Holy Trinity Bukit Bintang (HTBB Church) is an Anglican Church based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and is part of the Diocese of West Malaysia. HTBB Church first opened in September of 2014 and has grown to have more than 1,500 active members. Inside the 10,000 square foot property, HTBB Church houses two large halls, a café, office areas, study rooms, training rooms, meeting rooms and more. The church offers several programs and special services, including baptisms, confirmations and weddings.

One of the primary challenges was creating a network that would provide ample coverage for the entire property. With multiple rooms and locations providing different kinds of services, the wireless network also needed to be segmented based on the user, such as for daily church operations, special events and for the congregation. The final challenge was finding a simple method to manage the entire wireless network from a central point.

Since upgrading the wireless network was the main priority here, TRENDnet’s AC2200 Tri-Band PoE+ Indoor Wireless Access Points (TEW-826DAP) were installed throughout the church campus. More than 25 TRENDnet access points were required to cover the space. To simplify network management, TRENDnet’s Wireless LAN Controller (TEW-WLC100) was utilized to centralize AP management. By using the wireless controller, the installers were able to save several working hours that would have otherwise been wasted on configuring each access point individually.

By using TRENDnet’s PoE+ access points, installers were able to deliver both data and power over a single set of network cables. More time was saved as well as a huge cost savings because building out electrical infrastructure would not be required. Most of the indoor APs were connected to TRENDnet managed PoE+ switches, primarily the 28-Port Gigabit Web Smart PoE+ Switches (TPE-2840WS), but some were connected to the 48-Port Gigabit PoE+ Managed Layer 2 Switch with 4 shared SFP slots (TL2-PG484).

Each designated area of the church for the wireless upgrade was fitted with its own designated web smart PoE+ switch. Layer 2 switches were used for the main office areas and administrative staff. The 48-port layer 2 switch was utilized for both the offices and the guest wireless upgrade. An additional layer 2 managed switch, the 28-Port Gigabit PoE+ Managed Layer 2 Switch with 4 SFP slots (TL2-PG284), was also installed for office staff use only.

Managed switches were required for this project, primarily to set up multiple VLANs. Multiple SSIDs were also set up via the access points to manage the different types of traffic throughout the church campus. This included for internal usage by the staff, daily usage by the congregation and guests, as well as one-time events. By separating type usage with VLANs and different SSIDs, the church can ensure there is enough bandwidth for whatever may be needed most at any moment.

“It was time to upgrade our wireless network; our old system had been failing us for some time,” said Timkee Cheng from HTBB CHurch. “However, we needed to work with a company that could provide a better and more stable WiFi network, but also could supply the necessary hardware within a short timeframe, and TRENDnet was able to deliver for us. Our congregation continues to grow, and we needed a wireless network that could keep up with and support this growth.”

Cheng continued, “With TRENDnet’s access points, the wireless has been great throughout the whole property. The internet is still a bit slow (not because of the equipment), but the wireless network itself is extremely fast. We no longer have issues with network bottlenecks. We offer both on-site and online worship services and other programs, so it was very important for us to upgrade our entire system. It has been very reliable and stable, and without any issues since the upgrade.”

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