2020 CARES Act Grants
Options for Improving
Public Internet Access
For those libraries whose grant application requests funding to improve
public Internet access, this document is intended to provide some guidance
and examples of equipment that meet current standards.
Improving Exterior Wi-Fi Coverage
Are there areas outside your building which would be great for patrons
(parking lot, road, picnic table, benches), but where the Wi-Fi signal is
inadequate? An easy way to check is to run a broadband speed test (we
recommend
https://speed.measurementlab.net) on a phone or device while out there,
ideally at the same time someone else is using it. If the outside locations
you are intending to provide Wi-Fi access to need coverage or improvement,
there are a number of options:
-
Upgrade Current Wireless
Router/Access Point
– Depending on the age and capabilities of your wireless router or
access point, you may be able to purchase a new one with significantly
better range and speed. If you have multiple access points, you should
prioritize the one that impacts exterior users for the purposes of this
grant.
- Add an Additional Unit – Is there a
spot in your building that you could put a Wi-Fi device that overlooks the
parking lot/benches you are trying to reach?
- Wireless Access Point (WAP) – Is there
an Ethernet jack near that spot, or can you run an Ethernet cable from your
switch or router to it? If so, an extra Wireless Access Point/Router
provides the best bandwidth.
- Extender – If getting an Ethernet
cable to that spot is impractical, you could consider adding a Wi-Fi
extender. This connects to your existing Wi-Fi and rebroadcasts the signal.
Though not as effective as a WAP connected to Ethernet, they have gotten
much better in the last few years.
- Outdoor Wireless Device – There are
outdoor options for both WAP’s and extenders, but the installation is more
involved, and they require power and/or an Ethernet connection.
Replacement in Underlying Network - Is there a device that has
failed, is a bottleneck, or has intermittent problems? Examples – A failed
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), a router that needs to be reset
regularly, a switch with multiple dead ports, network cabling that has
failed, or an old router or switch that acts as a bottleneck to your
network?
What Do I Buy?
- Wi-Fi standards are rapidly changing. 802.11ac Wi-Fi is probably the most widely used today, but the
recently-released Wi-Fi 6 (or 802.11ax) standard is emerging and will eventually replace
802.11ac. Wi-Fi 6 is backward
compatible, so it will work with any Wi-Fi device—new or old. We recommend moving to Wi-Fi 6.
-
If you are looking for an additional device
to extend coverage, one option is a well-reviewed model of the same brand
you are already using.
- If you have a preferred vendor or tech
person, consult with them when selecting equipment. Reviews can be another valuable resource.
-
If you are upgrading equipment, we recommend
that you replace network (Ethernet) cables at the same time, with cabling
rated at least Category 6 or 6A.
Examples of Devices That Are Rated Highly
and Meet Current Standards.
Important Note: these are only examples—many, many other products offer
comparable features and performance, and new models (especially Wi-Fi 6
devices) are being released continuously.
Routers
Wireless Routers
Wi-Fi Mesh Networking Extenders
Network Switches
8-port
24-port
48-port
POE Switches
(these provide Power Over Ethernet, which makes installation of
POE-compatible Wi-Fi access points easier.
POE provides device power over the Ethernet cable, allowing access
points to be placed in locations without access to power--in ceilings, for
example.)
Uninterruptible Power Supplies (these protect
computers, routers, etc. from power surges and brief power interruptions)
Glossary
Access Point –
A Wi-Fi device that allows users
to connect wirelessly to a network (and usually, on to the Internet).
The term is often used interchangeably with “Wi-Fi Router.” True
access points, however, do not include routing functionality. In
general, the best choice for libraries is a router. See “Wi-Fi Router”
for further information.
Ethernet –
The most widely used wired
networking technology, defined in the IEEE 802.3 Standard. Virtually every
computer device in use today includes an Ethernet port, which allows devices
ranging from printers to routers to workstations and servers to communicate
with each other.
Mesh Wi-Fi –
Mesh networking is a streamlined
implementation of Wi-Fi extender technology. Mesh networks consist of
a mesh-enabled router and one or more “satellite” units, which re-broadcast
the main signal to extend the range of the network. Mesh devices
typically provide simplified setup and management compared to adding Wi-Fi
extenders to an existing network. If purchasing a new router, and the
library is likely to need to extend its coverage, it is best to purchase all
mesh-compatible equipment rather than using range extenders.
POE (Power Over Ethernet).
Designed to
simplify installation of network devices—such as routers—in locations that
do not have access to power outlets. This works by sending power over
the network (Ethernet) cabling. It requires that both the network
switch, and the remote device are POE capable.
Switch –
A component used to connect all the
devices on a network together so that they can communicate. Switches
would typically also be connected to a router to allow Internet access. Note:
prior to the invention of switches, hubs were used to interconnect devices.
The terms “switch” and “hub” are sometimes (incorrectly) used
interchangeably. Switches provide much faster connectivity than hubs;
hubs should be considered obsolete.
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) –
Sometimes
referred to as a “battery backup,” a UPS is designed to protect equipment
from power surges and interruptions. They are typically used to
protect core networking equipment such as routers and switches (and servers)
from power surges, “flickers,” and outages. In the event of a power
disruption, a UPS will automatically switch on so that equipment remains
operational. The capacity of UPS units is expressed in Volt-Amps (VA).
Larger capacities provide longer runtimes after a power failure. For
protecting switches and routers, 1000VA is usually more than adequate.
Wi-Fi – A family of wireless networking
protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 specifications. Wi-Fi is a
trademark of an industry group, the Wi-Fi Alliance. The 802.11
standards continue to evolve, with newer, faster versions released
periodically. The most widely used version today is 802.11ac.
However, a newer version, 802.11ax, (adopted in late 2019) is the latest and
is recommended when buying new equipment. With the release of
802.11ax, the Wi-Fi Alliance introduced a new naming scheme which is
intended to simplify things. In this new scheme, 802.11ax is referred
to as Wi-Fi 6.
Wi-Fi Extender –
A device used to “re-broadcast”
the signal from a router/access point so as to provide a better signal to a
“dead zone.” An extender is not connected via cable to the local
network; instead, it picks up the signal from the main router/access point.
Wi-Fi Router –
A Wi-Fi device that combines two components: an access point and a
router. The access point provides a wireless connection to the network;
the router component serves as a “bridge,” connecting Wi-Fi users to the
library’s internal network, or, in some cases, directly to the Internet.