alert - we will look at how schools are dealing with vape incidents Short demo of new features Open forum Q+A For anyone interested, please sign-up here: https://www.net-ctrl.com/verkada-workshop-sensors you don't need to have bought these through Net-Ctrl. We will be sending a recording out to all attendees, so if the subject matter could be of interest to you/your wider team, please sign-up and we will ensure a recording is sent out to watch back in your own time. Many thanks, Josh

Hello everyone, On Tuesday 19th March at 2PM we are co-hosting a webinar with Verkada as we discuss how you can curb vaping by utilising Verkada's hybrid cloud sensors. The vaping challenge is schools shows no signs of slowing. It is reported that 1 in 5 teenagers have tried vaping - an increase of ⅓ over a year ago. With proposed tax increases and vape bans being introduced this is hopefully going to help slow the accessibility of such items but the likelihood is companies producing vapes will re-work their products around proposed bans, and/or, still find a way into students hands. In this session, we will look at: The state of vaping today Introduction to the Verkada platform How Verkada can help curb vaping The journey after detection Product demo Q+A to close This is some updated content and I think it's going to be a really informative session. All registrations will be sent a recording post-event, so even if you can't attend the live session, please register for access to the recording. All attendees will be sent a Verkada YETI mug after the event as a small thank you for joining the session. We can also arrange for some free trial equipment sent out so you can test the solution in your own environment. If this is of interest, or something you have been asked about, you can register for this session here: https://www.net-ctrl.com/curb-vaping-with-verkada

Verkada has been mentioned a few times - if you would like to understand their cloud based solution a little more - send me a PM. We can run demos, sent out trial kit and discuss the portfolio. Price is higher than some others mentioned, like Hik, but the solution won't need NVR/DVR, comes with 10 year warranty, unlimited cloud storage. We have been design and installing CCTV solutions for 15 years and were really impressed with both the solution itself, and management. In regards to bandwidth - When accessed remotely, a video proxies through the cloud and is cached to speed retrieval times and playback. This approach enables large numbers of simultaneous viewers without negatively impacting the bandwidth of your local area network (LAN)

Hi @CHiLL - first of all thank you for stopping by at BETT! Second - if you would like a remote session with one of our engineers to go through the config and tweaks - please send me a PM. It is a little trial and error as it depends on the environment. We'd suggest starting at -1dB and work down. Each AP will be slightly different. You could also try on 'Full' rather than Auto to begin with, and again test. If you're having trouble with sticky clients - you could also try specifying the BSS Min Rate to 12 - this is done per SSID (set to 2 by default). This changes the speed a client is handed over. To make this change, go into the WLANS menu - click edit on an SSID and 'Advanced'.

It sounds like you're approaching this at the right time - planning early and assessing the market. There is a similar thread to take a look at if you haven't already that looks at the different generations of Wi-Fi right now that would be relevant to this - /forums/wireless-networks/236705-how-long-until-you-upgrade-wifi-6-a.html If you're approaching this in a year or two Wi-Fi 7 will be the general approach for any vendor you look at - then it will whether to go for dual radio or tri-radio. Now is a good time to assess the rest of your network to make sure you're ready for that next step. Wi-Fi 7 APs will be power hungry - again regardless of vendor decision. If you have time - it could be worth starting to speak to partners about your preferred solutions to gauge what they're doing, what the roadmap looks like etc. As an idea we're talking to clients now about what they might be doing in the summer of 2025. So use the time you have to review the market and plan accordingly. Most solutions will be able to achieve signal coverage - one of the big challenges right now is density, and planning for future density requirements. Surveys, especially ones that will look at density are a great idea to do. If you consider Ruckus, and need a partner, we'd love to be involved as and when you're ready.

@Rilot if it helps in your situation we could get one of our SE's to take a look at your existing setup and offer up any advice, and discuss things like Cloudpath should the conversation go that way. As for others with questions about Ruckus set-ups. Please also feel free to always send me a PM to run through anything. We'll always help where we can. I may not know the answers but can likely find someone that does.

Cloudpath is a tiered pricing models - the more users the cheaper it gets. It's licensed per user, not device, so any user can have multiple devices. Which works nicely in a boarding environment as you can create each student their own "bubble" almost like a segregated network for their own devices all mapped back to them as a user. As an admin you can define different workflows for different users, and devices, that said. It's not a silver bullet, and a specific device or OS can limit onboarding options. If anyone would like more information please send me a PM and I can set-up a call with one of our SEs to go through your use-case to see if it would help solve challenges and also a demo.

