Connect with Nature at the Leighton Art Centre

In the foothills of Alberta, Canada, Leighton Art Centre (LAC) operates a museum, galleries, outdoor trails, and so much more. Welcoming over 20,000 guests each year, they needed a fast and secure network infrastructure that could help them stay connected. 

Challenge

In Canada, rural broadband connectivity isn’t great and cellular internet solutions are expensive. LAC needed reliable and cost-effective connectivity for their ecommerce system and office staff, and to be able to communicate with local schools for coordinating student programs. They required a network that could support large data transfers, as well as free guest Wi-Fi for visitors. On top of that, all of this needs to encompass 5 different buildings across 80 acres of land.

900Mbps Dual-WAN Router Balance 20X

Solution

DCI Technologies implemented a system using the Balance 20X as the main router. Connected to the router are two WAN connections, one for Starlink and one for a Telus Hub. A Mobility 42G antenna was installed to improve signal reception and an 8-port rugged switch connected the outlying buildings. AP One AC Mini access points were also installed in each building for providing Wi-Fi.

Multiple VLANs are used in their network, each with differing outbound policies, priorities and content filtering. This allowed them to set specific connections for different purposes, ranging from an Ecommerce VLAN that uses SpeedFusion Connect, to a Captive Guest Portal that only utilizes Starlink.

They’re also using InTouch to manage their broadband radio system and Telus Hub through InControl 2. This way, tech support can look directly at the network infrastructure, rather than make the long trip to the museum.

Result

With the help of Peplink and Starlink, Leighton Art Centre’s network now operates considerably faster than the previous system with much greater reliability and at a lower operating cost.

Deployment

Balance 20X

  • Main hub of the network
  • Supports multiple WANs out of the box
  • Easily upgradable to suit your needs

AP One AC Mini

  • Ease of management via InControl 2, all from any web-browser
  • Powered via PoE

Mobility 42G

  • Used to enhance signal reception and transmission
  • IP68 rated enclosure ready for any weather

SD Switch 8-Port Rugged

  • Connected directly to the Balance 20X
  • OOBM management for local and remote management