Proposed Campus Network Architecture

Central Network Room / Data Center

The campus has a centralized Main Distribution Frame / Network Operations Center containing the primary network infrastructure.

Central Network Components

Internet / ISP Links
↓
Firewall / Internet Gateway
↓
AirPro Core Switch
10G / 25G / 40G / 100G
↓
AirPro ImCC / Central Network Management
↓
Active Directory / RADIUS Server
↓
Guest Captive Portal / Authentication Server
↓

CCTV NVR / VMS Servers

The AirPro Core Switch acts as the central aggregation point for all campus buildings.

Multiple high-speed fiber links are provided between the central network room and individual campus blocks.

Campus Backbone Architecture

Each building is connected to the central network room through a high-speed optical fiber backbone.

Typical Connectivity

AirPro Core Switch – Central Network Room

10G / 25G / 100G Fiber Backbone
↓

Block A – Administration

AirPro Aggregation / Distribution Switch
↓
AirPro Managed PoE Switches
↓
Wi-Fi Access Points + IP CCTV Cameras

Block B – Academic Building

AirPro Aggregation / Distribution Switch
↓
AirPro Managed PoE Switches
↓
Wi-Fi Access Points + IP CCTV Cameras

Block C – Laboratory Building

AirPro Aggregation / Distribution Switch
↓
AirPro Managed PoE Switches
↓
Wi-Fi Access Points + IP Cameras + Laboratory Devices

Block D – Library

AirPro Distribution Switch
↓
AirPro PoE Switches
↓
Wi-Fi Access Points + CCTV Cameras

Block E – Student Hostel

AirPro Distribution Switch
↓
AirPro PoE Access Switches
↓
Room / Corridor Access Points + CCTV Cameras

Block F – Auditorium / Sports / Outdoor Campus

AirPro Distribution Switch
↓
AirPro PoE Switches
↓
Indoor / Outdoor Access Points + CCTV Cameras

Simplified Network Topology

AirPro Wireless Architecture

AirPro enterprise Access Points are deployed throughout classrooms, laboratories, libraries, administrative areas, hostels, auditoriums and outdoor campus locations.

Depending upon capacity and coverage requirements, the campus can deploy:

• AirPro Wi-Fi 6 Access Points
• AirPro Wi-Fi 7 Access Points
• AirPro Ceiling-Mount Access Points
• AirPro In-Wall Access Points
• AirPro Outdoor Access Points

The wireless infrastructure is centrally controlled and monitored.

Multiple SSID Architecture

The wireless network is logically segmented according to different user groups.

SSID 1 – CAMPUS-STAFF

Designed for:

• Faculty
• Professors
• Administration
• Management
• Authorized employees

Authentication

WPA2/WPA3 Enterprise + 802.1X + Active Directory / RADIUS

Users authenticate using their institutional credentials.

Example:

Username: employee@college.edu
Password: Active Directory Password

Access can be controlled according to department, role or security policy.

SSID 2 – CAMPUS-STUDENT

Designed specifically for enrolled students.

Authentication can be integrated with:

• Active Directory
• LDAP
• RADIUS
• Student Identity Database

Student users can be assigned individual credentials.

Network policies can control:

• Internet access
• Bandwidth
• Application access
• Session duration
• Device count
• VLAN assignment

SSID 3 – CAMPUS-GUEST

Visitors connect through the Guest Wi-Fi network.

Guest Captive Portal

When users connect to the Guest SSID, they are automatically redirected to the institution’s branded Captive Portal.

Possible authentication mechanisms include:

• Mobile OTP
• Username and Password
• Voucher
• Reception-generated access code
• Sponsor approval
• Time-limited guest account

Guest users remain isolated from the internal Staff and Student network.

Example VLAN Design

VLAN	Network	Purpose
VLAN 10	Network Management	AirPro Switches & AP Management
VLAN 20	Staff	Faculty & Administration
VLAN 30	Students	Student Wi-Fi
VLAN 40	Guest	Guest Internet
VLAN 50	CCTV	IP Surveillance
VLAN 60	Servers	AD, RADIUS, DNS, DHCP
VLAN 70	IoT	Campus IoT Devices
VLAN 80	Voice	IP Telephony
VLAN 90	Laboratory	Academic / Lab Equipment

This architecture keeps different network services logically separated and improves security and performance.

Active Directory Authentication

The AirPro wireless infrastructure can integrate with the institution’s existing authentication infrastructure.

Authentication Flow

Student / Staff Device
│
▼
AirPro Access Point
│
▼
AirPro Wireless Infrastructure
│
▼
RADIUS Server
│
▼
Microsoft Active Directory
│
▼
Authentication Successful
│
▼
User Assigned Correct VLAN / Policy

This allows IT administrators to use the same institutional username and password for campus Wi-Fi access.

When an employee or student leaves the institution, disabling the account in Active Directory automatically prevents future authenticated access.

CCTV Surveillance Network

The same AirPro switching infrastructure can support the campus IP surveillance system.

IP cameras deployed across:

• Building entrances
• Classrooms
• Corridors
• Laboratories
• Libraries
• Parking areas
• Hostels
• Campus gates
• Outdoor areas
• Sports facilities

connect directly to AirPro Managed PoE / PoE+ / PoE++ switches.

