See How Foodxervices Achieved Superior WiFi Roaming and Connectivity

Reliable, secure high-speed WiFi is fundamental to business operations. Yet, many companies struggle to deploy high-speed WiFi roaming in large commercial facilities. The challenges are often numerous, ranging from the need to support a multiplicity of devices to cross-channel interference from those devices.

Moreover, determining which systems will successfully integrate with existing tech infrastructures and business processes is complicated by the number of available options on the market.

However, some solutions, like Zyxel’s Nebula solution, are a cut above the rest. Foodxervices Inc., a leading foodservice distributor in Singapore, learned this firsthand when it deployed Nebula to deploy high-speed WiFi across its multifunctional XPACE commercial facility.

The Challenges Foodxervices Faced

As a distributor serving more than 4,000 products to more than 2,000 clients across the hospitality, restaurant, and airline industries, Foodxervices needs ubiquitous wireless connectivity to support its operations.

The company approached Go Nimbus, a leading value-added distributor (VAD), to outfit XPACE facility with a high-performance network infrastructure capable of handling its data and surveillance needs.

Foodxervice’s XPACE building incorporates office space and warehousing, along with loading bays. The company not only needed high-speed WiFi roaming services across wide areas but also required a network solution that could address the problem of co-channel interference.

Many warehouse WiFi networks were historically developed with access points using the 2.4GHz spectrum, limiting channel selection.

Co-channel interference occurs when two access points on the same network are on the same channel, weakening the signal the user receives.

Given the number of wirelessly connected devices used in daily operations, the required network solution had to have the capacity of providing uninterrupted service anywhere on the grounds. In addition, Foodxervices needed a solution that could operate in fluctuating and extreme temperature conditions, such as its chilled storage area, where temperatures often plunged to -30 °C.

The final consideration was also critical to daily operations: the staff at Foodxervices needed a solution they could centrally control and monitor — one that would also support uninterrupted video streaming from the surveillance cameras they planned to install on each floor.

How Go Nimbus Implemented the Zyxel Nebula Solution for Foodxervices

With the assistance of Go Nimbus, Foodxervices identified Zyxel’s Nebula Solution as its preferred option. This network infrastructure solution includes both high-speed data and surveillance networks deployed through an easy-to-manage and control device.

To provide the high-speed data Foodxervices needed, Go Nimbus went to work, setting up 77 wireless access points inside and outside XPACE. Given their embedded heaters, Zyxel’s NAP353 Dual-Band 5 dBi Omni-Directional Outdoor Antennas were installed in the cold room.

Wave 2 Dual-Radio Unified Pro Access Points were deployed in the warehouse and office and NWA1123-AC Pro Outdoor Weather-proof Access Points on the rooftop.

These antennas support combined data rates of up to 1.75 Gbps and provide RF-optimization and enterprise-class security. Their smart antenna technology minimizes co-channel interference by adapting and adjusting their antenna patterns to high-density periods.

These access points were connected to PoE-capable smart switches in Zyxel’s XGS1930 Series (with 10 Gbps uplink) to provide cloud manageability. Integrated with other Zyxel Nebula technology, these switches can be configured with one-click concurrently.  

Go Nimbus also deployed smart switches for surveillance purposes. This included the 28-Port XGS4600 to provide high-bandwidth ad high resiliency, along with redundant power supply units and XGS1930 switches to provide support for normal range surveillance and streaming.

Also included was the GS1350-26HP, with an extended operating transmission range of up to 250 meters and auto camera recovery. The PoE design made installation and deployment simple and cost-effective and will save Foodxervices energy costs over time.

Finally, Go Nimbus installed the Nebula Control Center (NCC) to manage all of these devices. The NCC is a responsive central monitoring system that continuously optimizes connection quality. Its intuitive interface provides administrators with robust site-wide management tools, allowing Foodxervices to perform network control on any connected device as well as manage:

• Application usage
• Bandwidth consumption
• Event logs
• Networked clients
• Traffic statistics

With this robust network infrastructure in place, Foodxervices has enjoyed reliable high-speed WiFi and LAN in all areas of its facility, from its corporate office to co-working spaces, warehouses, and cold storage areas.

The company has also been able to deploy its surveillance system in a cost and resource-efficient manner. Today, Foodxervices administrators manage the network completely with the NCC, allowing the company to incorporate new devices, adjust for increased WiFi demands, and adapt to evolving security threats.

Getting Started with Zyxel’s Networking Solutions

Zyxel’s Nebula Cloud Networking solutions are excellent for both the food services industry and commercial spaces like:

• Warehouses
• Restaurants
• Malls and retail stores
• Multifamily housing
• Office buildings
• Hospitals and medical centers

Capable of being configured to support any data network need, Zyxel’s Nebula cloud networking solutions are cost-effective in the short and long-term. They provide power-efficient high-speed data that is reliable, easy to control, and secure.

If you’re looking to equip your facility with best-in-class Zyxel technology, we can help. Go Nimbus is a trusted provider of technology solutions and an authorized value-added distributor of Zyxel products.