A Network Assessment Supports K–12 Infrastructure Modernization

Network Modernization Considerations for K–12 IT Professionals

School districts often have long networking refresh cycles, with many aligning phased upgrades to the E-Rate cycle. When K–12 schools do upgrade to the latest wireless standard, they expect the modernized infrastructure to support users for several years.

“More times than not, you’re going to see corporations at the cutting edge because they have the money, flexibility and agility to jump into a new standard,” says Luke Schiavone, CDW solution architect for networking. “Organizations that are getting tax dollars are going to wait until everything’s settled and other people have done it. They don’t want to be the first.”

In terms of getting settled, Wi-Fi 7 “was certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance in January 2024,” a Meter blog noted. And, while it was approved by IEEE in September 2024, it was not heavily produced or adopted prior to that approval. Wi-Fi 7 access points made up only 2% of the access point unit shipments between January and September 2024, NetworkWorld.com reported.

K–12 IT leaders may still opt to wait on Wi-Fi 7 to avoid a potential lack of interoperability because of vendor’s differing approaches to the newer standard.

Newer devices are likely compatible with Wi-Fi 6E, the earlier standard. However, existing laptops, phones and connected devices may or may not be able to operate with Wi-Fi 6E, says Schiavone. It’s important that organizations ensure their devices are compatible with the standard before upgrading.

“As we move further down the road, you’re going to be able to use Wi-Fi 6E with more devices,” says Schiavone.

Wi-Fi 6E provides four times the throughput of Wi-Fi 5 (or 802.11ac), he adds. It also supports higher density, so access points can serve more people within a classroom, gymnasium or cafeteria. With Wi-Fi 6E, the APs are more power-efficient, meaning they don’t need to draw as much power from the switches, and the standard is more secure thanks to WPA3, a security protocol with more robust authentication than previous versions.

DISCOVER: Schools turn to Wi-Fi 6E for better videoconferencing.

To take advantage of all of these benefits though, school IT professionals need to make sure their networking infrastructure will also support Wi-Fi 6E.

Newer APs will have two connections, so they can make full use of the expanded throughput. But a school with older network infrastructure may have only one wire available from each AP, meaning they may have to replace the AP with a newer one if they want to fully utilize Wi-Fi 6E’s capabilities.

Prepare for Networking Modernization with Assessments

Before starting any network upgrades, schools should conduct a network assessment. Working with a technology partner such as CDW gives organizations access to networking experts who can help them assess their network’s current condition and create a modernization roadmap to achieve their desired end state.

Assessments should be done as early as possible in the networking modernization process to first give school leaders a strong understanding of what’s going on in their own network. A partner like CDW can help schools map out a modernization strategy, whether wired or wireless, and determine which equipment is needed to enable Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.

“The organization will be able to make a more informed decision about where they are and where they want to get to,” says Schiavone. “We can take them through that journey and help them decide whether they’ll jump in with both feet or do this modernization in sections. We help with strategy, planning and budgeting.”

An assessment could determine if the upgrade requires any wiring changes or new AP placement and if there are any existing gaps caused by schools adding APs wherever they need coverage over the years. Schiavone recommends that K–12 IT leaders work with a CDW engineer to do a validation survey and create a predictive heat map, which can anticipate coverage and ensure that the campus has 100% utilization.

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Working alone can be a challenge for schools that don’t have experience with network upgrades. They can run into issues that they might otherwise have avoided if they’d connected with a technology partner. The potential consequences, such as outages or network vulnerabilities, can be painful.

“At CDW we talk to engineers to figure out what those gotchas are so we can bring the customer through this process with as little pain as possible to make it more successful,” says Schiavone. “These upgrades are something that organizations will have to deal with sooner or later, and an assessment will absolutely help them to navigate those waters more smoothly.”