Hello Peplink Team & Peplink colleagues,
This thread is based on a project that is still continuing (with some challenges) due to the location logistics of getting there. We can not publish the various clients details or specific location though it is remote.
We have here some photos and some of the network topology to share with you, we hope you find it interesting.
Background
Our team has been working in a remote areas of Australia provisioning complex Peplink Setups for a customer totally dependant on Satellite communications, these are full of challenges at the site due to:
- the complex way the integration is needed for the various multiple satellite services
- allow network access and the usage rights required between differing teams accessing the network
- the entire system needs be fully remote supported and cloud controlled when our teams leave site (we have been rolling out multiple locations for our clients)
In good time we will have a case study published on these, we are using currently 8 different models of Peplink equipment (routers, switches, APs).
It may interest you that about 80% of these business here in Australua uses apple devices due to iMessage & FaceTime Audio being about the only form of consistent and reliable communications they have been able to have working here until around mid last year when the two main carriers in Australia introduce Wi-Fi Calling.
We currently have it down to two cloud based management system, Peplink and another system for the managing the local non-satellite distributed back-haul system (a local terrestrial network).
The nearest mobile phone tower is over 80km (over 50 miles) away and a very challanging option to implement in costs, logistic & politics (just to get started).
What can be done with a bit of different thinking and persistence using the Peplink & Pepwave products.
This is an image of one of several systems for one of our customers currently that has been provisioned in far west northern Queensland (Australia).
This site has many different buildings located around the area with four different Satellite services, four different user groups all with unique networks and SSIDs with differing levels of data rights and inter networking permissions.
At this site we are using:
- 1 x Peplink MediaFast (pictured)
- 1 x Peplink SD-Switch (pictured)
- 3 x Peplink Balance Ones
- Several Pepwave AP Pro Duo units with custom MIMO antenna solutions
- Several Pepwave AP ENT & Pepwave APO Rug for indoor areas
Plus the whole place is connected via a privately managed radio (not Wi-Fi) based back haul network (from a different equipment provider).
Within the network, the SD-Switch is managing:
- VLAN Trunking
- VLAN Permissions
- Routing of VLANS to WANs on MediaFast from remote Satellite Connections
- Powering (on differing VLANs) VoIP phones, IP operated cameras (we use MOBOTIX), printers and PCs
All the inter VLAN routing is being done in the balance routers.
All going well, the MediaFast will help reduce the repetitive downloads from the four satellite services and look after the security of the network.
Visual & detailed Schematics of site systems
In these schematics, you will see we have used another brands switch, the Peplink SW-Switch 8-Port was not yet available when this project rolled out & with around 30 of these currently at site, we are keen to switch them out so to improve the remote support. Some of the locations are solar powered and we will look at using the Pepxim PMU-DD with those so to help remotely monitor the condition of the available power feeding the various Peplink & other equipment.
We could not have done these projects at the high professional level without with the equipment from Peplink & Pepwave.
Happy to Help,
Marcus 