It's a question we often hear - and there's no easy answer. Certainly not one that fits all anyway. If you find yourself using Wi-Fi 5 - and considering what to do there are lots of factors: Budgets cycles Changes to device count (BYOD, 1-to-1 schemes etc) Service complaints Infrastructure If you find that you don't meet any of the above and the Wi-Fi is still supported or in a valid warranty period then it may make sense to stick with what you have and focus investment elsewhere. With Wi-Fi right now you have three generations available - Wi-Fi 6, 6E and 7. Wi-Fi 6E is Wi-Fi 6 with the additional 6Ghz radio. Wi-Fi 7 is new to market and typically vendors lead with high-end APs which comes with an equally high price point. It is also worth noting that Wi-Fi 7 is not yet ratified. This means requirements could change and APs currently labelled as WI-FI 7 will fall short of the standards and the classification of the AP downgraded. This has happened before. Wi-Fi 7 will come in dual radio (2.4 and 5Ghz) and tri-radio (2.4, 5 and 6Ghz) AP optoins. Wi-Fi 7 will bring performance upgrades across all spectrums. However, with ratification not yet complete, and mid level APs not likely to hit the market until later this year/next year - it's a bit of waiting game for that wider portfolio of APs. If time is on your side - wait for Wi-Fi 7. A lot of the time we don't have that luxury - and an upgrade is needed earlier. Like buying a car - you know a newer model is down the line - but time means you need to go with what's available now. With Wi-Fi that would leave Wi-Fi 6 or 6E. Wi-Fi 6E offers the future-proof of 6Ghz but at a cost. The 6E APs are likely to need PoE++ (.bt) for full functionality, whereas as Wi-Fi 6 will run at PoE. 6Ghz also doesn't travel well with higher attenuation that 5Ghz. This means if your APs are in corridors that 6Ghz goodness is likely to be wasted. Depending on the state of your network, it may be that Wi-Fi 6 is the better option if you "need" to upgrade. If users are happy, that investment might be better spent looking at a network upgrade to prepare yourself for that future Wi-Fi upgrade path. Each site we speak to is different. Different pressures, circumstances, budgets and more. I would say if you find yourself using Wi-Fi 5 and asking yourself that question "what should I do" engage with your Wi-Fi/network partner and start to put a plan in place and cover all options. If you don't have a preferred partner or are self managed then asking yourself some of the questions above might help - alternatively - we're here to talk through options in a consultative manor.

We are part of EITC partner community. They were one of the two frameworks recommended by the DfE with the Connect-the-Classroom scheme. We have recommended clients to use it and they've all been positive about their experience. They can support bids with financing and will build out bid documents. They can go out to their supplier base that meets your requirements, or you can request specific suppliers to be part of the bid and they will act on your behalf. If you have supplier you previously worked with you can ask if they're on the framework, and if not, they can approach them about joining. Our approval process was thorough - we had to submit a large bid around our approach, pricing, finances etc. They had to speak to numerous reference sites about their experience with us. Cath Connolly is a direct point of contact if you wanted to discuss your options in more detail or how they could support you - [email protected]

BETT is back at EXCEL London from the 24-26th January for three days of inspiring connections, content and product discovery. BETT continues to bring together brilliant educators from across the globe. Net-Ctrl is excited to be exhibiting on stand SE71. This year we have some new partners joining us as we talk all things Wi-Fi, switching, lockdown, access control, vape detection, IP-CCTV, email security, 5G and LTE WAN solutions. At BETT 2024 we will be joined by solutions from: Bodet – Clocks, Bell, Class Change, PA and Lockdown Cradelpoint - 5G and LTE WAN Mimecast - Cloud Cybersecurity Services for Email, Data, and Web Ruckus - Wireless, Switching, Onboarding and Analytics Verkada - Integrated CCTV, Access Control, Vape Detection, Intercom, Alarms and Guest Management You can access datasheets and further information about each solution on our BETT 2024 landing page. Visit Net-Ctrl at BETT 2024 for your chance to win a Steam Deck (256GB model). We will be running an exclusive competition for our clients, members of ANME on the ANME EdTech Trail and EduGeek only, and this year is no different. Find out more about our competition and download your entry slip. We’re all looking forward to seeing you all again, so please come and stop by if you’re down at the show to see the team.

If you're heading down to BETT, Bodet has a stand if you want to look at the portfolio and discuss options. We will also have some expertise on our stand to talk about lockdown solutions (SE71) - Bodet are a few stands away from us. If you're not down at BETT, and like others, would like to see what Bodet could offer send me a PM and I can ask one of our team that focuses on delivering lockdown solutions to get in touch to see if it would meet your requirements and look at associated costs

haha if only my budget would stretch that far! - - - Updated - - - OLED Steamdeck looks fantastic!

Hello all, Hopefully, some of you are aware that each year we run an exclusive competition for EduGeek, ANME and existing contacts at BETT to encourage (bribe?) you to come and see us during the show. The format is always the same - bring a short entry slip with you and drop it in at the stand - at which point you can make a quick exit or perhaps see something you didn't know we did that is relevant for you. My normal approach is to go with something I want and to live vicariously through our winner. This year I am deliberating or struggling for creativity or perhaps a bit of both - so I thought I would ask you all.. What sort of giveaway might encourage you to come and drop off an entry slip with us at BETT? (we will have a variety of smaller bits on offer too). My rather limited list, some of which we have done before is below: SteamDeck 256GB Nintendo Switch Bundle large LEGO set - BOSE Soundbar Gaming headphones/headphone SONOS Set-up iPad Coffee Machine Garmin sports watch Ooni

Hi - whilst we don't work with Forti-WiFi/MERU we do work with FortiGates. As such, I have just called up a couple of contacts to first confirm if the above is true, and there is no RMA, or return procedure, and second, to see if we could get you some free support under the circumstances. It seems Fortinet require a support contract to enable an RMA and even engineers outside Fortinet would most likely need to defer to Fortinet for support which they'd reject without a valid contract in place. I'm sorry - I know this doesn't add too much but thought it was at least worth letting you know that what you have been told seems to be the case. I hope you can get a speedy turn around on the support contract.

Hi Mark - in case it helps some manufacturers run these report based exercise where you have one of their solutions in listen-only mode to record data and report on what they see that the existing firewall may have missed. I know Palo Alto does one called a Service Lifecyle Review (SLR) and Fortinet run the same sort of thing and call it a Cyber Threat Review (CTAP) - I am sure others do similar. Could be an option to compare/contrast.