Network Project of the Year Winner!
Amber Jessal • August 1, 2021
Vibrant Networks Wi-Fi project Stephen Lawrence Trust won the Network Computing Awards "Network Project of the year 2020"
Vibrant Networks Wi-Fi project Stephen Lawrence Trust won the Network computing awards Network Project of the year 2020.
Success Story
Putting a community space to work : Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust expands with networking upgrade from Zyxel
Overview
Success
- Achieving faster, wider and more secure connectivity to support growth and the ability to take on business tenants
- Maintaining a business-wide network without full time IT support
- Implementing a scalable network solution that will grow with an expanding number of daily and external WiFi users
- Nebula Cloud Managed Solution
Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust works with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds aged 13 to 30 to inspire and enable them to succeed in the career of their choice. The Trust believes that someone’s background should not limit what they can achieve and run high impact programmes that inspire and enable young people from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to succeed.
The Trust owns an iconic building, The Stephen Lawrence Centre, in South London which was built in 2008. In 2017, the interior of the building was redesigned by world-famous architects Gensler introducing the co-working hub, Your Space. The operation of Your Space required fast wi-fi
throughout the whole building to support multiple users and enterprises.
Challenges
As a non-profit organisation, Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust doesn’t have dedicated IT support service or set up, relying instead on one part-time IT volunteer to help troubleshoot devices and reset routers. Originally, the centre was fitted with just one router and a Wi-Fi extender to boost the signal in more distant parts of the building, which often failed. As a result, the signal was poor, network transparency was limited and the Trust had no central bandwidth control. As the trust grew larger and wanted to include separate businesses on its WiFi network, it was faced with a growing concern: the need for faster, wider and more secure network coverage.
Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust now enjoys a quick, stable network across the whole centre. In the 12 months since the Zyxel system was installed, Vibrant Networks, which monitors the new network, hasn’t received any calls for support or to fix issues. The trust can now work more efficiently, without having to worry about the Wi-Fi or IT systems. Importantly it has also been able to expand the number of users on the network, now up to 70 a week including tenants, with no downtime or loss in connection.
Solutions and Benefits
The trust approached IT support provider Vibrant Networks, initially looking for new routers or Wi-Fi boosters. After assessing the centre’s needs, Vibrant advised deploying the Zyxel Nebula system, along with access points and a switch to ensure a fast and secure network. As the centre redevelopment was a pro-bono project, Zyxel donated equipment to help the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust achieve growth, without having to use funding that could otherwise go back into the trust.
“Previously, we only had Wi-Fi for staff, which constantly broke down and only had signal in certain areas of the building. So, we knew that to transform our new centre into a co-working space, we needed a faster, more stable network. Since installing the Zyxel Nebula system our Wi-Fi is stronger and faster, and we have been able to take on tenants who can use our centre as their office.
“Operationally, co-working is now fundamental to what we do here. Thanks to that extra revenue, the trust broke even on our building costs this year for the first time, meaning we’re able to put more money back into the work we do with disadvantaged young people – and we haven’t had to pick up the phone to IT support once,” comments Chelsea Way, Programmes Manager at Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust.
Link to the full case study from Zyxel
Link to the Network Computing Awards 2020 Winners listing.
If your trust or charitable organisation has requires for a Wireless network why not call us on (01922) 612387 or Contact Us for more information.
The Windows 11 Upgrade is on the horizon, with an October 2025 deadline to adhere to the new software! It is essential for companies to update Windows 10 to 11, but there are still so many unanswered questions! To help fill in the gaps, we at Vibrant Networks have researched some of the common queries surrounding the Windows 11 Update, to provide you with clarity going into the new system. Read on to find out the essentials before you upgrade to Windows 11! When is the Windows 11 update coming? Microsoft officially released the Windows 11 update back in October 2021, meaning it’s been running for a short while. However, as of January this year, more and more companies are making the transition over from Windows 10 to 11. This is because Windows 10 is facing End of Life status in October of this year. Can I Avoid the Windows 11 Update? We do not recommend avoiding the Windows 11 Update. On October 14th of this year, Windows 10 will face End of Life status. This means you will no longer receive: Free software updates on your devices Access to any support New security updates or patches Failing to upgrade may not only result in operational inefficiencies due to outdated or underperforming software, but it could also expose your business to potential legal and compliance risks. Without access to the latest security updates and patches, your systems may fall short of meeting industry-standard security protocols, potentially rendering you non-compliant. It is highly advisable to update Windows 10 to 11 before the deadline this October. Will Updating to Windows 11 Delete My Data? No. If you update Windows 10 to 11, your data will be retained and will remain safe. However, as an IT company, we believe it is important to always have up to date backups of your data. This means storing a copy on either an external hard drive or uploading your encrypted data onto OneDrive. If you need help creating a secure copy of your data, contact us to see how we can help! Why Might the Windows 11 Update Installation Fail? There are a few reasons as to why the Windows 11 update can fail to install onto your machine, including: A bad internet connection Low disk space Corrupt system files An incompatible Incompatible CPU/Hardware A few ways to fix these issues are to check your internet connection, check your desk and free up space, or purchase a Windows 11 compatible device. At Vibrant Networks we have the IT knowledge and experience to help identify and fix your problems quickly and efficiently. We can help you to move over to Windows 11, and can help provide devices that support the Windows 11 update, such as our Grade A refurbished laptops. Click here to contact us about any IT queries today! Dell Windows 11 rollback article.
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