Connecting Emergency Phones and WiFi with PoE

RuggedNet PoE Switches Enhance Campus Safety and Connectivity

College campuses are expansive environments where student safety and reliable communication are top priorities. Emergency blue phones, strategically placed across campuses, provide students with a lifeline to security personnel during emergencies. In addition, WiFi access points ensure students remain connected for academic and personal needs.

The challenge for many colleges lies in efficiently connecting these critical systems—emergency blue phones, WiFi access points, and IP surveillance cameras—over long distances while ensuring reliability, fast data transmission, and seamless management from the security control center.

In this case study, you’ll learn how RuggedNet PoE switches streamline campus safety infrastructure, boost network reliability, and create a more secure, connected student environment.

The Challenge

Traditional copper cabling systems are limited in both distance and bandwidth, making them unsuitable for large, distributed campus environments. Colleges need a solution that can:

1. Extend connections across multiple campus buildings and open areas.
2. Deliver high-speed connectivity for WiFi access and surveillance.
3. Power multiple types of devices, including PoE++ powered WiFi access points and IP cameras, while also supporting non-PoE blue phone systems.
4. Offer resiliency, monitoring, and self-healing functions to maintain uninterrupted service during emergencies

The Solution

A college selected Omnitron’s RuggedNet 10GPoEBT/Mi PoE Ethernet switches as the foundation of its emergency communication and WiFi network. Each switch is equipped with 4-Port managed Gigabit PoE++ (802.3bt) capable of delivering up to 100W per port, making it ideal for powering:

• IP surveillance cameras positioned near blue phone locations.
• High-power WiFi access points across the campus.
• Non-PoE emergency blue phone systems using auxiliary power support.

High-Speed Fiber Backbone

The switches utilize 10G fiber uplinks, providing the campus with high-speed, low-latency connectivity to the central security control center. Fiber optic cabling ensures reliable long-distance coverage across the entire campus without bandwidth loss or interference.

Advanced Features

The college chose Omnitron because of its reputation for:

• Reliability in mission-critical environments.
• Technical support and Made-in-USA quality assurance.
• Management functions including:
  • PoE Watchdog Self-Healing to automatically detect and restart unresponsive devices.
  • PoE Heartbeat Monitoring for continuous device status checks.
  • Configurable PoE Power Reset to remotely power cycle devices.
  • Standards-based compliance (IEEE 802.3bt, 802.3at, 802.3af).

These features ensure that both emergency communication and WiFi connectivity remain online, even during unexpected device failures.

The Result and Conclusion

Following deployment, the college achieved:

• Seamless integration of blue phones, WiFi access points, and IP cameras.
• Reliable communication between students and the security center during emergencies.
• Improved safety monitoring with video surveillance coverage at blue phone stations.
• Operational efficiency thanks to centralized device monitoring and automated self-healing.

The RuggedNet switches provided a robust, fiber-based backbone that guarantees campus-wide reliability, empowering the college to enhance both student safety and digital connectivity.

Why Omnitron Systems

The customer selected Omnitron due to:

• Proven Reliability – Rugged, carrier-grade products designed for continuous uptime in mission-critical applications.
• Pre- and Post-Sales Support – Omnitron provided expert consultation during design and responsive support after deployment.
• Technical Features – Managed capabilities, 10Gig uplinks, and PoE++ power ensured compatibility with evolving technologies.
• Compliance and Trust – Omnitron products are TAA, BAA, and NDAA compliant, and proudly Made in the USA.

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