The Challenge

Leading Malaysian higher education institutions, University Malaya (UM) and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), faced the escalating challenge of providing robust, high-speed, and easily manageable wireless connectivity across their expansive campuses.

UM, with 5 faculties and extensive student hostels, required a network overhaul to support a high density of devices and modern teaching methodologies.

UiTM, spanning 18 branch campuses, aimed to reduce its dependency on hardware controllers, simplify multi-site management, and optimize investment costs for full coverage.

Both universities sought future-proof solutions that could deliver a seamless user experience for students and staff, integrate with global academic roaming services like eduroam, and provide user-friendly management tools.

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The Solution

EnGenius Networks was selected to deliver comprehensive, next-generation networking solutions tailored to the unique needs of these premier institutions.

1. University Malaya: Pioneering Wi-Fi 7 for Unmatched Performance

UM became the first university in Malaysia and the site of the nation's largest quantity deployment of Wi-Fi 7 Access Points (APs).

The landmark project included:

• 355 units of EnGenius ECW516L Wi-Fi 7 APs
• 1,482 units of EnGenius ECW526 Wi-Fi 7 APs
• A total of 171 EnGenius Cloud Managed Switches, including:
  
  • 123 units of ECS2528FP
  • 35 units of ECS1528FP
  • 12 units of ECS2552FP
  • 1 unit of ECS1112FP

• This deployment leverages the full capabilities of Wi-Fi 7, including the crucial 6 GHz band, to offer features like 320 MHz channels for ultra-fast speeds  and significantly reduced congestion – advantages lost in Wi-Fi 7 APs without 6 GHz support. EnGenius’s true Tri-Band concurrent operation (2.4G/5G/6G) ensures maximum performance and future-proofing. The solution also seamlessly supports eduroam via 802.1x WPA2-Enterprise authentication.
• The project at University Malaya was launched at a high-profile ceremony attended by Malaysia's Minister of Communications, Fahmi Fadzil, who highlighted the government's initiative to improve digital infrastructure in public universities (read the official coverage on the Malay Mail).

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2. Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM): Cloud-Managed Wi-Fi 6 Across 18 Campuses

UiTM implemented a large-scale EnGenius Wi-Fi 6 solution:

• Over 4,000 EnGenius Wi-Fi 6 APs, predominantly from the ECW220 and ECW230 model families, and over 1,000 EnGenius Cloud Managed Switches, mostly from the ECS1528FP and ECS1552FP series, were deployed across its 18 campuses.
• This enabled UiTM to significantly reduce its dependency on hardware controllers, facilitate easy centralized management via the EnGenius Cloud from its headquarters, and lower overall investment costs. The EnGenius Cloud’s license-free management platform  delivered a significant advantage, particularly for a large educational institution like UiTM; this approach eliminates recurring software licensing fees, contributing to greater cost-effectiveness and more predictable long-term operational expenditures. The EnGenius Cloud dashboard provided clear visibility into network clients.

3. EnGenius Campus Collaboration Programs: Bridging Industry and Academia

A cornerstone of EnGenius's engagement was its deep commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) through impactful campus collaboration programs:

• Industry on Campus (IOC): This initiative aims to prepare students for real-world industry roles and provide them with additional knowledge directly from industry experts.
• Activities include:
  • Hands-on workshops and certification programs for students.
  • Establishment of EnGenius Labs on campus.
  • Sharing insights on the latest networking technologies.

• ‍University Engagement Activities:
  • Collaboration with universities to provide high-performance Wi-Fi 7 for E-Games events.
  • Participation in University ICT Days to allow students to engage with and learn about the latest networking technologies.

Implementation and Key Features

• Centralized Management: Allowing IT teams to monitor, configure, and troubleshoot the entire network from a single dashboard, simplifying operations across multiple faculties and campuses.
• Hierarchy View & User Analytics: Providing tools for simplified large-scale network management and valuable insights into network usage and client behavior.
• Robust Security: Full support for 802.1X and WPA2-Enterprise for secure network access, critical for eduroam integration.
• True Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7: For UM, the deployment of EnGenius APs with dedicated 6 GHz radios ensures access to the full benefits of Wi-Fi 7, avoiding the performance bottlenecks and congestion issues inherent in dual-band concurrent or non-6 GHz Wi-Fi 7 solutions.

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The Results

The EnGenius solutions and collaborative programs have delivered significant outcomes:

• Superior Network Performance: Provided vastly improved campus-wide Wi-Fi speeds and reliability for all academic and high-demand applications.
• Simplified IT Operations & Reduced Costs: Streamlined network administration via the cloud, reducing hardware dependency and lowering TCO with a license-free model.
• Future-Proof Campuses: Equipped universities with cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7 and scalable Wi-Fi 6, ready for future technological demands.
• Enhanced Student Skill Development: Boosted student employability through hands-on tech experience and certifications via "Industry on Campus" programs.
• Strengthened Industry-Academia Links: Forged strong partnerships, contributing advanced technology and expertise to cultivate Malaysia's future tech workforce.

Conclusion

EnGenius Networks' deployments at University Malaya and Universiti Teknologi MARA, combined with visionary campus collaborations, have established a new benchmark for smart campus development in Malaysia. By delivering advanced Wi-Fi solutions managed via the EnGenius Cloud and actively bridging the academia-industry gap, EnGenius has affirmed its role as a dedicated partner in empowering Malaysian educational institutions and cultivating future tech talent.

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