CCTV Network Flow

IP Camera
│
PoE Ethernet
│
AirPro PoE Switch
│
10G Fiber Uplink
│
AirPro Block / Aggregation Switch
│
10G / 25G / 100G Fiber
│
AirPro Core Switch
│
CCTV NVR / VMS Server

The dedicated CCTV VLAN keeps surveillance traffic separated from Wi-Fi and general campus data traffic.

Why High-Speed Fiber Backbone?

Large education campuses can generate substantial traffic from:

• Thousands of wireless users
• Cloud applications
• Online examinations
• Video learning
• Video conferencing
• CCTV streaming
• Laboratory applications
• ERP
• Digital library systems
• IP telephony
• IoT devices

AirPro therefore recommends a scalable backbone architecture.

Access Layer

1G / 2.5G / 5G Multi-Gigabit
↓

Block / Distribution Layer

10G / 25G Fiber
↓

Campus Core

40G / 100G

This architecture minimizes network bottlenecks and provides sufficient capacity for future applications.

Multi-Gigabit Wi-Fi Access Layer

Modern Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 Access Points can generate more than 1Gbps of wireless traffic.

AirPro Multi-Gigabit PoE switches provide:

• 1G
• 5G
• 5G
• 10G Ethernet

with PoE+/PoE++ support.

This prevents the wired Ethernet interface from becoming a bottleneck for high-performance Access Points.

Centralized AirPro Network Management

The complete infrastructure can be centrally monitored through the AirPro ImCC Network Management Platform.

IT administrators receive a unified view of the campus network.

Managed Infrastructure

• AirPro Core Switches
• Aggregation Switches
• Distribution Switches
• PoE Access Switches
• Wi-Fi Access Points
• Wireless users
• Network links
• Device health

Administrators can monitor network status from a centralized console instead of logging into each device separately.

Network Monitoring

The management platform provides visibility into areas such as:

• Device online/offline status
• Switch port utilization
• Access Point status
• Connected Wi-Fi users
• Network traffic
• CPU utilization
• Memory utilization
• Uplink status
• Device alarms
• Wireless signal levels
• Client connectivity
• Network topology

This significantly simplifies campus IT operations.

Seamless Wi-Fi Roaming

Students and staff regularly move between:

• Classrooms
• Corridors
• Laboratories
• Libraries
• Offices
• Auditorium
• Cafeteria

AirPro enterprise Wi-Fi enables roaming between Access Points while maintaining network connectivity.

Technologies such as:

802.11k / 802.11v / 802.11r

can help improve client roaming performance for supported devices.

High-Density Classroom Deployment

Lecture halls and auditoriums may contain hundreds of simultaneously connected users.

The wireless design therefore considers:

• High-density Access Point deployment
• Channel planning
• Automatic channel optimization
• Transmit-power optimization
• Band steering
• Load balancing
• Client steering
• Airtime optimization

This improves Wi-Fi performance during examinations, seminars and high-attendance events.

Network Security

The AirPro architecture provides multiple layers of campus network security.

Wireless Security

• WPA2
• WPA3
• WPA2/WPA3 Enterprise
• 1X
• RADIUS Authentication
• Captive Portal
• Client Isolation

Switching Security

• VLAN
• ACL
• DHCP Snooping
• Dynamic ARP Inspection
• Port Security
• MAC Binding
• 1X
• RADIUS
• TACACS+
• Storm Control

These capabilities help protect the campus from unauthorized devices and network attacks.

Network Redundancy

For mission-critical education environments, redundancy can be introduced at different layers.

Core Layer

Dual AirPro Core Switches

Fiber Backbone

Dual fiber links from critical buildings

Link Redundancy

LACP / Link Aggregation

Network Redundancy

STP / RSTP / MSTP

Gateway Redundancy

VRRP

This architecture helps maintain connectivity even if a network link or device experiences a failure.

Typical Campus Deployment Example

A representative education campus may have:

Campus Core

• 2 × AirPro High-Performance Core Switches
• 40G / 100G backbone connectivity

Distribution Layer

• 8–15 AirPro Distribution / Aggregation Switches
• One or more per campus block

Access Layer

• 40–100 AirPro Managed PoE Switches

Wireless

• 200–500+ AirPro Wi-Fi 6 / Wi-Fi 7 Access Points

Surveillance

• 300–1,000+ IP CCTV Cameras

The architecture can be expanded as new buildings and facilities are added.

Key Benefits to the Institution

One Unified Infrastructure

Wi-Fi, CCTV, IoT, IP telephony and enterprise applications operate over a common AirPro campus switching architecture.

Centralized Management

The complete network can be monitored centrally.

Better Security

Staff, students, guests and CCTV systems are separated through VLANs and security policies.

Simplified Authentication

Existing Active Directory credentials can be used for Wi-Fi authentication.

High Performance

10G / 25G / 100G fiber connectivity provides a high-capacity campus backbone.

Future Ready

The infrastructure supports migration toward Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 7, Multi-Gigabit Ethernet and higher-speed campus applications.

Reduced Operational Complexity

A common AirPro networking platform simplifies configuration, monitoring, troubleshooting and expansion.

AirPro Education Campus Solution Architecture